Dynamic UI Creation: Extend R2build: Add New Tool Support, Create Plugin Config

• Download binary and source code (C++ Qt4.4.1) Version 2.0 - binary 6.0 MB, source code 23 MB
• Get more info about R2build

Abstract

In this article, we will describe how to support a new tool (new application) in R2build system. R2build uses plugin mechanism and config XML to make it easy to support new tools.

About R2build

R2build is a tool/Framework for desktop application developers to establish your daily build (or nightly build, or build automation, or continuous integration system) in a very easy manner. It includes, but is not limited to, plug-ins for VB/VC++/.NET/Delphi/Ant/Nant/C++ Builder, email notification, FTP, various Installer packaging tools, and various source control tools such as vss, clearcase, cvs, perfoce….

Introduction

R2build uses XML file to describe the Node UI dialog and the related parameter. To support a new tool/application in R2build, you should check the command console parameter of this new application, then create a new XML file in the $R2buildInstallDir/plugins, When R2build starts, it will scan all the plugin config XML file, and build the corresponding nodes in the toolbox. This XML describes the console parameter, it's also called application description XML.

A Simple Example

Let's start from a very simple example. You get a new application, simple.exe, by calling simple.exe –h, you know simple.exe has two parameters:

Simple.exe –f filename –x text 
-f filename: file to open 
-x text: text to delete from file. 

To add simple.exe into R2build toolbox, you need create a simple.xml into the $R2BuildInstallDir/Plugins, you can create your own folder, and put simple.xml into that folder. The following is the XML file:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<Plugin version='1' group="" name="Simple" appName="Simple" description=""> 

<Type>command</Type> - a command console application 
<Executor>simple.exe</Executor> - the application's executable file name 
<FixedParameter></FixedParameter> -Fixed parameter 
<SubExecutor></SubExecutor> -the sub executor of this application 
<Icon>simple.png</Icon> -the icon file of this application 
<ParameterConfigUI> - the main config section 
<FileBrowser display="File to open" BrowseDir="FALSE" 
Filter="" type="Parameter" relatedParameter="-f "></FileBrowser> -first parameter 
<LineEdit display="Text to delete" type="Parameter" relatedParameter="-x">
</LineEdit> -the second parameter 
</ParameterConfigUI> 
<ReturnValues> -enum return values of this application 
<ReturnValue name="Yes" Condition="$RETURN!=0"></ReturnValue> 
<ReturnValue name="No" Condition="$RETURN==0"></ReturnValue> 
</ReturnValues> 
</Plugin> 

Will show in R2build as the following screenshot:

Structure of the XML File

<Plugin> 
<Type>command</Type> 
//Type is the plugin type, values are : command/plugin 
<Executor>cleartool.exe</Executor> 
//provide the executor file name, for command plugin, 
//it's command's executable file, for plugin, it's plugin's .dll file name 
//in the same dir of this file 
<FixedParameter></FixedParameter> 
//provide the required and non-configurable parameters 
<SubExecutor>update</SubExecutor> 
//The sub-command of this plugin, some of the tool support sub-command, 
//for example cleartool.exe has a sub-command update 
<Icon>Update Snapshot View.png</Icon> 
//The icon of this plugin 
<ParameterConfigUI> 
//The section for describing the plugin parameter dialog 
//and the related plugin parameterA list of Config items… 
<ComboBox display="this is a combox sample" relatedParameter="-d">
availableValue="selectionA;selectionB;selectionC" value="selectionA">

Supported ParameterConfigUI Items

The following table lists all the supported ParameterConfigUI Items. The XML attributes of any item is composed by "Common Attribute" + "Specific Attribute".

ParameterConfigUI Item Common Attributes

Each Config UI Item has the following common attributes:

• display: This label(display) for this item
• type: See "Supported ParameterConfigUI Item Type"
• relatedParameter: The related parameter for this config item
• ParaSeperator: Parameter separator for this config item, will add separator between the relatedParameter and the value, if not config there is no separator between para flag and values. For example -i"c:\aaa.txt" the paraSeperator is comma , -i c:\aaa.txt , the paraSeparator is one space
• Required: If this field is a required parameter, values are : TRUE or FALSE (all upper case), TRUE means this parameter is required. Default value is TRUE if not setting.

Supported ParameterConfigUI Item Type

For each Config UI Item, they should belong to the following types:

• Group: This config UI item is used to hold other config UI items
• ExecutorParameter: The parameter for the main executor, this config UI item is used to get the values for command parameter, the relatedParameter field show its related parameter
• Parameter: The parameter for the sub executor, this config UI item is used to get the values for command parameter, the relatedParameter field show its related parameter
• Env: This config UI item is used to set the values for environment variable, the relatedParameter field is the env variable name. NOTE: Env variable will be passed to the command as working environment variables.
• Property: This config UI item is used to get the other property of the command, the relatedParameter field is the property name. The supported property is WorkingFolder (the folder where this command is working)

More Examples

See $R2buildInstallDir/Plugins for more examples.

Share your Plugins

Send your plugin to R2build@gmail.com to be able to be included in R2build official release or posted on R2build website, your feedback is so important.

R2Build 2.0 Build 416 - SOFTPEDIA "100% CLEAN" AWARD

This product was last tested in the Softpedia Labs on 12 September 2008 by Alexandra Anton Softpedia guarantees that R2Build 2.0 Build 416 is 100% Clean, which means it does not contain any form of malware, including but not limited to: spyware, viruses, trojans and backdoors.
URL: http://www.softpedia.com/progClean/R2Build-Clean-89119.html.