4D and
WebSTAR are very extensive and complete programs. 4D, a development tool,
and WebSTAR, a Web server, should serve the need for most developers as
is, but there are instances when developers may wish to enhance, or add
tools or utilities that are not built into 4D or WebSTAR. This is why 4D,
Inc. provides an API for both 4D and WebSTAR. If developers find that they
are not able to do a certain function within either 4D or WebSTAR, it is
quite likely that with the APIs, developers can create their own Plug-ins
that meets their needs.
We have provided extensive examples for both 4D and WebSTAR that we hope
will help developers to create their own plug-ins as quickly and efficiently
as possible. A great way to start off creating a plug-in is to use our Plug-In
Wizard. The Plug-In Wizard, explained in more detail later, will allow
developers to create a framework of a plug-in. All developers have to do
is fill in the body of the code for each plug-in call. In addition, if developers
feels that their plug-ins may help their respective communities, they may
wish to provide the plug-in as freeware, shareware, or a paid program. We
want to make sure that developers have all the tools necessary to complete
the job at hand. With the use of APIs, developers can create custom solutions
that would not be found with other applications.
Before starting to write a plug-in, there are a few things you need to have:
1) You will need a C/C++ compiler. The two compilers that our Plug-In Wizard supports are Codewarrior v5.3 or later, and Visual C++ v6.0 or later.
2) You should have a cursory understanding of C/C++. We suggest that you have at least been exposed to C/C++ in the past before attempting to write a 4D plug-in. While the command syntax may seem similar to 4D, there are differences that may cause problems at a later point. If you do not have experience with C/C++ we would recommend picking up a book or perhaps looking through an online tutorial on C/C++.
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