feat: modify plugin loading process

src/PepperDash.Essentials.Core/Devices/EssentialsDevice.cs

@@ -121,43 +121,6 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core
         }
     }
 
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Devices the basic needs for a Device Factory
-    /// </summary>
-    public abstract class EssentialsDeviceFactory<T> : IDeviceFactory where T:EssentialsDevice
-    {
-        #region IDeviceFactory Members
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// A list of strings that can be used in the type property of a DeviceConfig object to build an instance of this device
-        /// </summary>
-        public List<string> TypeNames { get; protected set; }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Loads an item to the DeviceFactory.FactoryMethods dictionary for each entry in the TypeNames list
-        /// </summary>
-        public void LoadTypeFactories()
-        {
-            foreach (var typeName in TypeNames)
-            {
-                //Debug.LogMessage(LogEventLevel.Verbose, "Getting Description Attribute from class: '{0}'", typeof(T).FullName);
-                var descriptionAttribute = typeof(T).GetCustomAttributes(typeof(DescriptionAttribute), true) as DescriptionAttribute[];
-                string description = descriptionAttribute[0].Description;
-                var snippetAttribute = typeof(T).GetCustomAttributes(typeof(ConfigSnippetAttribute), true) as ConfigSnippetAttribute[];
-                DeviceFactory.AddFactoryForType(typeName.ToLower(), description, typeof(T), BuildDevice);
-            }
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// The method that will build the device
-        /// </summary>
-        /// <param name="dc">The device config</param>
-        /// <returns>An instance of the device</returns>
-        public abstract EssentialsDevice BuildDevice(DeviceConfig dc);
-
-        #endregion
-    }
-
     public abstract class ProcessorExtensionDeviceFactory<T> : IProcessorExtensionDeviceFactory where T: EssentialsDevice
     {
         #region IProcessorExtensionDeviceFactory Members
@@ -203,15 +166,4 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core
         /// </summary>
         public string MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion { get; protected set; }
     }
-
-    public abstract class EssentialsPluginDevelopmentDeviceFactory<T> : EssentialsDeviceFactory<T>, IPluginDevelopmentDeviceFactory where T : EssentialsDevice
-    {
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Specifies the minimum version of Essentials required for a plugin to run.  Must use the format Major.Minor.Build (ex. "1.4.33")
-        /// </summary>
-        public string MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion { get; protected set; }
-
-        public List<string>  DevelopmentEssentialsFrameworkVersions { get; protected set; }
-    }
-
 }

src/PepperDash.Essentials.Core/Devices/EssentialsDeviceFactory.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using PepperDash.Essentials.Core.Config;
+
+namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Devices the basic needs for a Device Factory
+    /// </summary>
+    public abstract class EssentialsDeviceFactory<T> : IDeviceFactory where T:EssentialsDevice
+    {
+        #region IDeviceFactory Members
+
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        public Type FactoryType => typeof(T);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// A list of strings that can be used in the type property of a DeviceConfig object to build an instance of this device
+        /// </summary>
+        public List<string> TypeNames { get; protected set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// The method that will build the device
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="dc">The device config</param>
+        /// <returns>An instance of the device</returns>
+        public abstract EssentialsDevice BuildDevice(DeviceConfig dc);
+
+        #endregion
+    }
+
+}

src/PepperDash.Essentials.Core/Factory/IDeviceFactory.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core
+using PepperDash.Essentials.Core.Config;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+
+namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Defines a class that is capable of loading device types
@@ -6,8 +10,21 @@
     public interface IDeviceFactory
     {
         /// <summary>
-        /// Loads all the types to the DeviceFactory
+        /// Gets the type of the factory associated with the current instance.
         /// </summary>
-        void LoadTypeFactories();
+        Type FactoryType { get; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets a list of type names associated with the current plugin.
+        /// </summary>
+        List<string> TypeNames { get; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Builds and returns an <see cref="EssentialsDevice"/> instance based on the provided configuration.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="deviceConfig">The configuration settings used to initialize the device. This parameter cannot be null.</param>
+        /// <returns>An <see cref="EssentialsDevice"/> instance configured according to the specified <paramref
+        /// name="deviceConfig"/>.</returns>
+        EssentialsDevice BuildDevice(DeviceConfig deviceConfig);
     }
 }

src/PepperDash.Essentials.Core/Plugins/IPluginDeviceFactory.cs

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using PepperDash.Essentials.Core.Config;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 
 
@@ -12,20 +13,6 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core
         /// Required to define the minimum version for Essentials in the format xx.yy.zz
         /// </summary>
         string MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion { get; }
-
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Defines a factory for creating plugin development devices, including support for specific framework versions.
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <remarks>This interface extends <see cref="IPluginDeviceFactory"/> to provide additional functionality
-    /// specific to plugin development environments.</remarks>
-    public interface IPluginDevelopmentDeviceFactory : IPluginDeviceFactory
-    {
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets a list of Essentials versions that this device is compatible with.
-        /// </summary>
-        List<string> DevelopmentEssentialsFrameworkVersions { get; }
     }
 }
 

src/PepperDash.Essentials.Core/Plugins/PluginLoader.cs

@@ -808,35 +808,53 @@ public static class PluginLoader
     /// <remarks>This method verifies that the plugin meets the minimum required Essentials framework version
     /// before loading it.  If the plugin fails the dependency check, it is skipped, and a log message is generated.  If
     /// the plugin passes the check, it is loaded, and its type factories are initialized.</remarks>
-    /// <param name="plugin">The plugin to be loaded, implementing the <see cref="IPluginDeviceFactory"/> interface.  If the plugin also
+    /// <param name="deviceFactory">The plugin to be loaded, implementing the <see cref="IPluginDeviceFactory"/> interface.  If the plugin also
     /// implements <see cref="IPluginDevelopmentDeviceFactory"/>, additional checks for development versions are
     /// performed.</param>
     /// <param name="loadedAssembly">The assembly associated with the plugin being loaded. This is used for logging and tracking purposes.</param>
-    private static void LoadCustomPlugin(IPluginDeviceFactory plugin, LoadedAssembly loadedAssembly)
+    private static void LoadCustomPlugin(IPluginDeviceFactory deviceFactory, LoadedAssembly loadedAssembly)
     {
-        var passed = plugin is IPluginDevelopmentDeviceFactory developmentPlugin ? Global.IsRunningDevelopmentVersion
+        var passed = Global.IsRunningMinimumVersionOrHigher(deviceFactory.MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion);
-            (developmentPlugin.DevelopmentEssentialsFrameworkVersions, developmentPlugin.MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion)
-            : Global.IsRunningMinimumVersionOrHigher(plugin.MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion);
 
         if (!passed)
         {
-            Debug.LogMessage(LogEventLevel.Information,
+            Debug.LogInformation(
-                "\r\n********************\r\n\tPlugin indicates minimum Essentials version {0}.  Dependency check failed.  Skipping Plugin {1}\r\n********************",
+                "\r\n********************\r\n\tPlugin indicates minimum Essentials version {minimumEssentialsVersion}.  Dependency check failed.  Skipping Plugin {pluginName}\r\n********************",
-                plugin.MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion, loadedAssembly.Name);
+                deviceFactory.MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion, loadedAssembly.Name);
             return;
         }
         else
         {
-            Debug.LogMessage(LogEventLevel.Information, "Passed plugin passed dependency check (required version {0})", plugin.MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion);
+            Debug.LogInformation("Passed plugin passed dependency check (required version {essentialsMinimumVersion})", deviceFactory.MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion);
         }
 
-        Debug.LogMessage(LogEventLevel.Information, "Loading plugin: {0}", loadedAssembly.Name);
+        Debug.LogInformation("Loading plugin: {pluginName}", loadedAssembly.Name);        
-        plugin.LoadTypeFactories();
+
+        LoadDeviceFactories(deviceFactory);
 
         if(!EssentialsPluginAssemblies.Contains(loadedAssembly))
             EssentialsPluginAssemblies.Add(loadedAssembly);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Loads device factories from the specified plugin device factory and registers them for use.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>This method retrieves metadata from the provided <paramref name="deviceFactory"/>, including
+    /// type names, descriptions, and configuration snippets, and registers the factory for each device type. The type
+    /// names are converted to lowercase for registration.</remarks>
+    /// <param name="deviceFactory">The plugin device factory that provides the device types, descriptions, and factory methods to be registered.</param>
+    private static void LoadDeviceFactories(IPluginDeviceFactory deviceFactory)
+    {
+        foreach (var typeName in deviceFactory.TypeNames)
+        {
+            //Debug.LogMessage(LogEventLevel.Verbose, "Getting Description Attribute from class: '{0}'", typeof(T).FullName);
+            var descriptionAttribute = deviceFactory.FactoryType.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(DescriptionAttribute), true) as DescriptionAttribute[];
+            string description = descriptionAttribute[0].Description;
+            var snippetAttribute = deviceFactory.FactoryType.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(ConfigSnippetAttribute), true) as ConfigSnippetAttribute[];
+            DeviceFactory.AddFactoryForType(typeName.ToLower(), description, deviceFactory.FactoryType, deviceFactory.BuildDevice);
+        }
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Loads plugins from the designated plugin directory, processes them, and integrates them into the application.
     /// </summary>