Plugin Development Api

[David Barker]

A plugin development API is now ready for download

http://www.mecanique.co.uk/downloads/plugin-api.zip

If you installed Proton IDE into the default installation
folder, you will find the plugin sub-folder under

c:\program files\protonIDE\plugin

create a new folder called 'samples' and unzip all the files
into the 'samples' folder. For example,

Hi, its great to see you visiting our forum. Why not try Proton Compiler for FREE? Download the FREE version of Proton Compiler, Its called Amicus18 and its available from HERE Already using proton Compiler??? Get rid of these pesky messages... get LICENSED USER STATUS

c:\program files\protonIDE\plugin\samples <- files in here

The development pack has some basic documentation and some
sample plugin applications written in Borland Delphi 5. However,
you can connect to the plugin manager DLL using a language of your
choice. I would strongly suggest you read the 'introduction'
section of the PlgMgr online help before you start writing your
own plugin.

The sample files have already been compiled, so if you followed
the above installation instructions correctly, you can access
them immediately from the IDE plugin menu. If you can't see them,
you've not unzipped the files correctly.

You need version 1.0.1.0 of ProtonIDE to develop and execute the
new plugin system. If you are running a version of the IDE prior to
1.0.1.0 then

(1) Run the online update utility from VIEW...ONLINE UPDATES
(2) After installing the update and restarting the IDE, run
the update again to finalise the installation.

The development API is BETA. It's not a release version. However,
I thought it would be useful for those people who have expressed an
interest in writing plugins to take a look now. Any feedback at
this stage would be most welcome. I would also be very interested
in hearing about your particular plugin implementation.

Please note that the API assumes you can interface to a DLL in
the development language of your choice and you also understand
windows messaging.

[the.fox]

David,

Will the plugin work with PDS lite (the demo) cos I'm still waiting for my upgrade to be delivered.


Cheers

Paul.

[David Barker]

No, not at the moment.

[John Drew]

Hello David
I've been experimenting with the new plug-in samples. Unfortunately I have not yet mastered something. I can run the applications (Highlight etc) from within Explorer and they bring up the appropriate opening screen. However when I attempt to run them as plug ins (and yes they are in the correct directory) they show in the plug in drop down menu under the sub heading of samples but do not run (the plug in screen just disappears on click). On checking with Windows Task Manager they are not running as applications or processes.
Hope you can help
Best wishes
John
ps I updated the Plugins manager

[David Barker]

I would be helpful if you let me know what OS you are running. Also, start the Plugin Editor and go to the 'Compile and Program' samples folder. Open the file called 'CompileProgram.mcp'. Next, click on the 'link' button in the editor. You should see the following

$IDE\Plugin\Samples\CompileProgram\CompileProgram. exe

Now click on the down arrow to the right of the 'Link To' edit box and select 'Program Executable or Document'. Now just point it to the 'CompileProgram.exe' file. Save the new *.mcp file and trying selecting the 'Compile and Program' option from the IDE again.

[John Drew]

David, I did as suggested but no luck. I note that when I first entered the Plugin Editor and opened the mcp file it showed as:
$IDE\Plugin\Samples\CompileProgram\CompileProgram. exe
This is as per your instructions.
However in practice I note I have NO CompileProgram directory so that when I completed your instructions, discovered it didn't work and I repeated the exercise that on the second opening of the mcp file it read as:
$IDE\Plugin\Samples\CompileProgram.exe
Which is consistent with me having no CompileProgram directory.
Is there a clue in this?
I am using Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2
I will zip up the mcp file and attach it.
John

[John Drew]

David,
Needed a bit of playing to get things sorted. When I unzipped I must not have had the "create directories" set in winzip. Therefore there was a mismatch between the *.mcp file and the location of the exe. My error. The key is to point that link in the right direction. All working thanks.
John

[the.fox]

I can also confirm that the Plugin works fine on XP. I think it is just the plugin's that come with PDS. You need to open the mcp file with the plugin editor and repoint the link to the .exe file.

I am currently porting a feature from my ProEdit application called Code snippet library which will allow you to store useful bits of reusable code into a database.

The plugin side works fine on this.

Is there a default rule on how plugins need to be installed ie; directorys etc.

Is the user required to create their own mcp file? I've realised that my mcp file may not work because other user may have installed PDS in a different directory.

Cheers

Paul

[Tim]

Paul

While this is not meant to be the definitive answer I recall that all mcp files have to be placed in the PLUGIN folder either in that folder it's self or within a subfolder. As an experiment I moved one MCP to another subfolder and it found it next time I opened up.

Anyway my main reason was to say the plugin you are going to convert sounds great I look forward to it, really handy. Many thanks for all the work your putting in. We will be adding plugin section to the user site.

David soon will be releasing a new plugin editor that places the plugin's ICON on the tool bar. It's clever bit of code as it converts all Icons automatically to the correct format doing alpha blending etc as part of the conversion.

BTW have you seen what you can do with the DLL? like highlighting text in the main editor window and changings its attributes I can think of some really useful apps with that.

[David Barker]

Details of how to create and install a plugin can be found in the PluginMgr.chm help help, shipped with the samples. If the plugin samples are unzipped to the correct directories as explained in an earlier post they will work correctly. If you unzip them to the wrong sub-folders, they will not work. To summerise:

(1) A *.mcp file is required for every plugin
(2) You should ship a *.mcp file with your plugin. A user should not have to create one.
(3) It doesn't matter where the PDS installation is installed. An *.mcp file holds link data that is relative to the installation folder. For example, the *.mcp link file will display something like

IDE$\Plugin\Mecanique\MyProgram.exe

If the user has installed the IDE to 'c:\wibble', then the above gets converted to

c:\wibble\plugin\Mecanique\MyProgram.exe

As another example, if you have a link that looks like

$IDE\Plugin\TheFox\MyProgram.exe

Then you would want to make sure that your plugin is installed into the current IDE installation folder (which can be anywhere) BUT your files must be held in a sub-folder called '\Plugin\TheFox'

If you have more questions, please let me know...