Plugins Structure#

As mentioned in Quick Start, the ALFAsim-SDK package has some utilities to help in the process to create a new plugin project and to create a plugin file.

At any moment, it is possible to invoke the help command to list all commands available.

>>> alfasim-sdk --help

You can also learn about the available options of each command invoking the –help option for each command:

>>> alfasim-sdk template --help
>>> alfasim-sdk package --help
>>> alfasim-sdk compile --help
>>> alfasim-sdk update --help

alfasim-sdk template#

Generate a template with the necessary files and structure to create a plugin.

The template folder will be placed on the dst option, that by default is the current directory from where the command was invoked.

The files generated and their contents are ready to be used or customized and have the following structure:

\---myplugin
|   CMakeLists.txt
|   compile.py
|
+---assets
|       plugin.yaml
|       README.md
|
\---src
    |   CMakeLists.txt
    |   hook_specs.h
    |   myplugin.cpp
    |
    \---python
            myplugin.py

alfasim-sdk template [OPTIONS]

Options

--dst <dst>#: A path to where the plugin project should be created. Default: Current directory

--caption <caption>#: Caption to be used across the application to identify the plugin

--plugin-id <plugin_id>#: The name of the plugin

--author-name <author_name>#: Name of the plugin author, this value is stored in plugin metadata and not displayed on the application explicitly

--author-email <author_email>#: Email of the plugin author, this value is stored in plugin metadata and not displayed on the application explicitly

alfasim-sdk package#

Creates a new <package-name>.hmplugin file containing all the necessary files.

This command will first invoke the compile command to generate the shared library, and after that, the plugin package will be generated with all the content available from the directory assets and artifacts.

By default, the package command will assume that the plugin project is the current directory and the generated file will be placed also in the current directory.

In order to change that, it’s possible to use the options plugin-dir and dst

alfasim-sdk package [OPTIONS]

Options

--plugin-dir <plugin_dir>#: Path to the plugin directory, where configuration and the shared library is located.

--dst <dst>#: A path to where the output package should be created.

--package-name <package_name>#: Name of the package

alfasim-sdk package_only#

Generate a <package_name>.hmplugin file with all the content from the directory assets and artifacts.

By default, the package will be created inside the folder plugin_dir, however, it’s possible to give another path filling the dst argument.

alfasim-sdk package_only [OPTIONS]

Options

--plugin-dir <plugin_dir>#: Path to the plugin directory, where configuration and the shared library is located.

--dst <dst>#: A path to where the output package should be created.

--package-name <package_name>#: Name of the package

alfasim-sdk compile#

Compile the plugin from the given plugin-dir option. When not provided plugin-dir will be the current folder location.

This command basically calls the compile.py informing the location of the header files of alfasim_sdk_api. For more details about the build steps, check the compile.py generated for your plugin project.

alfasim-sdk compile [OPTIONS]

Options

--plugin-dir <plugin_dir>#: Path to the plugin directory, where configuration and the shared library is located.

alfasim-sdk update#

Updates plugin files automatically generated by ALFAsim-SDK. The plugin folder is informed with plugin-dir option. When not provided plugin-dir will be the current folder location.

It is important to update the automatically generated files from each plugin when a new version of ALFAsim-SDK is released. Otherwise compilation problems can occur.

The files updated are:
- ´<plugin_folder>/src/hook_specs.h´

alfasim-sdk update [OPTIONS]

Options

--plugin-dir <plugin_dir>#: Path to the plugin directory, where configuration and the shared library is located.