As a follow-up to the question I recently asked on PyQGIS, can someone please point me to a document, webpage or thread that provides me with step-by-step instructions as to how to install an external QGIS plugin?
I've read through the manual's "Loading an external QGIS plugin" section and I have not succeeded in decrypting either of the following two threads:
How to install Openlayers plugin on Qgis 1.8?
or
How to install QGIS 1.8 plugin Georeferencer?
I tried to add the Sextante repository https://github.com/qgis/Quantum-GIS.git in the plugin manager, but it remains empty under the plugins tab. I'm obviously missing some fundamental piece here. I also cannot find my plugins directory (C:\Program Files\Quantum GIS Lisboa… ????).
Any help is much appreciated,
thanks, mike
Best Answer
Install
Sextante is in the official plugin repository. Go to Plugins => Fetch Plugins, look for Sextante in the list, select it and click install.
In case it is not in the list, the main repository is probably missing. Go to the Repositories tab and add the following URL: http://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/plugins.xml
Proxy Settings
In case there are still not all plugins showing up, make sure, that the proxy settings in Settings => Options => Network are properly set up.
Enable
You also have to make sure it is enabled. Go to Plugins => Manage Plugins, and tick the Sextante entry in the list.
Newer version
The latest version for QGIS 1.8 is from January 2013. Since then, a lot of improvement has been made, but is only available with the current Nightly (aka master, 1.9, 2.0) and is there installed by default. Be aware that this is an unstable version of QGIS but may bring improvements.