Add support for local plugins configuration and directory handling

- Updated `config.ini.example` and `config.ini.minimal-example` to include optional `local_dir_path` for specifying a custom local plugins directory.
- Enhanced `install-service.sh` to preserve the `local/` directory during installation and create its structure if it doesn't exist.
- Modified `CommandManager` and `MeshCoreBot` to resolve the local commands and services directory based on the new configuration.
- Added validation in `config_validation.py` to check the existence and readability of the specified local plugins path.
- Improved documentation in `local-plugins.md` to clarify the usage of local plugins and the new configuration options.

config.ini.example

@@ -130,6 +130,12 @@ auto_manage_contacts = bot
 # Default: meshcore_bot.db
 db_path = meshcore_bot.db
 
+# Local plugins directory (optional)
+# Directory containing commands/, service_plugins/, and optional config.ini.
+# Relative paths are resolved from the bot root; absolute paths used as-is.
+# Default: local (i.e. bot_root/local). Changing this requires a bot restart.
+#local_dir_path = local
+
 # Seconds to wait after a failed service restart before retrying (default: 300)
 service_restart_backoff_seconds = 300
 

config.ini.minimal-example

@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ auto_manage_contacts = false
 # Default: meshcore_bot.db
 db_path = meshcore_bot.db
 
+# Local plugins directory (optional). Default: local. See config.ini.example.
+#local_dir_path = local
+
 [Localization]
 # Language code for bot responses (en, es, es-MX, es-ES, fr, de, ja, etc.)
 # Default: en (English)

docs/local-plugins.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Local plugins and services
 
-You can add your own **command plugins** and **service plugins** without modifying the bot’s code by placing them in the **`local/`** directory. Their configuration can live in **`local/config.ini`** so it stays separate from the main `config.ini`.
+You can add your own **command plugins** and **service plugins** without modifying the bot’s code by placing them in a **local** directory. By default that directory is **`local/`** next to your main config.ini; you can change it with **`[Bot]` `local_dir_path`** (see below). Their configuration can live in **`local/config.ini`** so it stays separate from the main `config.ini`.
 
 ## Directories
 
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ You can add your own **command plugins** and **service plugins** without modifyi
 
 Local plugins are **additive**: they are loaded after built-in (and alternative) plugins. If a local plugin or service has the same logical **name** as one already loaded, it is **skipped** and a warning is logged. There is no override-by-name for local code.
 
+**Custom local path:** In `config.ini`, under `[Bot]`, you can set **`local_dir_path`** to a directory that contains `commands/`, `service_plugins/`, and optional `config.ini`. Use a relative path (resolved from the bot root) or an absolute path so the local folder can live outside the install directory (e.g. `/home/user/meshcore-local`). Changing `local_dir_path` requires a **bot restart**.
+
 ## Minimal command plugin
 
 Create a file in **local/commands/** (e.g. `local/commands/hello_local.py`):

install-service.sh

@@ -308,6 +308,12 @@ copy_files_smart() {
             print_info "Preserving existing alternative commands (only updating if source is newer)"
         fi
         
+        # Preserve install dir's local/ entirely (user custom commands and service plugins)
+        # Never overwrite or delete anything under $dest_dir/local/
+        if [ -d "$dest_dir/local" ]; then
+            print_info "Preserving existing local/ directory (not overwriting)"
+        fi
+        
         # Exclude patterns
         rsync -a --update --exclude='.git' \
               --exclude='__pycache__' \
@@ -320,10 +326,20 @@ copy_files_smart() {
               --exclude='*.db-wal' \
               --exclude='*.log' \
               --exclude='backups' \
+              --exclude='local/' \
               $preserve_config \
               "$source_dir/" "$dest_dir/" 2>/dev/null || {
             print_warning "rsync had some issues, falling back to manual copy"
         }
+        # If install dir has no local/, create minimal structure from source so service has valid layout
+        if [ ! -d "$dest_dir/local" ]; then
+            print_info "Creating local/ directory structure (first-time install)"
+            mkdir -p "$dest_dir/local/commands" "$dest_dir/local/service_plugins"
+            [ -f "$source_dir/local/README.md" ] && cp "$source_dir/local/README.md" "$dest_dir/local/" || true
+            [ -f "$source_dir/local/__init__.py" ] && cp "$source_dir/local/__init__.py" "$dest_dir/local/" || true
+            [ -f "$source_dir/local/commands/.gitkeep" ] && cp "$source_dir/local/commands/.gitkeep" "$dest_dir/local/commands/" || true
+            [ -f "$source_dir/local/service_plugins/.gitkeep" ] && cp "$source_dir/local/service_plugins/.gitkeep" "$dest_dir/local/service_plugins/" || true
+        fi
         print_success "Files synchronized using rsync"
         return 0
     fi
@@ -336,6 +352,11 @@ copy_files_smart() {
         print_info "Preserving existing alternative commands (not overwriting)"
     fi
     
+    # Preserve install dir's local/ entirely - never overwrite when it exists
+    if [ -d "$dest_dir/local" ]; then
+        print_info "Preserving existing local/ directory (not overwriting)"
+    fi
+    
     # Copy files, preserving config.ini if it exists
     while IFS= read -r file; do
         local rel_path="${file#$source_dir/}"
@@ -355,6 +376,12 @@ copy_files_smart() {
         [[ "$rel_path" == *".log" ]] && continue
         [[ "$rel_path" == *"/backups/"* ]] && continue
         
+        # Preserve install dir's local/ entirely - skip all files under local/ when dest has local/
+        if [[ "$rel_path" == "local/"* ]] && [ -d "$dest_dir/local" ]; then
+            files_skipped=$((files_skipped + 1))
+            continue
+        fi
+        
         # Preserve alternatives directory - only update if source file is newer
         if [[ "$rel_path" == "modules/commands/alternatives/"* ]] && [ -d "$dest_dir/modules/commands/alternatives" ]; then
             if [ -f "$dest_file" ]; then

modules/command_manager.py

@@ -89,9 +89,12 @@ class CommandManager:
         self.command_prefix = self.load_command_prefix()
         
         # Initialize plugin loader and load all plugins
-        self.plugin_loader = PluginLoader(
-            bot, local_commands_dir=str(bot.bot_root / "local" / "commands")
+        local_commands_dir = (
+            str(bot._local_root / "commands")
+            if getattr(bot, "_local_root", None) is not None
+            else str(bot.bot_root / "local" / "commands")
         )
+        self.plugin_loader = PluginLoader(bot, local_commands_dir=local_commands_dir)
         self.commands = self.plugin_loader.load_all_plugins()
         
         # Cache for internet connectivity status to avoid checking on every command

modules/config_validation.py

@@ -198,6 +198,26 @@ def validate_config(config_path: str) -> List[Tuple[str, str]]:
             msg = _check_path_writable(db_path, bot_root, "Database path")
             if msg:
                 results.append((SEVERITY_WARNING, msg))
+        # Optional: local_dir_path should exist and be readable when set
+        local_dir = config.get("Bot", "local_dir_path", fallback="").strip()
+        if local_dir:
+            try:
+                resolved = _resolve_path(local_dir, bot_root)
+                if not resolved.exists():
+                    results.append((
+                        SEVERITY_WARNING,
+                        f"Local plugins path '{resolved}' does not exist; local commands/plugins will not load.",
+                    ))
+                elif not os.access(str(resolved), os.R_OK):
+                    results.append((
+                        SEVERITY_WARNING,
+                        f"Local plugins path '{resolved}' is not readable.",
+                    ))
+            except (OSError, RuntimeError):
+                results.append((
+                    SEVERITY_WARNING,
+                    f"Local plugins path: cannot resolve '{local_dir}'.",
+                ))
     if config.has_section("Logging"):
         log_file = config.get("Logging", "log_file", fallback="").strip()
         if log_file:

modules/core.py

@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class MeshCoreBot:
         self.logger.info("Initializing service plugin loader")
         try:
             self.service_loader = ServicePluginLoader(
-                self, local_services_dir=str(self.bot_root / "local" / "service_plugins")
+                self, local_services_dir=str(self._local_root / "service_plugins")
             )
             self.services = self.service_loader.load_all_services()
             self.logger.info(f"Service plugin loader initialized with {len(self.services)} service(s)")
@@ -269,8 +269,15 @@ class MeshCoreBot:
         
         # Force UTF-8 so emoji and non-ASCII characters in config.ini parse on Windows.
         self.config.read(self.config_file, encoding="utf-8")
+        # Resolve local plugins directory from [Bot] local_dir_path (default: local)
+        self._local_root = Path(
+            resolve_path(
+                self.config.get("Bot", "local_dir_path", fallback="local"),
+                self.bot_root,
+            )
+        )
         # Merge local config if present (user plugins/services settings)
-        local_config = self.bot_root / "local" / "config.ini"
+        local_config = self._local_root / "config.ini"
         if local_config.exists():
             self.config.read(local_config, encoding="utf-8")
 
@@ -335,7 +342,7 @@ class MeshCoreBot:
             
             # Reload the config
             self.config.read(self.config_file, encoding="utf-8")
-            local_config = self.bot_root / "local" / "config.ini"
+            local_config = self._local_root / "config.ini"
             if local_config.exists():
                 self.config.read(local_config, encoding="utf-8")