This document covers the following topics:
An installed plug-in.
The following properties are available:
Used to navigate to the parent interface of this interface.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| HANDLE OF OBJECT | VT_DISPATCH (INatAutoPlugIns) | Get only |
Used to navigate to the root interface.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| HANDLE OF OBJECT | VT_DISPATCH (INatAutoStudio) | Get only |
The global unique ID by which the plug-in is identified in Natural Studio. It is equal to the ID of the ActiveX component implementing the plug-in.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| A | VT_BSTR | Get only |
The type of the plug-in.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| A | VT_BSTR | Get only |
The possible values are:
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Single server | The plug-in runs in its own Natural server process, distinct from all other Natural-written plug-ins. |
| Shared server | The plug-in runs in the same Natural server process as the Plug-in Manager. |
The descriptive name of the plug-in that is displayed in the Plug-in Manager.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| A | VT_BSTR | Get only |
The CLSID of the ActiveX component implementing the plug-in. For a
Natural-written plug-in this is the ID defined in the
DEFINE CLASS
statement.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| A | VT_BSTR | Get only |
The ProgID of the ActiveX component implementing the plug-in. For a
Natural-written plug-in this is the class name defined in the
DEFINE CLASS
statement.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| A | VT_BSTR | Get only |
Indicates if the plug-in is currently active. Modifying this property activates and deactivates the plug-in respectively.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| L | VT_BOOL |
Indicates if the plug-in is automatically activated when Natural Studio is started, or if it must be manually activated with the Plug-in Manager. Modifying this property changes the activation mode accordingly.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| L | VT_BOOL |
A string containing an XML document that describes the current option value setting for this plug-in.
| Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| A | VT_BSTR |
The XML document is formatted according to the following DTD.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!ELEMENT optvals (optval*)> <!ELEMENT optval (name, value)> <!ELEMENT name (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT value (#PCDATA)>
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| name | The name of the option. If this name does not correspond to a
name defined in the DefineOptions
method, this is a hidden option. This means that the user cannot see and modify
the option value in the Options dialog. Otherwise the
option is represented in a property page in the Options
dialog as specified in the method
DefineOptions.
|
| value | The option value. |
The following methods are available:
Defines the options for this plug-in and their layout in a property page in the Options dialog.
| Name | Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| OptionDefinition | A | VT_BSTR |
A string containing an XML document that describes the options of the plug-in and their layout in a property page in the Options dialog. The XML document is formatted according to the following DTD.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!ELEMENT optdef (caption, helpfile?, helptopic?, option*, groupbox*, statictext*)> <!ELEMENT option (name, (checkbox | edittext | radiobuttons | spinbutton))> <!ELEMENT checkbox (left, top, title, default)> <!ELEMENT edittext (left, top, width, height, default)> <!ELEMENT radiobuttons (radiobutton+, default)> <!ELEMENT radiobutton (left, top, title, value)> <!ELEMENT spinbutton (left, top, width, height, min, max, default)> <!ELEMENT groupbox (title, left, top, width, height)> <!ELEMENT statictext (title, left, top, width, height)> <!ELEMENT caption (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT helpfile (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT helptopic (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT name (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT title (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT value (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT default (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT left (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT top (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT width (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT height (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT min (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT max (#PCDATA)>
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| caption | The caption displayed on the property page. |
| helpfile | The full path name to a help file containing help information about the options. |
| helptopic | A help topic to be displayed when the user chooses the button on the property page. |
| name | The name of the option. This name is used only internally to refer to the option in the OptionValues DTD. |
| value | The value assigned to a radio button. |
| default | The default value of the option. |
| term | The term displayed with a dialog control. |
| left, top, width, height | The position and size of a dialog control. |
| min, max | The minimum and maximum value displayed in a spinbutton control. |
Returns the custom interface of this plug-in, or NULL-HANDLE, if the plug-in does not provide a custom interface.
Plug-ins can provide a custom interface in order to provide services to
clients other than Natural Studio itself. These clients can be, for instance,
other plug-ins or programs running inside or outside Natural Studio. In order
to provide a custom interface, a plug-in must implement an additional interface
beside the two predefined interfaces INaturalStudioPlugIn
and INaturalStudioPlugInTree
and make this interface the default dispatch interface. For a plug-in
implemented in Natural this means placing this interface at the first position
in the DEFINE CLASS
statement.
| Name | Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return value | HANDLE OF OBJECT | VT_DISPATCH |
The custom interface of this plug-in.
Sends a specific command to the plug-in.
| Name | Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| CommandID | I4 | VT_I4 |
Contains the command ID the plug-in has chosen when it defined the
command with the method Add of the
interface INatAutoCommands.
Checks whether a specific command of the plug-in is currently enabled or checked.
| Name | Natural Data Format | Variant Type | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| CommandID | I4 | VT_I4 | |
| Enabled | L | VT_BOOL | By reference |
| Checked | L | VT_BOOL | By reference |
Contains the command ID the plug-in has chosen when it defined the
command with the method Add of the
interface INatAutoCommands.
If the command is currently enabled, the method returns TRUE in this parameter.
If the command currently has a check mark, the method returns TRUE in this parameter.
