Plugins system

Classes
class	SLPluginDynLoader
	This class is used to load plugins shared objects. More...
class	SLPluginFeature
	Interface parent of instantiable plugins features. More...
class	SLPluginFeature::MimeTypes
	This abstract class is the interface with OS mime database. More...
class	SLPluginFeature::Devices
	This abstract class is the interface with devices supported by the OS. More...
class	SLPluginFeature::Programs
	This abstract class is the interface to get the list of installed programs. More...
class	SLPluginFeature::DBAccess
	This abstract class is the interface for Database Access. More...
class	SLPluginFeature::DBAccess::Exception
class	SLPluginFeature::DBAccess::Results
class	SLPluginFeature::DBAccess::Connection
class	SLPluginFeature::ConfigFile
	This abstract class is the interface for accessing the config file. More...
class	SLPluginFeature::Files
	This abstract class is the interface to get the list of user files that are stored in its database. More...
class	SLPluginFeature::Files::Exception
class	SLPlugin
	This is the base interface each plugin may implement. More...
class	SLPluginRegister
	This is the static object in charge of registering plugins. More...

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Detailed Description

The Plugins group contains the classes and definitions needed to make plugins work

Plugin features are the real workers, they are instances of class SLPluginFeature.

"How to use a plugin :"

Example which get an instance of DBAccess feature :

   #include "segusoland.hpp"
   #include "SLPluginFeature.hpp"
   #include "SLPluginRegister.hpp"

   SLPluginFeature::DBAccess *db =
       SL_FEATURE_GET(DBAccess);

   // Now database access is available
   // Details on this feature can be found in class documentation :
   // SLPluginFeature::DBAccess

   // Do not forget to dispose the feature when the work is done
   SL_FEATURE_DISPOSE(db);

"Making a NEW plugin"

"Step By Step Example with Mime feature :"

• generate the plugin skeleton with mkplugin.sh

     # cd CVSROOT/segusoland/src/plugins
     # ./mkplugin.sh Mime my_mime
         => directory ./my_mime is generated with skeletons files
  

• now edit the file ./my_mime/my_mimeFeature.cpp In this file, the needed functions are ready to implement. Plugins are not completely designed, so you can change the implementation, but you'll have to edit and keep in sync :
  • src/plugins/my_mime/my_mimeFeature.cpp
  • src/plugins/my_mime/my_mimeFeature.hpp
  • src/lib/SLPluginFeature.hpp

• add src/plugins/my_mime/Makefile to configure.ac (end of file)

• add my_mime to SUBDIRS in src/plugins/Makefile.am

• now generates Makefile's with autoconf stuff :

 # cd CVSROOT/segusoland/
 # ./autogen.sh
 # make
    => the empty plugin skeleton should compile here

"Complete and working example of plugins usage and loading :"

This can be found in the test_plugins.cpp file located in :

"CVSROOT/segusoland/src/lib/test_plugins.cpp"

Well this is the short introduction.

With the mkplugin tool, the work should be pretty simple. And all the rest you need can be found in the doxygen documentation, so good luck :-)

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