Using plugins

Plugins are small tools written in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Each one opens in its own floating, draggable, resizable window, so a custom tool can sit alongside the job you're working on.

Install a plugin

1. Copy the plugin's folder into the dashboard-plugins folder on the computer running UGS:

   Operating system	Plugin folder
   Windows	%USERPROFILE%\.ugs\dashboard-plugins\
   Linux	~/.ugs/dashboard-plugins/
   macOS	~/Library/Preferences/ugs/dashboard-plugins/

2. Reload the Dashboard in your browser.

3. Open the Machine / Macros view and choose the plugin under Plugins.

No rebuild or restart of UGS is needed. A plugin's own settings are saved on the UGS computer, so they are shared by every device that opens the Dashboard.

Only install plugins you trust

Plugins run in a sandbox, but the API they use can send commands to your machine and overwrite the loaded G-code file. Read a plugin's code, or get it from someone you trust, before you install it.

Example plugins

These live in the fork's ugs-pendant/examples folder:

Plugin	What it does
Job Inspector	Shows machine state and counts the lines in the loaded job. The starter used in the developer guide.
Nesting	Packs requested copies of several G-code parts onto a sheet using their outer shapes, then writes a new program. It never sends machine commands or starts a job.
SVG to G-code	Previews and generates plotter, drag-knife and laser paths from SVG artwork.

The SVG to G-code plugin open in a floating window over the Dashboard.

Write your own

If you know a little HTML and JavaScript, the developer guide walks through a complete starter plugin and documents the whole API.