Codenstuff.com

Posted: **Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:02 am**

I was wondering how you cod imement add-ins to your program. What code should I put in the program and what code should I use in he add-in?

Please help

-Comathi-

Posted: **Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:42 am**

Google out System.Reflection, and adding dll controls during runtime.

Posted: **Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:14 pm**

I have Code for that,ill post it later.

Posted: **Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:49 pm**

You will need a DLL that both your program and the program has a reference to. Call the project PluginBase. In the code you will need a plugin class/interface that every plugin inherits/implements like:

Code: Select all

Public MustInherit Class PluginBase
 Public MustOverride ReadOnly Property Name As String
 Public MustOverride ReadOnly Property Creator As String
 Public MustOverride ReadOnly Property Description As String
 'Any optional properties you plugin might need
End Class

Or you could use an interface:

Code: Select all

Public Interface IPlugin
 ReadOnly Property Name As String
 ReadOnly Property Creator As String
 ReadOnly Property Description As String
 'Anything else
End Interface

So a plugin might have this code:

Code: Select all

Public Class MyPlugin
 Inherits PluginBase.PluginBase

 Public Overrides ReadOnly Property Name As String
  Get
   Return "PluginName"
  End Get
 End Property

 Public Overrides ReadOnly Property Creator As String
  Get
   Return "PluginCreator"
  End Get
 End Property

 Public Overrides ReadOnly Property Description As String
  Get
   Return "A plugin that currently does nothing."
  End Get
 End Property
End Class

Or the interface way:

Code: Select all

Public Class MyPlugin 
 Implements PluginBase.IPlugin
 
 Public ReadOnly Property Name As String Implements PluginBase.IPlugin.Name
  Get
   Return "PluginName"
  End Get
 End Property

 Public ReadOnly Property Creator As String Implements PluginBase.IPlugin.Creator
  Get
   Return "Creator"
  End Get
 End Property

 Public ReadOnly Property Description As String Implements PluginBase.IPlugin.Description
  Get
   Return "This is a plugin that currently does nothing."
  End Get
 End Property

End Class

Your main project could then load the plugins:

Code: Select all

Public Function LoadPlugins(Directory As String) As PluginBase.PluginBase()
 Dim PluginType As Type = GetType(PluginBase.PluginBase)
 Dim Plugins As New List(Of PluginBase.PluginBase)
 For Each file As String In IO.Directory.GetFiles(Directory, "*.dll")
  Dim Assembly As Reflection.Assembly = Reflection.Assembly.LoadFrom(file)
  For Each [class] As Type In Assembly.GetTypes()
   If [class].IsSubclassOf(PluginType) And Not [class].IsAbstract Then
    Plugins.Add(Activator.CreateInstance([class]))
   End If
  Next
 Next
 Return Plugins.ToArray()
End Function

Or using the interface:

Code: Select all

Public Function LoadPlugins(Directory As String) As PluginBase.IPlugin()
 Dim PluginType As Type = GetType(PluginBase.IPlugin)
 Dim Plugins As New List(Of PluginBase.IPlugin)
 For Each file As String In IO.Directory.GetFiles(Directory, "*.dll")
  Dim Assembly As Reflection.Assembly = Reflection.Assembly.LoadFrom(file)
  For Each [class] As Type In Assembly.GetTypes()
   If [class].IsSubclassOf(PluginType) And Not [class].IsAbstract Then
    Plugins.Add(Activator.CreateInstance([class]))
   End If
  Next
 Next
 Return Plugins.ToArray()
End Function

I did not test this code, im sure it work, but it might be a few typos there

Posted: **Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:39 pm**

Thank you so very much MrAksel. +Rep

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