I can get my head around this, but it does seem to be more complicated than necessary.
Here's a bit more elaboration on my method:
i) Pushing the plugin button you see the plugins on the first 8 insert slots of the selected channel, across the displays above the 8 channels of the surface.
ii) [SHIFT] push a channel's rotary* bypasses that slot's plugin. (*or any suitable channel button apart from [SELECT])
iii) Without [SHIFT], you see the first 8 plugin parameters for that slot's plugin, as defined in the .fxt file for that plugin. We get to define the most important 8 parameters.
iii) To see more parameters we use defined up/down buttons. Again, each set of 8 parameters comes from the .fxt file that we define. You decide whether you map all the available parameters, or just a few you know you'll use and in what order.
iv) A defined 'return' button jumps you back to the slot/plugin selection at i), where you see the 8 slots for the selected channel. Pressing the plugin button exits plugin mode back to pan etc
v) On any level, including the first (slot display) it should be possible to switch the channel focus using [SELECT] and see the plugin assignments for the new channel, or a row of plugin parameters for the same slot on the new channel.
This all seems simpler to me. HOWEVER, if the code already exists for the other method (from the Eucon project) let's go with that, it's nothing I can't live with
Regarding surfaces without displays, how about the virtual display that nofish demonstrates in post#180 in this thread. Perhaps that could be modified to show plugin parameters in addition to track names etc.