Added check_min_api_function to dtutils.lua to check the minimum version of the lua API required for a script to run. This is intended to replace the API check done with darktable.configuration.check_version(), which requires changing each time the API version changes. check_min_api_version should work for all API version changes unless backward compatibility is broken. All the scripts using darktable.configuration.check_version() were changed to use check_min_api_version().

examples/gettextExample.lua

@@ -53,7 +53,13 @@ LUA ERROR Hallo Welt!
 
 ]] 
 local dt = require "darktable"
-dt.configuration.check_version(...,{3,0,0},{4,0,0},{5,0,0}))
+local du = require "lib/dtutils"
+
+--check API version
+if not du.check_min_api_version("3.0.0") then
+  dt.print("ERROR:gettextExample failed to load.  Lua API version 3.0.0 or greater required.")
+  return
+end
 
 -- Not translated Text
 dt.print_error("Hello World!")

examples/hello_world.lua

@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@ USAGE
 
 ]]
 local dt = require "darktable"
-dt.configuration.check_version(...,{2,0,0},{3,0,0},{4,0,0},{5,0,0})
+local du = require "lib/dtutils"
+
+if not du.check_min_api_version("2.0.0") then
+  dt.print("ERROR:hello_world failed to load.  Lua API version 2.0.0 or greater required.")
+  return
+end
 
 dt.print("hello, world")
 

examples/moduleExample.lua

@@ -31,8 +31,12 @@ https://www.darktable.org/lua-api/index.html.php#darktable_new_widget
 ]]
 
 local dt = require "darktable"
+local du = require "lib/dtutils"
 
-dt.configuration.check_version(...,{3,0,0},{4,0,0},{5,0,0})
+if not du.check_min_api_version("3.0.0") then
+  dt.print("ERROR:moduleExample failed to load.  Lua API version 3.0.0 or greater required.")
+  return
+end
 
 -- add a new lib
 local check_button = dt.new_widget("check_button"){label = "MyCheck_button", value = true}

examples/multi_os.lua

@@ -80,12 +80,16 @@ local function _(msgid)
 end
 
 --[[
-    Specify the version(s) of the lua API that this script is compatible with.  This script uses new
-    features released in the latest version of darktable and is only compatible with the latest API version.
-    Multiple API versions may be specified, seperated by commas.
+    Check that the current api version is greater than or equal to the specified minimum.  If it's not
+    then du.check_min_api_version will print an error to the log and return false.  If the minimum api is
+    not met, then just refuse to load and return.  Optionally, you could print an error message to the 
+    screen stating that you couldn't load because the minimum api version wasn't met.
 ]]
 
-dt.configuration.check_version(...,{5,0,0})
+if not du.check_min_api_version("5.0.0") then
+  dt.print("ERROR:mulit_os failed to load:  Lua API version 5.0.0 or greater required.")
+  return
+end
 
 --[[
     copy_image_attributes is a local subroutine to copy image attributes in the database from the raw image

examples/preferenceExamples.lua

@@ -22,7 +22,12 @@ USAGE
 * require this script from your main lua file
 ]] 
 local dt = require "darktable"
-dt.configuration.check_version(...,{2,0,1},{3,0,0},{4,0,0},{5,0,0})
+local du = require "lib/dtutils"
+
+if not du.check_min_api_version("2.0.1") then
+  dt.print("ERROR:preferenceExamples failed to load.  Lua API version 2.0.1 or greater required.")
+  return
+end
 
 dt.preferences.register("preferenceExamples",        -- script: This is a string used to avoid name collision in preferences (i.e namespace). Set it to something unique, usually the name of the script handling the preference.
                         "preferenceExamplesString",  -- name

examples/printExamples.lua

@@ -20,7 +20,12 @@ USAGE
 * require this file from your main lua config file:
 ]]
 local dt = require "darktable"
-dt.configuration.check_version(...,{5,0,0})
+local du = require "lib/dtutils"
+
+if not du.check_min_api_version("5.0.0") then
+  dt.print("ERROR:printExamples failed to load.  Lua API version 5.0.0 or greater required.")
+  return
+end
 
 -- Will print a string to the darktable control log (the long
 -- overlayed window that appears over the main panel).

examples/running_os.lua

@@ -26,7 +26,12 @@ prints the operating system
 
 ]]
 local dt = require "darktable"
-dt.configuration.check_version(...,{5,0,0})
+local du = require "lib/dtutils"
+
+if not du.check_min_api_version("5.0.0") then
+  dt.print("ERROR:running_os not loaded.  Lua API version 5.0.0 or greater required.")
+  return
+end
 
 dt.print("You are running: "..dt.configuration.running_os)