Reported Post by Blupig

Blupig · Jan 13, 2011

Blupig has reported a post.

Reason:

clear out the replies and change the title to "How to make Eternity Client plugins in .NET"
thanks
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Post: [TUT] Making SytheClient plugins with VB.net
Forum: Visual Basic .NET
Assigned Moderators: N/A

Posted by: Blupig
Original Content:
IMPORTANT: All plugins you make MUST be in .NET framework 3.5, no older and no newer. If you own a copy of Visual Studio or have the trial, you can select your framework like so:

If you do not have a copy of Visual Studio, you'll need to download Visual Basic Express 2008 (NOT 2010 or 2005, 2008). You can get VB 2008 here.

1. Create a new project (select class file).
2. You'll need to have a few things within the class file. You'll need an author name, plugin description and plugin name. You'll also need to import the PluginPortal class library I made, available within the SytheClient download (if you navigate to your SytheClient install folder, it's right there; additionally, you can download it off our support site at ).
3. This is the code you need to have. Without it, your plugin will not work:
Code:
    Implements IPlugin

    Public ReadOnly Property Name() As String Implements IPlugin.Name
        Get
            Return "Your plugin name"
        End Get
    End Property

    Public ReadOnly Property Description() As String Implements IPlugin.description
        Get
            Return "Your plugin description"
        End Get
    End Property

    Public ReadOnly Property Author() As String Implements IPlugin.Author
        Get
            Return "Your name"
        End Get
    End Property

    Public Sub initialize(ByRef form As Object) Implements IPlugin.initialize
        ' ' This is where your code will start. If you want a
        ' ' form in your program, add a form like you normally would
        ' ' and add something similar to the following code:

        Dim MyForm As New Form1

        ' ' The following line of code will be to incorporate your window
        ' ' within the client as all the other windows.
        ' ' It is completely optional.
        Form1.MdiParent = form
        MyForm.Show()

    End Sub
This is the import code:
Code:
Imports PluginPortal.PluginPortal
Don't forget you'll need to set the PluginPortal.dll library as a reference first.
Additionally, you can reference and import Eternity.exe (the client executable) to utilize all of its functions. For now, just poke around the classes, I'll make documentation later.

4. Once you've compiled, add the finished DLL file into the "plugins" folder in the SytheClient installation folder and run SytheClient. To select the plugin, click on the dropdown menu that says "Available plugins..." and select your plugin.

Still don't understand? Here's the source of "TestPlugin.dll".
Code:
Imports PluginPortal.PluginPortal

Public Class Class1

    Implements IPlugin

    Public ReadOnly Property Name() As String Implements IPlugin.Name
        Get
            Return "TestPlugin"
        End Get
    End Property

    Public ReadOnly Property Description() As String Implements IPlugin.description
        Get
            Return "Tests plugin system"
        End Get
    End Property

    Public ReadOnly Property Author() As String Implements IPlugin.Author
        Get
            Return "Blupig"
        End Get
    End Property

    Public Sub initialize(ByRef form As Object) Implements IPlugin.initialize
        MsgBox("This is a test plugin.")
    End Sub

End Class
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