Plugins are files that can be installed into your copy of Gossamer List to extend the functionality of many aspects of the program. The tools in the plugin menu allow you to browse, download, install, uninstall and modify your plugins, as well as write your own plugins.

Warning: Plugins contain code that will be executed on and affect your system. Be careful while installing any plugins from a source of which you are unsure or do not trust.

Plugin Manager
The Plugin Manager (which will be displayed by default when you view the Plugins menu) allows you to easily install, edit, uninstall and delete plugins that you have downloaded, and displays brief descriptions of those plugins. The plugin manager is divided into two menus, the "Installed Plugins" menu and the "Uninstalled Plugins" menu. Each plugin that you have downloaded is listed in one of these two menus (which menu each plugin is listed in is obviously dependant on whether or not the plugin is currently installed). To the right of the name of each plugin, the version number and author of the plugin are listed. The author's name may be linked to their web site or email address. To the right of the author's name you are given the options of installing, editing, or deleting the plugin.

To install a plugin, click the "Install" link:

- A screen describing the plugin and how to use it will be displayed.

- Click the "Install" button at the bottom of the screen to confirm the installation.

- If you are installing a newer version of a plugin already on your system, you will be given a prompt asking if you want to overwrite the pre-existing plugin with the newer version.

To edit a plugin, click the "Edit" link:

- A screen displaying the plugins options will appear.

- Make any changes that you want, and click the "Edit" button to confirm them.

To uninstall a plugin, click the "Uninstall" link:

- A screen either describing the plugin or describing how the uninstall will affect Gossamer List will be displayed.

- You can either completely uninstall the plugin and all of its files and records by clicking the "Full Uninstall" button, or only uninstall the plugin itself by clicking "Skip Plugin Uninstall". This option will leave any files or records created by the plugin untouched, and is useful if you are planning to reinstall the plugin at some point.

To delete a plugin, click the "Delete" link:

- You will be given the option of confirming or aborting the delete.

- A plugin must be uninstalled before it can be deleted.

Plugin Download
The Plugin Download menu allows you to download and install plugins in three ways: from the Gossamer Threads website, from another URL, or from a file.

To download plugins from Gossamer Threads:

- Click the "Show" button to see a list of plugins available for download direct from Gossamer Threads. If you have already installed any of these plugins, the version number of your copy of the plugin will be displayed next to the version number of the latest available version of the plugin, so you can easily identify plugins that have been updated since you last installed them. Note: You will not be able to download plugins from Gossamer Threads if you do not have a valid registration number entered in the "Misc Options" section of the Setup menu.

- Click the "Download" link beside a plugin to begin downloading it.

To install plugins from a URL:

- Enter the URL location of the plugin you wish to download in the field provided.

- Click the "Install" button.

To Install plugins from a file:

- Enter the file location of the plugin you wish to download in the field provided, or click the "Browse" button to search for the file.

- Click the "Install" button when the correct file location has been entered.

Plugin Wizard
The Plugin Wizard tool allows you to create your own plugins, or modify pre-existing ones.

If you are creating a new plugin, enter its name in the "Create new plugin named:" field and click the "Next" button. If you are modifying a pre-existing plugin, select it from the drop-down menu and click the "Next" button.

- The first plugin wizard menu allows you to specify basic information about your plugin: version number, author, licensing (freeware, shareware, commercial, etc), Gossamer List version requirements, and description.

- The second plugin wizard menu allows you to create hooks for the plugin.

- The third plugin wizard menu allows you to specify menu options.

- The fourth plugin wizard menu allows you to specify user options.

- If your plugin requires bundled files, the fifth plugin wizard menu allows you to configure those files.

- The sixth plugin wizard menu allows you to configure the messages that will be displayed and the code that will be executed when the plugin is installed and uninstalled

About Plugins
Clicking on "About Plugins" will give you a brief description of plugins and how they can be used in Gossamer List.