# Add Plugin > Research and create a new plugin for the day/night cycle automation. Use when user asks to "add a plugin for [app name]" or "add support for [app name]". Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/add-plugin-3` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/add-plugin-3` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/add-plugin-3/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Research & Search - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/add-plugin-3 --- # Add Plugin Automatically research and create a new plugin for the day/night cycle automation system. ## Overview This skill helps you add support for new applications to the day/night cycle automation. Given an app name, it will: 1. Research how theme switching works for the application 2. Identify configuration file locations or APIs 3. Create a new plugin file in the plugins/ directory 4. Register the plugin in plugins/plugin.go Registry map 5. Provide configuration examples ## Instructions When adding a plugin, follow these steps: ### 1. Research Phase First, understand how theme switching works for the target application: - Search for official documentation on theme/appearance switching - Look for configuration file locations (JSON, YAML, plist, etc.) - Check for AppleScript support on macOS - Investigate CLI commands or APIs - Review GitHub issues or community discussions about automation **Key questions to answer:** - Where are theme settings stored? - What file format is used? - What are the exact theme/preset names? - Does the app support live reloading of settings? - Are there any special requirements or permissions needed? ### 2. Implementation Phase Create a new plugin file in the `plugins/` directory: **Read existing plugins first:** ```bash Read: plugins/iterm2.go # or any other plugin as example Read: plugins/plugin.go # for helper functions ``` **Create new file:** `plugins/[app_name].go` **Plugin function signature:** ```go package plugins func [AppName](cfg map[string]interface{}, isLight bool) error { // Implementation } ``` **Implementation patterns by type:** 1. **JSON Config Files:** - Use helper: `UpdateJSONTheme(path, key, value)` from plugins/plugin.go - Or read current file into struct or map - Update theme property - Marshal and write back - Verify write succeeded 2. **AppleScript (macOS apps):** - Use `exec.Command("osascript", "-e", script)` - Set appropriate timeout - Handle errors gracefully 3. **CLI Commands:** - Use `exec.Command()` with arguments - Check error return values - Capture and handle stderr **Available helpers in plugins/plugin.go:** - `UpdateJSONTheme(path, key, value)` - Update JSON config files - `ExpandPath(path)` - Expand ~ in file paths **Error handling requirements:** - Return descriptive errors using `fmt.Errorf()` - Handle file not found separately from other errors - Print helpful messages to stderr when appropriate ### 3. Integration Phase Register the plugin in the Registry: **Edit `plugins/plugin.go`:** ```go var Registry = map[string]Func{ // ... existing plugins "[app-name]": [AppName], } ``` **Test the plugin:** ```bash # Build first make build # Test light mode ./bin/day-night-cycle --config config.yaml light # Test dark mode ./bin/day-night-cycle --config config.yaml dark # Check status ./bin/day-night-cycle --config config.yaml status ``` ### 4. Documentation Phase Provide the user with: 1. **Configuration example** for `config.yaml`: ```yaml plugins: - name: [app-name] enabled: true # Include any custom options discovered ``` 2. **Setup instructions** if needed: - Where to find theme names - Any prerequisites or permissions - How to verify it's working ## Checklist Before completing the task, verify: - [ ] New plugin file created in `plugins/` directory (e.g., `plugins/vscode.go`) - [ ] File has `package plugins` declaration - [ ] Function signature matches `func [AppName](cfg map[string]interface{}, isLight bool) error` - [ ] Extracts config values with proper type assertions - [ ] Handles both light and dark modes based on `isLight` parameter - [ ] Returns descriptive errors - [ ] Plugin registered in `plugins/plugin.go` Registry map - [ ] Configuration example provided - [ ] Basic testing completed ## Example Usage User: "Add a plugin for Visual Studio Code" Expected workflow: 1. Research VS Code settings location and theme configuration 2. Discover settings.json at `~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json` 3. Find that theme is controlled by `workbench.colorTheme` property 4. Create `plugins/vscode.go` with `VSCode` function 5. Register in `plugins/plugin.go` Registry map as "vscode" 6. Provide config example with popular theme names 7. Test the implementation ## Common Pitfalls - **Don't guess paths or APIs** - Always research first - **Check for platform differences** - macOS vs Linux vs Windows - **Verify theme names** - Use exact names from the application - **Test error cases** - What if app isn't installed? - **Consider permissions** - Some apps may need accessibility permissions ## Resources - Existing plugins: See files in `plugins/` directory for implementation patterns - Plugin helpers: See `plugins/plugin.go` for available helper functions - Plugin patterns: See [plugin-patterns.md](plugin-patterns.md) in this skill directory ## Notes - Always read existing plugin files in plugins/ directory before implementing - Each plugin gets its own file (e.g., `plugins/iterm2.go`) - Use helper functions from `plugins/plugin.go` when appropriate - Follow the patterns from existing plugins - Research thoroughly before implementing - Return descriptive errors - Test both light and dark mode transitions --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/brittonhayes) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.