See attached improved version, that now keeps activated add-ons in subfolders (this is the default but is configurable). On Linux (and likely OSX) this means that collections can be activated by merely linking the storage subdirectory in the active add-ons directory, which is very fast.

Check the ReadMe.

Yuppee!!! Many many thanks Ofnuts!!!
I will try it as soon as I'm back home, on my Windows 7 PC...

Windows... too bad you cannot take advantage of the symlinks...

Ofnuts, one small question: does the new version "trace" the loading like the before-last version you sent to me (and other people)? I liked very much that feature...

No but the attached one does:

thanks Ofnuts

Ofnuts,
I was impatient to try your new version of the plug-in, so I decided to install it on my old PC running Windows XP here on the country, and I like to share with you the results:
- it seems that it fails during the copy of the single items from the *_storage folder to the base folder
- last entries on the trace file are the following:
Creating main dialog
Main dialog created
Scrollbox created
VBox created
Cancel button created
OK button created
OK sensed
Old containers; set([])
New containers; set([u'acqua'])
Activated containers; set([u'acqua'])
Deactivated containers; set([])
2 addons stored in C:\Documents and Settings\Diego\.gimp-2.8/patterns_storage\acqua
Creating C:\Documents and Settings\Diego\.gimp-2.8/patterns/acqua
Copying C:\Documents and Settings\Diego\.gimp-2.8/patterns_storage\acqua\acqua-con-ondine.pat to C:\Documents and Settings\Diego\.gimp-2.8/patterns/acqua/patterns_storage\acqua\acqua-con-ondine.pat

so it appears like if it is trying to copy the item(s) on a wrong path

well, maybe the test is not significant due to the environment I have here, but could you have a look into the code?

many thanks in advance

Just a bugs that only shows up on Windows... and I thought I had tested that part

Fixed version attached (you get the non-tracing one for the same price):

Excellent!!! everything OK!!!
Thanks a lot...

Good. Making a tracing version was indeed a good idea

Hi Ofnuts,
a small note on your managers.
I started using also the "scripts manager" (in addition to gradients, brushes, patterns, palettes).
I created sub-folders under scripts_storage folder. Scripts are not zipped.
One of those sub-folders is that one I use for my scripts tests.
I always have it selected, and when I enter or modify a new (or modified) script, I do the following:
1 - call the scripts manager
2 - remove the selection mark from that sub-folder
3 - hit OK
(scripts are refreshed/removed: fine!)
and I wanted to continue with
4 - enter again the selection mark on that folder to reload the modified contents
5 - hit OK
(scripts are refreshed/reloaded: fine!)
My small note on this procedure is:
after step 3, the small scripts manager window and the please-wait window are not removed from the screen, so that to perform steps 4 and 5 I have to select again the scripts manager.
Then I can operate as expected, but those 4 small windows remain on the screen until I close Gimp.
Not a serious problem, just to inform you so that - if possible - also this small incorrect behaviour can be removed
The trace is as follows:
....
Searching directories as C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage/* for scripts
4 directories as C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage/* for scripts
Manager of scripts created OK
Creating main dialog
Main dialog created
Scrollbox created
VBox created
Cancel button created
OK button created
OK sensed
Old containers; set([])
New containers; set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
Activated containers; set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
Deactivated containers; set([])
2 addons stored in C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one
Copying C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one\My_Flowers.scm to C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-My_Flowers.scm
Copying C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one\Rusted.scm to C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-Rusted.scm
Refresh: script-fu-refresh
Refresh OK
Many thanks

There is likely a problem, but you have to show me the log contents after step 3 (because step 4 restarts a new log)...

Thanks Ofnuts.
By looking at the trace immediately after step 3 I understood when the problem occurs:
ONLY when adding a new script to be tested, the manager cannot find the new one as an entry to delete! in fact this is the trace:
......
Searching directories as C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage/* for scripts
4 directories as C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage/* for scripts
Manager of scripts created OK
Creating main dialog
Main dialog created
Scrollbox created
VBox created
Cancel button created
OK button created
OK sensed
Old containers; set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
New containers; set([])
Activated containers; set([])
Deactivated containers; set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
3 addons stored in C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one
Cannot de-activate C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-cossins_circulaires.scm: [Error 2] Impossibile trovare il file specificato: u'C:\\Users\\User\\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-cossins_circulaires.scm'
Refresh: script-fu-refresh
Refresh OK
......
Do you think you can detect this OS error and close the "please wait.." window anyway?

Yes, easy to fix. Stay tuned.

Actually, the error logged was expected and the script carries on... And the "Main" window (the one with the list and Close/OK buttons) won't disappear by itself, you have to click the "Close" button (but it can remain up if you need to activate things often).

So the only unexpected behavior you have is that the status dialog ("Please wait..." and progress indicator) doesn't hide when it should, but I can't reproduce that behavior on Linux or Windows. I have added some more logging in the attached version(*). Check for 'Hiding status dialog' in the log.



(*) logging is enhanced: the log file is now under a more recognizable name in the Gimp profile directory and the script logs to file on Windows/OSX and to the terminal on Linux.

Hi Ofnuts, thanks.
I did the following:
1 - unchecked the sub-folder using the OLD version, to clean the status on Gimp
2 - substituted the plug-in with the new version
3 - removed pluginrc file, again to clean the status on Gimp
4 - started Gimp
5 - checked the sub-folder
at this point I wanted to proceed with the test but with this trial already the plug-in remained with the two windows open (the first one, the main, I have to close it manually, but it's impossible if the second one, the wait..., does not close automatically)
the new trace (addonCollectionManager.log) is empty
I attach it here together with a snapshot of my screen taken with Ashampoo Snap 6
Many thanks for your support

...(to continue the test)
closed and reopened Gimp
the clicked on scripts were there (so, previous step did the job, even if it did not close the wait...window)
closed Gimp
added a new script to the sub-folder
reopened Gimp
unchecked the sub-folder
OK, the scripts were removed and the wait...window closed
checked again the sub-folder (with one additional script in it)
the job was done (the complete sub-folder loaded), but..
the wait...window did not close itself
now the log is full
a report the last entries here
-----------------------------------------
Creating main dialog
Main dialog created
Scrollbox created
VBox created
Cancel button created
OK button created
OK sensed
Old containers: set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
New containers: set([])
Activated containers: set([])
Deactivated containers: set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
4 addons stored in C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one
Showing status dialog
Cannot de-activate C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-FlattingTools-new.scm: [Error 2] Impossibile trovare il file specificato: u'C:\\Users\\User\\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-FlattingTools-new.scm'
Refresh: script-fu-refresh
Refresh OK
Hiding status dialog
OK sensed
Old containers: set([])
New containers: set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
Activated containers: set([u'scripts in prova one-by-one'])
Deactivated containers: set([])
4 addons stored in C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one
Showing status dialog
Copying C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one\cossins_circulaires.scm to C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-cossins_circulaires.scm
Copying C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one\FlattingTools-new.scm to C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-FlattingTools-new.scm
Copying C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-on
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
it seems the log is interrupted before ending the third "copying"

The missing lines in the log are likely due to the internal output buffer not written out. The output "Copying C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts_storage\scripts in prova one-by-one\cossins_circulaires.scm to C:\Users\User\.gimp-2.8/scripts/scripts in prova one-by-one-cossins_circulaires.scm" is a single "print" instruction (if you look at the size of the log file in bytes (it is very likely a multiple of 512 (or even of 4096)). If you exit Gimp at that point that should make the plugin terminate, which in turn should flush the buffer and you should get the end of the log.

You can also keep Gimp up and terminate the plugin in the Task Manager or any process explorer (look for "python", and if the explorerd allows it, it should be under Gimp, which is its parent process.

I did already close the Gimp, but the log is still incomplete.
Maybe a problem of my environment?
Thanks

(total size is 8 kB)

Trying to make sure we get all the log: