The following is "Zen and the Art of What Plugins Do," version 1.0 by thewayofzen from the Lost In The Box forums:
A very wonderful feature of the bb4win experience (whether bblean, bb4win or xoblite) is the blackbox plugin. Plugins can be used to add, modify, or create a number of different functions and abilities that are not hard coded into the core shell itself. The only thing that can make choosing a plugin hard is knowing what the actual plugin does. Any time you download a plugin it normally comes with documents that will inform you of its abilities and how to configure it, but there has not really been any list made with the intent of helping the novice user choose those plugins that might be right for his/her use.. UNTIL NOW! The following is a list of plugins as they appear on www.xoblite.net and what they do.
| Plugin | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| bbFoomp | freeb0rn | bbFoomp frontend for Foobar2000. It features the ability to display the song title with or without scrolling. |
| bbOSD | Alex3D | bbOSD displays the same text that appears in your blackbox toolbar label. (the space between each of the pairs of arrow buttons) |
| bbIconBox | grischka | bbIconBox displays icons in a box to display either:
a. the contents of a folder b. the currently running tasks c. the systemtray |
| bbAltTray | kana | bbAltTray provides a way to access your systemtray with bro@ms. |
| bbTaskSwitch | kana | bbTaskSwitch replaces the regular Windows Alt-Tab task-switcher with a new version mimicking the current *box style. |
| bbBalloon | kana | bbBalloon is a blackbox plugin that enables balloon tooltips for you bb4win shell replacement that match the current *box style. |
| bbInterface | psyci/grischka | perhaps the MOST VERSATILE of all plugins, when loaded bbInterface uses its own scripting language to create controls, icons, switches, buttons, sliders and control panels of elaborate proportion. |
| bbWorkspaceWheel | grischka | bbWorkSpaceWheel enables the user to change workspaces simply by rolling the mousewheel. |
| bbColorEx | kana | bbColorEx reads the information either from the current style or a 3dcc file and applies them to the windows display elements to match the defined scheme. |
| bbHotSpots | kana [requires BBCmd]** | loading bbHotSpots allows the user to assign commands and to a rectangle or "HOTSPOT" allowing the user to execute that command simply by touching the hotspot with the mouse cursor. |
| bbDigitalEx | Theo | bbDigitalEX provides the user with an easily configurable onscreen digital clock. |
| bbTrayIcon | kana [requires BBCmd]** | could not load the plugin to test. |
| bbPlayer | kana | bbPlayer is a plugin designed to display the current track played in your music player and provides a handful of bro@ms for its control. |
| WorkspaceStyle | Anonymints | WorkspaceStyle is a plugin that uses specific settings in your blackbox.rc allowing the user to apply different style to each virtual desktop. |
| bbLifeGame | kana | bbLifeGame is a plugin that plays the game of life. (if you do not know what the game of life is you can find it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life#Description ) |
| bbVHM | kana | a plugin that, when loaded, provides the user with two bro@ms that maximizes a window vertically or horizontally. |
| bbPlugManager | Kaloth | a plugin that when loaded provides the user with the ability to load plugins through menu and folder navigation rather than the traditional method of manually editting a plugins.rc file. |
| bbMuse | Kaloth | bbMuse is a plugin which creates a display that shows the current title and track number of the current song playing in Winamp. When not using winamp it also serves the second function of being a clock. |
| bbRSS | Theo | a simple little plugin that creates a display capable of showing RSS feeds on the users desktop. |
| bbLoSlitta | kana | loading bbLoSlitta allows a user to place any plugin in the slit whether it includes the ability to do so or not. |
| bbBloglines | kana [requires BBCmd]** | a plugin that allows a user to check the number of unread items on their subscriptions from Bloglines. ( www.bloglines.com ) |
| bbMouseGesture | kana [requires BBCmd]** | bbMouseGesture allows the user to associate mouse gestures with various commands. |
| bbShelf | Fatman | bbShelf is a plugin for blackbox that works as a drawer to contain various shortcut buttons. The drawer/shelf can be opened or closed at the click of a button. |
| bbCalendar | Theo | loading bbCalendar in blackbox will provide the user with a configurable calendar capable of more then just showing the date. It can also function as an alarm reminding the user of birthdays, anniversaries or appointments. |
| bbWeather | Fatman | bbWeather provides the user with a desktop display indicating the weather as it appears to be in whatever geographic area/city it is intended to watch. |
| bbColor3dc | grischka | a plugin that changes the display properties of the windows on your desktop by referencing 3dcc files that are located in a folder on the system or embedded directly in the current style file itself. |
| bbMagnify | Theo | a plugin that provides the user with a display showing a magnification of what the mouse curser is pointing at in realtime, as well as the current x and y coordinates and hex color value of that spot. |
| bbSysmeter | Theo | a plugin which monitors system information for cpu swap ram and hard disk space. It allows a number of different display options for how the information is displayed. |
| bbBin | qwilk | provides the user with an efficient way of accessing and emptying the recycle bin |
| bbAltMenu | ana | a plugin that loads other menu.rc's so you can config mouse presses to open menu alternatives to the regular menu.rc |
| bbTodo | Ender | loading bbTodo will provide the user with a display which allows the adding, removing, and crossing out of things they need to do. Its a handy way of not forgetting those things that otherwise might slip a persons mind. |
| bbWintrans | Kaloth | bbWintrans offers the user a way to make almost any window on a windows system transparent. This plugin only works in windows2000/XP. |
| bbGesture | Kaloth | bbGesture is a gesture recognition plugin. pressing a combination of keys provides the user with an interface that can be used to record these gestures. |
| bbMail | qwilk | bbMail is a plugin which enables a link to your pop3 or IMAP account allowing you to know when email arrives and how many are waiting to be read. It also works as an icon to launch your email program as well as the ability to assign frequently used email address to allow quick mail composition. |
| bbOscilliscope | Kaloth | bbOscilliscope provides the user with an oscilliscope much like the one in winamp that will move in tune to the music |
| bbSpectrum | Kaloth | bbSpectrum is a plugin very much like BBoscilliscope. It is an audio spectrum analyser much like the one found in winamp. |
| bbAnalogEx | Theo | bbAnalagEx loads in blackbox to provide an attractive analog clock displaying the time as it would be on the users computer. |
| bb8Ball | Theo | bb8Ball is an eyecandy plugin for blackbox which installs a MAGIC 8 BALL game on the users desktop offering random answers to important questions at the press of a button. |
| bbPower | qwilk | bbPower is a plugin for blackbox which monitors the battery life of a users laptop. |
| bbEdgeHook | bladestaylor | bbEdgeHook is a plugin that provides a few new functions to your blackbox experience such as the abillity to obtain a menu on any screen edge with a simple right click. Right click on a windows titlebars will display menus in *BOX-styled menus. Middle click on titlebars to close windows. Gesturing on a windows title bar will move it to the next workspace while scrolling on the screens edge will change your workspace. |
| BroamTimer | bladestaylor | a plugin which reads a list of bro@ms from a file and then executes them on a timer. While it is intended mostly for bbInterface it can also be used with plugins such as bbMail or bbMemshrink. |
| bbWinAmpList | Procic Konstantin | a plugin for blackbox that displays a users winamp playlist in a *box menu. |
| bbEdgeMenu | bladestaylor | allows the user to obtain a desktop menu by right clicking on any screen-edge whether the desktop is showing or not. |
| bbEdgeFlip | bladestaylor | bbEdgeFlip is a plugin to make switching workspaces easier. When you move your mouse cursor to the left or right edge of the screen the plugin switches to the previous or next workspace. It can also be used to move application windows to another workspace by dragging it to the edge of the screen. |
| bbXEyes | Procic Konstantin | provides a set of eyes on your desktop that follows the mouse cursor |
| Liam | Anonymints | a plugin much like bbMail which will allow the user to have an interface capable of checking an email account for potential waiting email. |
| bbMemShrink | bladestaylor | bbMemShrink is a plugin designed to shrink the amount of memory that is allocated to the blackbox.exe executable. |
| bbDropFTP | qwilk | a plugin lets you upload files to an unlimitted number of FTP targets that are defined by the user. This is done by dragging and dropping a file to the drop ftp display. |
| bbkeyhook | Kaloth | a low level keyhook that can map any VK (Virtual Key) code to a command line action or to the default mixer 'mute', 'volume up' and 'volume down' actions. |
| BroamRelay | bladestaylor | a plugin that reads bro@ms from a file and sends them to the core. |
| bbLeanskin | grischka | a plugin that skins your windows to mimick the look of *nix blackbox adding an attractive look while also providing the additional function of shading etc. |
| bbPager | NC-17 | bbPager creates a visual display of all the workspaces on your system. It shows a small graphical representation of what is open on each workspace. you can then move applications from one workspace to the other with a simple drag and drop or you can switch from one workspace to another workspace with a simple click of the mouse. |
| bbTray | TheDevTeam | bbTray provides an alternative to the traditional systemtray on the blackbox systembar. It can be positioned anywhere on the users desktop. |
| SystemBarEx | bladestaylor | SystembarEx is an extremely powerful alternative to the traditional *box Toolbar or bbLeanBar. It is very versatile and offers a myriad of configuration options. It cannot be used with xoblite. |
| bbZCmdEx | Procic Konstantin | loading bbZCmdEx adds a command entry box interface similar to the Run command on the windows start menu. |
| bbWinSkin + engines | TheDevTeam | a plugin for blackbox that provides the user with a way to skin your windows so that they match the style and look of *nix blackbox. It support two different skinning engines. This plugin was originally intended for bb4win and xoblite, but can also be used as an alternative to replace bbLeans native bbLeanSkin plugin. |
| bbStatus | Stocker | bbStatus provides a simple status bar that mirrors the toolbar label and displays the current active window title or any messages that might ordinarily be displayed there. |
| bbAnalog | Mortar | bbAnalog displays an analog clock for Blackbox for Windows. It has less features then bbAnalogEx. |
| bbSysmon | Mortar | a text based system monitor plugin for blackbox that provides the user with a configurable display that can monitor any and all of the following:
a. cpu b. ram c. swap d. drivespace e. uptime f. IP address g. Workstation name h. current user |
| bbStyle | NC-17 | bbStyle can assign a random style to the desktop on a set timer, every startup or at the press of a putton. It also provides support for a different wallpaper for each workspace. |
| Broambox | Tres`ni | Broambox is a simple plugin which provides a way for the user to enter commands, be they bro@ms or regular executable programs. |
| bbSlit | Tres`ni | bbSlit is a plugin that functions as a container for other plugins. The user cannot see BBSlit until a plugin has been placed inside it. This plugin is not needed for xoblite because the slit has been coded into the core of the shell itself. |
| bbSlider | psyci | a plugin for blackbox that creates a sliding control that is capable of controlling the volume of the sound devices installed on your system. |
| bbHook | TheDevTeam | bbHook is a blackbox/xoblite plugin that adds new functionality to the shell by providing the user with the ability to shade windows or maximize horizontally/vertically with a few simple mouse clicks on the window titlebar. (bbLean offers these functions already therefore eliminating the need for this plugin with that branch) |
| GradTest | qwilk | Gradtest provides the user with a graphical representation of both the focussed and unfocussed window shades in full *box style. This can be used by style creators to provide a visual representation of the progress they are making on an in progress style. |
| bbTrans | TheDevTeam | bbTrans is a plugin for blackbox that adds transparency support to the toolbar and menus as well as any window they can place their mouse over. |
| bbDDE | Tres`ni | bbDDE loads Explorer's DDE service for all intents and purposes so that applications that rely on DDE to talk to each other can be run without the explorer shell. Often used by program installers. only needed for bb4win. bbLean and xoblite don't need this since DDE functionality is built in. |
| bbAmpTitle | pulse | bbAmpTitle is a plugin that displays the title of the song currently playing in winamp. |
| bbnetState | pulse | bbnetState is a plugin that provides a simple graphical display of exactly how much information is going in and out of the users computer via an internet connection. |
| bbsysState | pulse | a plugin that provides the user with some useful system statistics like ram and cpu usage. |
| bbSystemBar | TheDevTeam | a plugin for blackbox that gives the user a useful systemtray and list of active tasks. |
| bbIcons | Tres`ni | bbIcons is a plugin that, when loaded, creates desktop icons or shortcuts to programs that a user might want to access quicker then through traditional blackbox menus. |
| bbKeys | TheDevTeam | bbKeys provides the user with a way to configure keyboard shortcuts to allow the user quick and easy access to favorite applications. |
| multiamp | qwilk | multiamp is a blackbox plugin that provides a clean *box style frontend to some of the most common meda players. It enables the user to control winamp, foobar2000, QCD, K-Jofol or CoolPlayer. |
| bbSoundFX | qwilk | bbSoundFX is a plugin for blackbox that associates sound effects to common blackbox events such as menu actions or reconfiguration. It is also able to remind the user audibly with hourly or half hourly sound. |
| bbColor | NC-17,qwilk | bbColor is a plugin that automatically uses the titlebar settings from the current style to set matching colors in the display properties/appearances tab. It will do this every time the style is changed. |
| nWeather | Nexistenz | a plugin for blackbox that provides the user with a customizable text based display for the weather. It adopts its appearance based on the *box style in use. |
| boxonoid | qwilk | a fun little game for your desktop that you play by moving the paddle at the bottom in an effort to hit the "ball" and break the blocks at the top of the screen. |
*credit should be given to the plugin authors (especially those kind enough to include docs with their releases)
**plugins that require BBCmd were not tested, loaded or otherwise even figured out. I have no idea if these even work.
***special thanks to Astxist and (especially)MQ from bb4win for proofreading.
The above is "Zen and the Art of What Plugins Do," version 1.0 by thewayofzen from the Lost In The Box forums.