feat: First tentative for Plugin Mapdl Mechanism python API

doc/changelog.d/3627.added.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+First tentative for Plugin Mapdl Mechanism python API

src/ansys/mapdl/core/errors.py

@@ -365,6 +365,27 @@ def __init__(self, msg=""):
         super().__init__(msg)
 
 
+class PluginError(MapdlRuntimeError):
+    """Raised when a plugin fails"""
+
+    def __init__(self, msg=""):
+        super().__init__(msg)
+
+
+class PluginLoadError(PluginError):
+    """Raised when a plugin fails to load"""
+
+    def __init__(self, msg=""):
+        super().__init__(msg)
+
+
+class PluginUnloadError(PluginError):
+    """Raised when a plugin fails to unload"""
+
+    def __init__(self, msg=""):
+        super().__init__(msg)
+
+
 # handler for protect_grpc
 def handler(sig, frame):  # pragma: no cover
     """Pass signal to custom interrupt handler."""

src/ansys/mapdl/core/mapdl_core.py

@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
     from ansys.mapdl.core.mapdl import MapdlBase
     from ansys.mapdl.core.mapdl_geometry import Geometry, LegacyGeometry
     from ansys.mapdl.core.parameters import Parameters
+    from ansys.mapdl.core.plugin import ansPlugin
     from ansys.mapdl.core.solution import Solution
     from ansys.mapdl.core.xpl import ansXpl
 
@@ -372,6 +373,8 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._xpl: Optional[ansXpl] = None  # Initialized in mapdl_grpc
 
+        self._plugin: Optional[ansPlugin] = None  # Initialized in mapdl_grpc
+
         from ansys.mapdl.core.component import ComponentManager
 
         self._componentmanager: ComponentManager = ComponentManager(self)
@@ -1109,6 +1112,26 @@ def graphics_backend(self, value: GraphicsBackend):
         """Set the graphics backend to be used."""
         self._graphics_backend = value
 
+    @property
+    def plugins(self) -> "ansPlugin":
+        """MAPDL plugin handler
+
+        Plugin Manager for MAPDL
+
+        Examples
+        --------
+
+        >>> from ansys import Mapdl
+        >>> mapdl = Mapdl()
+        >>> plugin = mapdl.plugin
+        >>> plugin.load('PluginDPF')
+        """
+        if self._plugin is None:
+            from ansys.mapdl.core.plugin import ansPlugin
+
+            self._plugin = ansPlugin(self)
+        return self._plugin
+
     @property
     @requires_package("ansys.mapdl.reader", softerror=True)
     def result(self):

src/ansys/mapdl/core/plugin.py

@@ -0,0 +1,244 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2016 - 2025 ANSYS, Inc. and/or its affiliates.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+#
+#
+# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+# of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+# in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+# to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+# copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+# furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+#
+# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+# copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+# OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+# SOFTWARE.
+
+"""Contains the ansPlugin class."""
+import re
+from warnings import warn
+import weakref
+
+from ansys.mapdl.core import Mapdl
+from ansys.mapdl.core.errors import PluginError, PluginLoadError, PluginUnloadError
+from ansys.mapdl.core.logging import Logger
+
+
+class ansPlugin:
+    """
+    ANSYS MAPDL Plugin Manager.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from ansys.mapdl.core import launch_mapdl
+    >>> mapdl = launch_mapdl()
+    >>> plugin = mapdl.plugin
+
+    Load a plugin in the MAPDL Session
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, mapdl: Mapdl):
+        """Initialize the class."""
+        from ansys.mapdl.core.mapdl_grpc import MapdlGrpc
+
+        if not isinstance(mapdl, MapdlGrpc):  # pragma: no cover
+            raise TypeError("Must be initialized using an 'MapdlGrpc' object")
+
+        self._mapdl_weakref = weakref.ref(mapdl)
+        self._filename = None
+        self._open = False
+
+    @property
+    def _mapdl(self) -> Mapdl:
+        """Return the weakly referenced instance of mapdl."""
+        return self._mapdl_weakref()
+
+    @property
+    def _log(self) -> Logger:
+        """Return the logger from the MAPDL instance."""
+        return self._mapdl._log
+
+    def _parse_commands(self, response: str) -> list[str]:
+        """
+        Parse the response string to extract commands.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        response : str
+            The response string containing commands.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        list[str]
+            A list of commands extracted from the response.
+        """
+        if not response:
+            return []
+
+        # Assuming commands are separated by newlines
+        return re.findall(r"New command \[(.*)\] registered", response)
+
+    def _set_commands(self, commands: list[str], plugin_name: str = "NOT_SET") -> None:
+        """
+        Set commands to be executed.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        commands : list[str]
+            List of commands to be set.
+        """
+        if not commands:
+            return
+
+        mapdl = self._mapdl
+
+        for each_command in commands:
+            each_command = each_command.replace("*", "star").replace("/", "slash")
+
+            if hasattr(mapdl, each_command):
+                # We are allowing to overwrite existing commands
+                warn(f"Command '{each_command}' already exists in the MAPDL instance.")
+
+            def passer(self, *args, **kwargs):
+                return self.run(*args, **kwargs)
+
+            # Inject docstring
+            passer.__doc__ = f"""Command from plugin {plugin_name}: {each_command}.
+            Use this plugin documentation to understand the command and its parameters.
+
+            Automatically generated docstring by ansPlugin.
+            """
+            setattr(mapdl, each_command, passer)
+            self._log.info(
+                f"Command '{each_command}' from plugin '{plugin_name}' set successfully."
+            )
+
+    def _deleter_commands(
+        self, commands: list[str], plugin_name: str = "NOT_SET"
+    ) -> None:
+        """
+        Delete commands from the MAPDL instance.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        commands : list[str]
+            List of commands to be deleted.
+        """
+        if not commands:
+            return
+
+        mapdl = self._mapdl
+
+        for each_command in commands:
+            if hasattr(mapdl, each_command):
+                delattr(mapdl, each_command)
+                self._log.info(
+                    f"Command '{each_command}' from '{plugin_name}' deleted successfully."
+                )
+
+    def _load_commands(self, response: str, plugin_name: str) -> None:
+        """
+        Load commands from the response string.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        response : str
+            The response string containing commands to be loaded.
+        """
+        if not response:
+            return
+
+        commands = self._parse_commands(response)
+        if not commands:
+            self._log.warning("No commands found in the response.")
+            return
+        self._set_commands(commands, plugin_name=plugin_name)
+
+    def load(self, plugin_name: str, feature: str = "") -> str:
+        """
+        Loads a plugin into MAPDL.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        plugin_name : str
+            Name of the plugin to load.
+        feature : str
+            Feature or module to activate in the plugin.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        PluginLoadError
+            If the plugin fails to load.
+        """
+
+        command = f"*PLUG,LOAD,{plugin_name},{feature}"
+        response = self._mapdl.run(command)
+        if "error" in response.lower():
+            raise PluginLoadError(
+                f"Failed to load plugin '{plugin_name}' with feature '{feature}'."
+            )
+        self._log.info(
+            f"Plugin '{plugin_name}' with feature '{feature}' loaded successfully."
+        )
+        self._load_commands(response, plugin_name=plugin_name)
+        return response
+
+    def unload(self, plugin_name: str) -> str:
+        """
+        Unloads a plugin from MAPDL.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        plugin_name : str
+            Name of the plugin to unload.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        PluginUnloadError
+            If the plugin fails to unload.
+        """
+
+        command = f"*PLUG,UNLOAD,{plugin_name}"
+        response = self._mapdl.run(command)
+
+        if not response:
+            return ""
+
+        if "error" in response.lower():
+            raise PluginUnloadError(f"Failed to unload plugin '{plugin_name}'.")
+
+        self._log.info(f"Plugin '{plugin_name}' unloaded successfully.")
+
+        commands = self._parse_commands(response)
+        self._deleter_commands(commands, plugin_name=plugin_name)
+
+        return response
+
+    def list(self) -> list[str]:
+        """
+        Lists all currently loaded plugins in MAPDL.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        list
+            A list of loaded plugin names.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        RuntimeError
+            If the plugin list cannot be retrieved.
+        """
+
+        command = "*PLUG,LIST"
+        response = self._mapdl.run(command) or ""
+        if response and "error" in response.lower():
+            raise PluginError("Failed to retrieve the list of loaded plugins.")
+
+        # Parse response and extract plugin names (assuming response is newline-separated text)
+        return []