Refactor 'targets' internal control

[davidlatwe]

Problem 1

The plugins was discover in parent-process (server side), and formatted into JSON then send to child-process (client side), next, the plugins_by_targets logic was handled there.

So say we have 10 plugins total, 5 for target "A" and the other 5 for target "B". In current data workflow described above, there's high chance that server is sending all 10 plugins into client and filter out 5 plugins which won't needed. Which I think can be improved.

Proposal 1

Moving the target filtering process from client to server.

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Problem 2

In #335, @BigRoy mentioned:

Also note: pyblish.api.register_target does not propagate to an open Pyblish QML session.

The live QML session does not whatsoever update to any registered targets ... I think this might be a deliberate design choice so the explicitly defined target on launch does not require the targets to be globally registered. As such, you can target the specific Pyblish QML session without changing the environment which is useful.

In this design, in other words, you can not trust pyblish.api.registered_targets inside plugin which runs in pyblish-qml.

Proposal 2

Implement targets query function into pyblish_qml.api.

• pyblish_qml.api.current_targets

And with proposal 1 implemented, we can spend no more server-client communication for querying current targets.

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Extra Proposal

I often used pyblish_qml.api.current_server().service._context to get the pyblish.api.Context object in pyblish_qml session.

So I propose to implement a convenient function for that propose as well.

• pyblish_qml.api.current_context

[davidlatwe]

I think this PR also resolved @mottosso 's little worry in #347. 😉

[davidlatwe]

I think I need to explain my motivation on proposal 2 a little :

One of my plugins was checking on current targets so to filter out instances in working scene by family, before instance is created.

For example, I have a context plugin which responsible to create instances and runs in all targets, and if the current target is "remote publish", then I don't want instance which it's family is like model or rig being created at first place. So I would need to firstly checking on current targets, then avoid those families instances.

[tokejepsen]

For example, I have a context plugin which responsible to create instances and runs in all targets, and if the current target is "remote publish", then I don't want instance which it's family is like model or rig being created at first place. So I would need to firstly checking on current targets, then avoid those families instances.

Could you do the same workflow but just inherit a plugin class and changing the target? I may not see the use-case correctly.

[davidlatwe]

Could you do the same workflow but just inherit a plugin class and changing the target?

Yes, it still can be done with current mechanism, but have to write a bit more code.

Anyway, the example above was not the main problem, it's not a "must-solve" issue, but could solve better if proposal 1 has implemented. So the point still is the Problem 1.

Also note that, this PR will NOT change any current features, only tweaked the internal data flow.