Hi gang, cool news. When you create a new plugin using the Plugin Creator tool, you're also creating a new PRIVATE forum that you can use to communicate directly with us as you navigate your way through the plugin creation process. Each plugin has it's own discussion forum and you can get to it by going to Account > Plugins > Your Plugin > Manage We just turned this on so expect some gotchas? Things to keep in mind: --@Parker at buzztouch (dude's a hero!) is organizing "all things plugins" and he'll be your initial contact when you need help, get stuck, or need some input about the approval process, private vs. public plugins, the market, etc. If he doesn't have the answer, he'll find it. --Are we REALLY going to help everyone make their cool custom plugin? Probably not. The idea is simple. If you're interested in making a plugin that you intend on putting in our market, we'll do all we can to help you get it done. However, if you don't plan to share or sell your creation in our market, and simply need somebody to code for you, don't expect much by way of the private forum in your plugin control panel. The public forums are a much better place to ask generic questions. --Why would we do this? A few reasons. a) We hope to help amateurs avoid sending us junk. It's OK to be a beginner but we figured telling you NO after three weeks effort isn't good for anyone. b) We think developer support should go beyond an email from a far away land somewhere. We genuinely want to help folks make wonderful plugins. c) Quality. We're happy to approve plugins that we didn't have a hand in making (not everyone will want to wait for us to help them) but we do expect to have lots of bogus submissions and this sucks for everyone. d) David enjoys helping aspiring devs. more than anything else he does. That's me. I would much rather help folks that are helping ME than help folks that are not. Yes, public forums are fun and I'll continue to hang out but if you're going to help us pay the bills (by selling your plugin in our market), I would much rather chat-it-up with you than the next guy / gal. -- The private forum in each plugins "manage screen" is our way of supporting folks that suport us. It's not about needing to be a super-duper ninja coder to get something in our market. It's about being genuine, enthusiastic, willing to learn, and stoked to take responsibility for a screen that could show up in thousands of apps. If this is appealing to you, by all means, make a plugin package, dig in, we'll get you through it :-) Lastly: And this is a rant. As a software developer, I get uber frustrated when I spend months, and longer sometimes, making something FOR APPLE or FOR GOOGLE that makes their products BETTER. The least they could do would be appreciate it, right? I mean really, take my hundred bucks, force me to buy thousands of dollars worth of hardware and software, let me make something cool then tell me I can only put it on my own gadget with their approval? Wow. And, to make matters worse, I need THEM to tell me if MY clients will like my work or not. Whatever. You sense my frustration. These types of things are some of the reasons buzztouch exists in the first place. If you want to develop for buzztouch site visitors, we appreciate it, we appreciate you. If we can help you, we will. We may get overwhelmed (no doubt) but who cares, we'll get through this crazy mobile thing somehow. Go start making a cool new screen, hollar for help in your plugin's "private forum" when you get stuck.

@David Do you sleep? You are a machine!

Great idea(s). The way you are going about this can only benefit everyone. You are right here on all levels. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the efforts of everyone in the BT community. Thanks much....

@david...This gets better everyday! I have several ideas for plugins and will be talking to you guys soon about it...Just hope I have learned enough about coding here to pull it off. Great Job Yet Again!

Thanks David!

@David, love the rant, almost as if it's like a relationship you can't break up, no matter who abusive your partner is. Frustrating like no other. Sounds great! I would recommend something of a small feature, we could turn on or off the forums for our individual plugins we create (maybe default off?). Might save you guys some despair of seeing hundreds (or thousands!) of forums for test or for plugins to be created later? I know I have about ten plugins in my panel that I haven't found time to get too (or for that matter even know if I can attempt). I was thinking it would keep the backend more organized and less cluttered. Unless you guys don't need to worry about that :) Thanks for all you do @David, you too @Parker! Cheers, David buzztouchmods.com

and David ups the ante yet again.... So beyond the free platform, the free college level lessons and training and a market to sell too... personal help making stuff? Wow, if you're on the fence here and thinking about testing out the market and building some plug-ins, if that doesn't help you decide. David's notes are excellent and the enthusiasm is genuine. I remember those were the teachers I always learned best from. I can't even comprehend how much I've learned from him since I've been here. the BAT PHONE for plugin development help! Talk to you soon Commissioner Book!

@David- Your enthusiasm is contagious! I love it!!!

Had to upgrade my account. Way too much value here. Big fan. -Led

buzztouch rocks, absolutely no doubt about it! So glad I found this place just over a year ago! Made some amazing friends...have learned a TON...gotten good at a few things. I feel like taking a vacation just so I can spend some quality time with buzztouch! @Magic_Man : Nope, he doesn't sleep! @ATRAIN53 : A "Bat Phone" plugin...there's an idea! @Led : The value here is staggering. I simply can't wait for the day when we can all help turn @David into a millionaire. You can't get value like this anywhere else! Mark

Just uploaded my first plug-in and the system works very nicely. easy as pie. Wish the writing and testing was as easy, but we're getting there :) I just totally saw the power of the back-end JSON to enhance an IOS feature. i think my plug-in was 'okay' before - but adding JSON to the mix just made this thing 100x better. David, many thanks for that plug-in creator tool - it is a major game changer to develop these things. My API key is getting a serious workout of late! This is HUGE functionality boost to BT. Other APP making products are going to have to take notice soon :P

Great news @David, thanks for all the effort! You and the BT Gang deserve some rest, you guys could come on a trip to experience the brazilian summer... How about that!? =D I will be trying to complete my first (simple) plugin this weekend, if it works I'll realease it for free! :)

Wow!!! Really great news. Working really hard to get my plugin working. Hope I can submit soon!! Best Regards, Danny

@MrDavid, No worries, the private forums are only created for plugins that you guys submit back to us for approval in your control panel. They aren't created until then.

@Parker Awesome! I created a thread for one of my plugins, but it hasn't been submitted yet - you guys will see it right? Cheers, David buzztouchmods.com

@MrDavid, Oops! I was actually wrong on my last comment. We do create a private forum for every plugin you guys create and all comments will be visible to us. We're currently working out a system to help us navigate all of the possible comments on all of the possible plugin threads. It's always exciting times rolling out all of this new stuff!

awesome

FYI - just tried to upload a plug-in and getting this error: (tried it a couple of times with no luck) An error ocurred in running the fnExecuteNonQuery() method in utilityFunctions.php (6) Post here when you guys get it resolved and I'll give it another shot!

@ATRAIN53 Oops! Found it. Fixed it. Uploads OK again. Major brain outage on my part. Funny.

Thanks! Perfect! Working like a champ. Was just able to upload my iOS Video Player. Very happy with how it turned out & getting it fully connected to the CP. Dying to have the BT reviewers try this and make sure it's solid for folks. I think (hope!) a lot of folks need this functionality. The more I keep using your JSON approach to build these things, the more impressed I become with it. It's just amazing stuff to build with. 2 more on the table and can't decide which one to play with next!

@Parker no problems, loving the concept. @atrain, you have a nacking ability to make me more ecstatic every post you make! Cheers. David buzztouchmods.com

^^ LOL. just more evidence about how passionate you are about all this technology. Very much hoping buzztouchmods is a part of this whole new plug-in market somehow. Buzztouchmods has been a great resource for me, learned a ton form your site/downloads and plan to continue to :)

Hopefully, not really sure what to do after the market is released, thinking some plugins that get rejected will be sent my way hopefully. Might have to emphasize "mods" more then plugins on btm, hopefully people will still come for those, I think we have some cool mods for self hosting servers that might keep some interest! Either way, appreciate the comment, glad it helped! I expect way greater things to come from you then from me, I've been creeping on your posts these past few months and your headed to the top, I can see it! As @david would say: super stoked! Cheers, David buzztouchmods.com

I am not sure if I would ever be good enough to make a plugin ( will try) but this seems to be a great idea mate :)

Wow! Seems like a great place to be, this site is! I learned so much in just my first day here. I can't wait to get my first app completed and submitted and accepted. O.K. I'm enjoying the enthusiasm too! -sent from my iPhone (and lovin' it)