Add run-time functionality to your application by providing a plug-in mechanism

8 Comments

• Great article , 5 stars :D
  

• Great article, this is exactly what I need. However, i've downloaded both the Demo and Source, and I have a question.
  
  
  
  I'm trying to disect the code, so I can understand it (as opposed to merely using it), and i'm running into problems compiling the source because I don't use VS.Net, I use SharpDevelop and have to compile from commandline.
  
  
  
  In the Demo, there is a file called PluginSDK.dll. Does this library contain both IPlugin and IPluginContext interfaces? If so, how exactly do I compile that from the commandline?
  
  
  
  Any advice as to how to build this from the commandline would be appreciated.
  
  

• Thanks for the rapid response. I figured it out, I think. Part of the problem was that I was missing the PluginCollection.cs file. Unless i'm missing something, it's not mentioned in the above article. So anyway, once I figured that out, making the PluginSDK.dll was done like so:
  
  
  
  csc /t:library /out:PluginSDK.dll iplugin.cs iplugincontext.cs plugincollection.cs
  
  
  
  I replaced the PluginSDK.dll that came with the demo with my newly compiled one, and everything works fine. Curiously enough the dlls are different sizes: The one that came with the demo was 16k, the one I made was 5k. I wonder what VS is adding to the bigger one?
  
  
  
  I looked at EAP, and it is above my head right now. I just started learnig C# (OOP for that matter) just a month ago.
  

• If you wraped your head about doing plugins with this article, you'll have no trouble figuring out EAP. It's the same pricniple and you'll see a lot that you have already seen here.
  
  The only real addition is that instead of you having to look for the plugins yourself, there are base classes that fo this for you ("plugin providers") and you already have a basic pluin SDK with the IPlugin interface only you get mmore support from the interface for GUI stuff (menu caption, type of plugin and so on..)
  
  

• Nice Application, but your plugin can't be unloaded. Consider using AppDomains and Remoting instead.
  

• Hi Roy,
  
  I am trying to find the direction to create plug-in mechanism but for websites (asp.net)... module plug-in mechanism !!
  
  Can you point me the right direction ?
  
  thanks
  
  
  
  

• sam: Google "ASP.NET Provider model" and you shoudl be just fine, I think.
  

• Hi Roy,
  
  Thanks. I don’t know if is that the answer.
  I need to create module plug-in mechanism like "dotnetnuke", "Rainbowportal".
  
  I have to create one website that can be expand using module plug-in mechanism.
  
  Is the ASP.NET Provider model the solution?
  
  Thanks again !!