Plugins
Plugins add file formats AssetHoard can't read on its own, or connect it to other tools. Manage them in Settings > Plugins, and see what's available on the plugins page.
Overview
AssetHoard reads a lot of formats out of the box, but every project has a few it doesn't: phone photos, engine-specific files, the output of a niche tool. Plugins fill those gaps without waiting for an AssetHoard update. Each one teaches AssetHoard one new thing, and you only install the ones you need.
They also keep AssetHoard lean. A format only a few people use can live in a plugin instead of the main app, and plugins are updated on their own schedule.
| Plugin type | What you get |
|---|---|
| File format | Thumbnails, previews, metadata and Export As for new extensions. |
| Integration | Connects AssetHoard to another tool, like the Godot plugin. |
Built-in formats always come first. A plugin can't change how your PNGs, models or audio are read.
What's coming
Plugins launch with file formats and the Godot integration. Planned next, as on the roadmap:
- More file formats in the registry.
- Third-party library support, so plugins can build on existing tools.
- Context menu items: plugins adding their own right-click actions.
- A plugin SDK, so you can build your own. See Building a plugin.
Installing
From the registry
- Open Settings > Plugins and go to Browse.
- Search by name or extension (
heicor.heic) and click Install. - Check the file types it reads, anything it installs outside AssetHoard, its licence and permissions, then click Install.
From a file
Double-click a .assethoard file, or use Install from file…. These
get a Sideloaded badge. Only install plugins you trust.
A plugin folder copied straight into the plugins folder is trusted: it skips the install prompt, loads switched on with every permission it asks for, and gets the Sideloaded badge.
Files already in your library aren't changed. Select them and right-click > Reimport to give them thumbnails.
Managing plugins
| To | Do this |
|---|---|
| Switch a plugin off | Use the switch on its card. It keeps its settings. |
| Change settings | Click Settings on its card. Changes save instantly and apply to new imports. Reimport existing files. |
| Install into another tool | Some plugins, like Godot, come with files for another program. Click Install into… on the card and pick the folder, for example your Godot project. Then switch the addon on in Godot under Project Settings > Plugins. |
| Update | Click Update to v… on its card. You're notified at startup when updates exist. Updates are never automatic, and new permissions are tagged New. |
| Uninstall | Card menu > Uninstall. Assets keep their thumbnails, but reimporting them won't work until you reinstall. |
| Choose who reads an extension | When two plugins share one, pick in the Shared extensions box on the Installed tab. |
| Open the plugins folder or log | The ⋯ menu next to Install from file…. |
Safety and permissions
- Sandboxed. No access to your files, network or programs. A plugin only sees the file it's asked to read.
- Upfront about what it reads. The install prompt lists every extension a plugin reads, with its file type, and flags any an update adds. Plugins can't claim executables, keys, certificates, password stores or databases.
- Upfront about what it installs. A plugin can only put files outside AssetHoard (like the Godot addon) if it declares them. The install prompt lists each one in red with its destination, and AssetHoard asks before replacing a folder that already exists.
- Limited. Each call gets 20 seconds and a memory cap, starting up gets 60 seconds, and a plugin can store at most 64 KB of details per file. A plugin that's stuck or runs out of memory is stopped without crashing AssetHoard. After 3 failures in a row, AssetHoard stops calling it for 10 minutes.
- Verified. Registry downloads are signed and checksum-checked. Incompatible plugins are refused.
- Withdrawable. If the registry withdraws a plugin, it's switched off automatically. If AssetHoard hasn't been able to check the registry, Settings > Plugins says so, with a Check now button. Your plugins keep working offline in the meantime.
Permissions
| Permission | Shown as |
|---|---|
| None | Sees only the files AssetHoard hands it |
server | Turns on AssetHoard's local HTTP API (used by the Godot plugin) |
Plugins can only ask for permissions AssetHoard acts on. If a later version needs a new one, you're asked when you update.
Troubleshooting
Status badges
| Badge | Fix |
|---|---|
| Errored | Check the log, then Reimport affected files. |
| Timed out | Took over 20 seconds (60 to start), or ran out of memory, 3 times in a row. AssetHoard pauses it for 10 minutes. Switch it off and on to retry straight away, then Reimport affected files. |
| Incompatible | Update the plugin or AssetHoard. |
| Invalid | Its plugin.json is missing or broken. Reinstall or uninstall. |
| Withdrawn | Pulled from the registry and switched off. Uninstall, or install a newer version. |
Common problems
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Existing files still have no thumbnail | Installing a plugin doesn't change files already in your library. Select them and right-click > Reimport. |
| A file imported without a thumbnail during a big import | The plugin was busy and the file waited over two minutes. Reimport it. |
| Can't install this plugin | The prompt gives the reason: not a plugin, damaged, built for a different plugin API, or withdrawn. |
| Couldn't load the plugin registry | Check your connection and click Retry. |
| Install or update failed on Windows | Another program has a file in the plugin's folder open. Close it and try again. Your previous version is kept. |
| Local HTTP API shows Error | Another program is using its port (47824 by default). Change the port on the card or close the other program, then click Restart. The API only runs while a plugin with the server permission, such as Godot, is switched on. |
| The wrong plugin handles an extension | Pick the one you want in the Shared extensions box on the Installed tab, then Reimport. |
| A file is marked unsupported or unreadable | The plugin can't read that variant of the format, or the file is damaged. The plugin itself keeps working. |
| Settings > Plugins says the registry hasn't been checked | Click Check now. Until a check succeeds, a withdrawn plugin can keep running. |
Plugin log
Open it with Open log on a card with a problem, or from the ⋯ menu.
| OS | Location |
|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\asset_hoard\data\logs\plugins.log |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/asset_hoard/logs/plugins.log |
| Linux | ~/.local/share/asset_hoard/logs/plugins.log |
Building a plugin
Coming soon.