chargerplugin

Class ModulePlugin

Object

chargerplugin.ModulePlugin

Direct Known Subclasses:

CG_FCA_Plugin, CraftModulePlugin, DatabaseLinkingPlugin, TestModule

public abstract class ModulePlugin
extends Object

Provides a set of "plug in" services for external modules. The module is assumed to have complete access to Charger and in general should be compiled with all the Charger packages in the class path. To make your module accessible to Charger, you create a module plugin ("boot") class, one that controls (or at least initiates) the rest of your module operation, subject to the following constraints:

• The plugin class itself must be a compiled class in the chargerplugin package. The rest of the module's actual code can be packaged anywhere you want.
• The module may have any name, but it's recommended that the name indicate somehow that it is a plugin.
• As a sub-class of this class, of course it must implement all the abstract methods of this class, in accordance with standard Java rules.

Once you've done all that, the name (see getDisplayName() below) will appear on the Tools menu of the HubFrame using the keystroke specified in getKeyStroke(). The module's properties Panel (if non-null) will be appear in Charger's own Preferences window as one of the tabs, but only after it has been enabled (see below) When selected, Charger will invoke the startup() method of your boot class. After that, it's up to you!

Note that if your module creates any windows, those windows should implement and invoke the methods from Charger's window manager interface, or else they will not appear in the Window menu of Charger. They will still be accessible and selectable according to your operating system's way of managing windows.

An implementer is free to use the plugin class as the main class providing most or all of the module's functionality. The intention of this architecture, however, is that the plugin's actual instance is small and fast, since it may be instantiated in some situations where the module's main purpose will never be utilized.

A module's state can be categorized as follows:

available

means that the module is present in Charger's classpath.

enabled

means that the user has chosen to have the module present in the Tools menu, whether they have used it or not

activated

the module's startup method has been called (by invocation from the Tools menu).

When the module's shutdown() method is called, the module is no longer activated, but may remain enabled. Users may enable tools from the Config tab of the Preferences window.

A module is provided with a built-in set of properties (default empty) that will be automatically loaded and saved for each activated module.

Author:

hsd

See Also:

charger.util.WindowManager

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
static Properties	moduleProperties Automatically saved and retrieved whenever Charger properties are saved or retrieved.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
ModulePlugin()

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
abstract void	activate() Called whenever the module is selected but is already running
abstract String	getDisplayName() Return the simple name of this module.
abstract String	getInfo() Return any other information about the module, such as copyright, purpose, etc.
abstract KeyStroke	getKeyStroke() Get the accelerator key combination needed for the menu.
protected File	getModulePropertiesFile()
Properties	getProperties() Provides access to the module's built-in properties.
abstract JPanel	getPropertiesPanel() Access the properties panel for this module, suitable for adding as a tab in the main Preferences window.
void	saveProperties() Saves the module's built-in properties as returned by getProperties().
void	setProperties(Properties props) Set the module's properties directly.
abstract void	shutdown() Perform whatever cleanup and finalizing necessary.
abstract void	startup(ModulePlugin module) Launch this module, attaching it to Charger.

Methods inherited from class Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

moduleProperties

public static Properties moduleProperties

Automatically saved and retrieved whenever Charger properties are saved or retrieved. Can also be saved explicitly.

See Also:

saveProperties()

Constructor Detail

ModulePlugin

public ModulePlugin()

Method Detail

getDisplayName

public abstract String getDisplayName()

Return the simple name of this module. Will appear on standard out and serves as the label in the Tools menu.

getKeyStroke

public abstract KeyStroke getKeyStroke()

Get the accelerator key combination needed for the menu. May be null if no keystroke is desired.

getInfo

public abstract String getInfo()

Return any other information about the module, such as copyright, purpose, etc.

startup

public abstract void startup(ModulePlugin module)

Launch this module, attaching it to Charger. If module is already running, then a call to startup will be replaced by a call to activate.

activate

public abstract void activate()

Called whenever the module is selected but is already running

shutdown

public abstract void shutdown()

Perform whatever cleanup and finalizing necessary. Called automatically when Charger exits.

getModulePropertiesFile

protected File getModulePropertiesFile()

getProperties

public Properties getProperties()

Provides access to the module's built-in properties. A general facility for keeping configuration information on a module.

Returns:

the module properties that have been set or loaded. If not properties were ever saved, then return null.

setProperties

public void setProperties(Properties props)

Set the module's properties directly.

Parameters:

props -

saveProperties

public void saveProperties()

Saves the module's built-in properties as returned by getProperties(). The built-in properties are a general facility for keeping configuration information on a module. This is for the module writer's convenience -- it is always allowed for the module to create/modify its own files whenever desired. It is recommended that any sub-class overriding this method should also call this super-class method. Called automatically when Charger exits, if the module is still activated.

getPropertiesPanel

public abstract JPanel getPropertiesPanel()

Access the properties panel for this module, suitable for adding as a tab in the main Preferences window. If no properties panel is desired, then return null;

Returns: