org.mdi.plugins

Interface Plugin

All Superinterfaces:

CommandLineListener

All Known Subinterfaces:

MDIPlugin<C>, SwingMDIPlugin

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractJFXMDIPlugin, AbstractMDIPlugin, AbstractPlugin, AbstractSwingMDIPlugin

public interface Plugin
extends CommandLineListener

This interface defines the common behavior for all registerable Plugins. Plugins are Jar files stored in the plugins directory. To define a Plugin, you must:

• create a new jar file, containing one Plugin class. This class must have one no parameter constructor, which will be used by the application
• register this class in the plugins.xml XML file in the plugins directory, or specify the Plugin base class in the Plugin manifest

XML list for Plugins

The plugins.xml XML file defines the list of Plugins main classes. Its Schema is:

 <xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
   <xs:element name="Plugins">
     <xs:complexType>
       <xs:sequence>
         <xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" ref="plugin" />
       </xs:sequence>
     </xs:complexType>
   </xs:element>
   <xs:element name="plugin">
     <xs:complexType>
       <xs:attribute name="mainclass" type="xs:string" use="required" />
       <xs:attribute name="desc" type="xs:string" />
     </xs:complexType>
   </xs:element>
 </xs:schema>
 

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
default void	dispose() Called by the main application when closing, to tell plugins that they must dispose of their resources.
default boolean	executeCustomAction(java.lang.String actionName, java.lang.Object... arguments) Called to execute a custom action.
default java.lang.Object	getDefaultPluginProperty(java.lang.String property) Return the default plugin property named as the parameter.
default java.lang.String	getPluginBuildDate() Return the Plugin version.
default Configuration	getPluginConfiguration() Return the Plugin Configuration class.
default ApplicationDesc	getPluginDesc() Return the Plugin description.
default java.lang.String	getPluginDescription() Return the Plugin description.
default java.lang.String	getPluginName() Return the Plugin name.
default java.lang.Object	getPluginProperty(java.lang.String property) Return the plugin property named as the parameter.
default java.lang.String	getPluginVersion() Return the Plugin version.
default java.lang.Object	getProperty(java.lang.Object key) Return the value for a specific property.
default java.lang.Class<?>	getPropertyType(java.lang.Object key) Return the Class for a specific property.
default boolean	hasProperty(java.lang.Object key) Return true if this plugin has a property for a specified key.
void	init(MDIApplication app) Initialize the Plugin.
default void	loadResources(MDIApplication app, java.lang.ClassLoader classLoader) Load the plugin resources.
default void	modifySettings() This method is used to tell to the Plugin that its settings has been modified.
void	register(MDIApplication app) Register the Plugin.
default void	resetSettings() This method is used to reset the settings used by the Plugin.
default boolean	setProperty(java.lang.Object key, java.lang.Object value) Set a property.
default boolean	supportCustomAction(java.lang.String actionName) Return true if the plugin support a named custom action.

Methods inherited from interface org.mdi.bootstrap.launcher.CommandLineListener

getCommandLineConfiguration, getCommandLineHandler, handleCommandLineArguments, handleCommandLineArguments, handleCommandLineException, setCommandLineHandler

Method Detail

register

void register(MDIApplication app)
       throws java.lang.Exception

Register the Plugin. It is advisable to defer all creations in this method instead of the constructor.

Parameters:

app - the application

Throws:

java.lang.Exception - if registering the Plugin throws an internal exception in the Plugin

loadResources

default void loadResources(MDIApplication app,
                           java.lang.ClassLoader classLoader)
                    throws java.lang.Exception

Load the plugin resources. Do nothing by default.

Parameters:

app - the application

classLoader - the ontext ClassLoader

Throws:

java.lang.Exception - if the Plugin loading throws an exception

init

void init(MDIApplication app)
   throws java.lang.Exception

Initialize the Plugin.

Parameters:

app - the application

Throws:

java.lang.Exception - if initializing the Plugin throws an internal exception in the Plugin.

getPluginDesc

default ApplicationDesc getPluginDesc()

Return the Plugin description. Return null by default.

Returns:

the Plugin description

getPluginName

default java.lang.String getPluginName()

Return the Plugin name. This name will be used in the AboutPlugins panel and in the options tree. Call getPluginDesc() and return ApplicationDesc.getApplicationName() by default.

Returns:

the Plugin name

getPluginDescription

default java.lang.String getPluginDescription()

Return the Plugin description. This name will be used in the AboutPlugins panel and in the options tree. Call getPluginDesc() and return ApplicationDesc.getAlternateText() by default.

Returns:

the Plugin description

getPluginVersion

default java.lang.String getPluginVersion()

Return the Plugin version. This name will be used in the AboutPlugins panel and in the options tree. Call getPluginDesc() and return ApplicationDesc.getVersion() by default.

Returns:

the Plugin version

getPluginBuildDate

default java.lang.String getPluginBuildDate()

Return the Plugin version. This name will be used in the AboutPlugins panel and in the options tree. Call getPluginDesc() and return ApplicationDesc.getBuildDate() by default.

Returns:

the Plugin build date

getPluginProperty

default java.lang.Object getPluginProperty(java.lang.String property)

Return the plugin property named as the parameter. It is advisable for a Plugin to have at least the following properties:

• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_DESC: the Plugin description (as a String)
• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_VERSION: the Plugin version (as a String)
• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_DATE: the Plugin date of modification (as a String)
• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_DEPEND: the Plugin on which this Plugin depends. (name of the Plugin main class on which this Plugin depends, as a String, or List of names)

By default, the method will handle the properties in the following way depending on the property name:

• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_DESC: the getPluginName() method will be called
• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_VERSION: the getPluginVersion() method will be called
• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_DATE : the getPluginBuildDate() method will be called
• Else the getDefaultPluginProperty(java.lang.String) method will be called

Parameters:

property - the property name

Returns:

the property value

See Also:

getDefaultPluginProperty(java.lang.String)

supportCustomAction

default boolean supportCustomAction(java.lang.String actionName)

Return true if the plugin support a named custom action.

Parameters:

actionName - the action name

Returns:

true if the plugin support the named custom action

executeCustomAction

default boolean executeCustomAction(java.lang.String actionName,
                                    java.lang.Object... arguments)

Called to execute a custom action.

Parameters:

actionName - the action name

arguments - the arguments

Returns:

true if the plugin executed the action

getDefaultPluginProperty

default java.lang.Object getDefaultPluginProperty(java.lang.String property)

Return the default plugin property named as the parameter. Note that you don't need to implement in this method the following properties because they are handled directly in the getPluginProperty(java.lang.String) mehod:

• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_DESC : the Plugin description (as a String)
• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_VERSION : the Plugin version (as a String)
• PluginElementTypes.PROPERTY_DATE : the Plugin date of modification (as a String)

Parameters:

property - the property name

Returns:

the property value

See Also:

getPluginProperty(java.lang.String)

getPluginConfiguration

default Configuration getPluginConfiguration()

Return the Plugin Configuration class. Return null by default. This class must be a Bean and must store all the configuration parameters that have to be serialized when quitting and retrieved when opening the application. It is allowed to return null, and in that case no parameters will be stored / retrieved.

Returns:

he Plugin Configuration class

modifySettings

default void modifySettings()

This method is used to tell to the Plugin that its settings has been modified. Do nothing by default.

resetSettings

default void resetSettings()

This method is used to reset the settings used by the Plugin. Do nothing by default. It is up to the Plugin to decide what it must do when resetting its Settings. However, it is a good idea for an MDIApplication to enforce a common behavior for its Plugins.

setProperty

default boolean setProperty(java.lang.Object key,
                            java.lang.Object value)

Set a property. Do nothing and return false by default.

Parameters:

key - the property key

value - the property value

Returns:

true if the plugin accept this property, false if it does not accept it.

getProperty

default java.lang.Object getProperty(java.lang.Object key)

Return the value for a specific property. The plugin will return null if it does not manage this property. Return null by default.

Parameters:

key - the property key

Returns:

the property value

getPropertyType

default java.lang.Class<?> getPropertyType(java.lang.Object key)

Return the Class for a specific property. Return null by default.

Parameters:

key - the property key

Returns:

the Class for the property of the specified key, or null if it does not manage this property or does not have a property for this key

hasProperty

default boolean hasProperty(java.lang.Object key)

Return true if this plugin has a property for a specified key. Return false by default.

Parameters:

key - the property key

Returns:

true if this plugin has a property for the specified key

dispose

default void dispose()

Called by the main application when closing, to tell plugins that they must dispose of their resources. Do nothing by default.