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Deploying the plugin via ZIP

Context

QGIS Isogeo plugin installation directory 
C:\Users\%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\QGIS\QGIS3\profiles\default\python\plugins\isogeo_search_engine

/home/%userprofile%/.local/share/QGIS/QGIS3/profiles/default/python/plugins/isogeo_search_engine

Many of the settings for using the Isogeo plugin are stored in the plugin's installation directory. This is particularly the case for :

In addition, the QGIS extension manager allows you to install a plugin from a .zip archive. In the case of an organization with a large number of Isogeo plugin end-users, it is therefore possible to save them from having to make certain settings themselves, which are common to all users.

Let's take the following example

A user X is responsible for distributing the QGIS Isogeo plugin to a dozen users belonging to his organization:

  • the client_secrets.json authentication file is probably common to the entire organization
  • the data accessed by end users via the Isogeo plugin is stored in a single database to which all users have access
  • some of this data is likely to be useful to all users

In this case, user X can :

  • authenticate the plugin with the client_secrets.json common to the entire organization
  • configure the connection to the organization's database in the db_connections.json file
  • save quick searches encompassing metadata on data useful to all users

Once this has been done, user X can generate a .zip file from the plugin's installation directory on his workstation and distribute it to the ten or so end-users, who will not have to authenticate themselves, configure the database connection or save certain quick searches.

How to proceed

  1. Install the plugin and authenticate by entering the location of the client_secrets.json file supplied by the Isogeo team. The file is copied to the _auth folder in the plugin installation directory on the user's workstation.

  2. On the same workstation, configure the:

    1. by saving quick searches
    2. by setting a default search
    3. by configuring database connections in the _user/db_connections.json file

  3. On the same workstation, create a .zip archive from the plugin installation directory:

    This .zip archive contains the client_secrets.json, quicksearches.json and db_connections.json files resulting from the first two steps.

  4. Distribute the .zip archive thus created to other users, who will be able to install the QGIS Isogeo plugin directly from the isogeo_search_engine.zip file ("Install/Manage extensions" menu >"Install from ZIP" tab).

    For users who install the plugin in this way, authentication will be automatic (without having to go through the authentication form), as the client_secrets.json file will already be present in the _auth folder of the Isogeo plugin.