Creating a DTK Plugin(3.1)

Owned by Jenni Wallin
Last updated: Oct 29, 2024
4 min read

To create and commit a DTK plugin: 

  1. Create the different Java files required for the type of plugin you want to create. See the chapters describing each plugin for further information.

  2. Compile all the Java files for your plugin into classes:

    > javac -classpath $CLASSPATH com/mycompany/myagent/*.java

Caution!

Do not use the default package context in the Java code. All classes in Usage Engine must have unique names.

  1. Create a user-defined *.jar file containing the classes, see Creating a DTK Plugin(3.1) | Creating a User Defined Jarbelow.

  2. Create a user defined *.mzp package containing the *.jar file, see Creating a DTK Plugin(3.1) | [inlineExtension]Creating a User Defined Package below. 

  3. Commit your user defined package, see Creating a DTK Plugin(3.1) | [inlineExtension]Committing a User Defined Package below.

Creating a User Defined Jar

To create a *.jar file containing the classes, use the following command syntax:

> jar cvf my_agent.jar com/mycompany/myagent/*.class

It is also possible to add resources to a jar file, just append any resource name to your "jar create" command. This allows you to, for instance, add images that your class depends on to the jar:

> jar cvf my_agent.jar com/mycompany/myagent/*.class com/mycompany/myagent/myagent_icon.svg

Creating a User Defined Package

In order to insert the *.jar file into Usage Engine, a package containing the jar file must first be created. A package gives the *.jar file a name and a version. The mzsh pcreate command creates a code package used for composing packages (.mzp) in order to create additional functionality and updates. The name and version will be visible in the About window once the new package has been committed into the system.

A package is created using the pcreate command in the mzsh Command Line Tool:

Argument

Description

Argument

Description

<name>

The name of the package

<version>

The version string of the package

<package-file>

The resulting package file name

[ -level <default level>]

Specifies if this software should support update to a running system. The default level can either be platform or execution. Execution implies that the component can be updated when the system is running, for example upgrading to a newer agent version.

Note!

Not all kinds of software using the development toolkit can be updated and also that a third party library being used by the software may or may not support the execution level.

[ -revision <revision>]

Used to show the revision number from which the .mzp file is built, that is from a revision management system.

[ -repository <repository>]

Used to show the repository from which the .mzp file is built, that is from a revision management system.

-hidden

Used if the .mzp file is not supposed to be visible in the system, for example in the ">About dialog.

[ -level <level name>] file=<file-to-include>

The level name can either be platform or execution. Each filename to be included can optionally be preceded by a level.

[ -osgi <true/false> ]

When this argument is set to true, the MZP will be built as an OSGi bundle. This ensures that the Java code within the bundle is isolated from the rest of Usage Engine.

Use OSGi bundling when your DTK plugin depends on third-party libraries that you need to include in the MZP, so they do not cause any conflicts with the rest of the system. Only the Java packages explicitly exported will be visible to Usage Engine.

To specify which Java packages to export, use the following options:

-exportpackages <javapackagename> - Will export the specified Java package(s).
-exported <export-version> file=<jar file> - Will export all Java packages contained within the specified JAR file.

The default value is false.

[ -exportpackages <Java wrapper>]

When the -osgi true argument is used, this argument states the Java package(s) to be exported. Multiple packages can be exported by stating them in a comma-separated list, for example:

com.mycompany.myagent1,com.mycompany.myagent2

Example - Using -osgi and -exportpackages

[ -exported <export-version> file=<jar file>]

This argument will export all Java packages contained within the specified JAR file when used with the argument -osgi true. This argument can be used multiple times if you need to export Java packages from multiple JAR files.

Committing a User Defined Package

 

 

 

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