pluginkit(8) BSD System Manager's Manual pluginkit(8)
NAME
pluginkit -- plugin plug-in extension pluginkit
SYNOPSIS
pluginkit -m [-ADv] [-p -protocol] [-i -identifier] [key=value] [...]
pluginkit [-ar] [-v] [file ...]
pluginkit -e election [-p -protocol] [-i -identifier] [key=value] [...]
DESCRIPTION
pluginkit manages the PlugInKit subsystem for the current user. It can
query the plug-in database and make limited interventions for debugging
and development.
A list of flags and their descriptions:
-A, --all-versions
Matches find all versions of a given plug-in known to the sys-
tem. By default, only the latest (highest) version is returned.
-a Explicitly adds plugins at the file location(s) given, even if
they are not normally eligible for automatic discovery. Note
that database clean-ups may eventually remove them in that case.
-e election
Perform a matching operation (see -m) and apply the given user
election setting to all matching plug-ins. Elections can be
"use", "ignore", and "default". Elections are applied to all
plug-ins with given identifier.
-D, --duplicates
Matches find all physical instances of a given plug-in known to
the system, even multiple copies with the same version.
-i, --identifier identifier
Specifies a plug-in identifier to match, a short-hand for NSEx-
tensionIdentifier=identifier.
-m --match
Requests pluginkit to scan all registered plug-ins for those
matching the given search criteria (see DISCOVERY MATCHING
below). All matching plug-ins are returned, one per line. Add
the -v option to get more detailed output. This is exactly
reproducing the functionality of PlugInKit discovery, except
that no host-specific restrictions are imposed. The -A and -D
options affect the outcome.
-p --protocol protocol
Specifies a plug-in protocol to match, a short-hand for NSEx-
tensionPointName=protocol.
-r Explicitly removes plugins at the file location(s) given. Note
that automatic discovery procedures may add them back if they
are still present.
--raw Present replies from the management daemon (pkd) in raw XML
form. This is primarily useful for debugging and for reporting
full state in bug reports.
-v Asks for more verbose operation. For matching requests, more
detail is printed about each matched plug-in. This option can
be given more than once.
DISCOVERY MATCHING
During plug-in discovery, PlugInKit matches plug-ins against match crite-
ria and delivers matching plug-ins. Only plug-ins that match all given
criteria are eligible. Criteria are expressed as "key" (must be present)
or "key=value" (key must be present and have the given value). The -i and
-p arguments are shorthands for the conventional identifier and protocol
matching keys. All matching plug-ins are reduced according to the -A and
-D options given. With -D, all eligible plug-ins are returned. With -A,
the last-registered (by timestamp) instance of each version is returned.
By default, only the last instance of the highest version is returned.
Note that this reduction is applied after matching.
EXPLICIT CHANGES
The -a and -r options make changes to the system's plug-in registry. The
registry is designed to operate automatically, and will update on its own
as applications are installed, removed, and discovered. The options
available through pluginkit are intended only for limited manipulation
during plug-in development and for certain maintenance tasks. They can-
not make permanent alterations of the automatic registry state.
SEE ALSO
pkd(8), launchd(8)
HISTORY
The pluginkit command first appeared in OS X 10.9.
Darwin February 9, 2017 Darwin
Mac OS X 10.12.3 - Generated Thu Feb 9 19:07:24 CST 2017