Actions such as allow, block, flee, or blot can have their priorities modified by a + symbol to raise priority, or a - symbol to lower priority.
Priority is a Plucky mechanic that is invisible to the user, but is essential in determining which rules should be preferred against overlapping rules.
Examples of priority
Here are some examples of overlapping rules, and which one has priority.
block image
allow amazon.com
Images are blocked generally, but amazon.com is allowed as a specific host, so allow amazon.com has priority.
allow otherwise
block program code.exe
Most things are allowed by default, but block code.exe has priority because it is a specific block rule.
flee word tacos
unflee host wikipedia.org word tacos
The word “tacos” is fled on all hosts except wikipedia because a specific exception has been made for it via unflee.
The above 3 examples show that Plucky prefers to give priority to more specific actions over less specific actions in cases where rules overlap.
Manually overriding priority
There are cases where it’s useful to manually prioritize a rule that go beyond the typical “more specific > less specific” function.
Some obvious examples of such use-cases would be focus sessions for work or studying, or aiding sleep by removing distractions. This is where the + and - symbols are useful.
To manually override an action’s priority, append + to the action to raise its priority or - to lower it.
Most priority to least
action++
action+
action
action-
action--
Block more during sleep time
Block regularly allowed sites during sleep time, but leave one or two very important things accessible. In the following example, facebook and instagram will be blocked during from 11pm until 7am, but gmail will be allowed, and so will VS Code because programs are unaffected by block+ text.
allow facebook.com
allow instagram.com
allow program:code.exe
allow+ mail.google.com
when 0-7,23-24 block+ text
Focus
Quickly set up a focus session for study or work. A delay pattern is made ahead of time to allow a study site URL immediately.
delay 0 "+ allow https://www.khanacademy.org/"
allow outlook.com
allow reddit.com
when now+2h block+ otherwise
when now+2h allow++ https://www.khanacademy.org/chemistry
allow outranks blot
While this behavior may change in the future, as of 2024-01-18, any kind of allow will outrank any kind of blot. To apply a blot to an “allowed” host or url, instead make the host or url an “unblocked” host or url.
Instead of this:
pluck + allow wikipedia.org
pluck + blot+ word pizza
Do this:
pluck + unallow wikipedia.org
pluck + blot word pizza
Last updated: 2024-01-18