C++ Example Plugin Overview

Table of Contents

• C++ Distribution Example Plugin
  • Introduction
  • Content
    • Solution File
    • Project File
    • Tools Configuration File
    • Tools Visualization Order File
    • Resoure Directory
    • Source Code File
  • Usage

C++ Distribution Example Plugin

Introduction

This page describes what is present in example_plugin directory of the Windows distribution archive and how to use it.

Note

Please have a look at MeshLib С++ setup guide first.

Content

This example contains several files:

1. example_plugin.sln - Visual Studio solution file
2. example_plugin.vcxproj - Visual Studio project file
3. MyPlugin.items.json - tools configuration file
4. MyPlugin.ui.json - tools visualization in MeshLib/MeshInspector viewer
5. resource - directory with icons in four different sizes for menu in viewer
6. MyPlugin.cpp - source code with actual (demo) tools

Lets have a closer look at each of these points:

Solution File

example_plugin.sln - This can be used to build an example with Visual Studio, it only includes example_plugin.vcxproj in it.

Project File

example_plugin.vcxproj - This file is configured so project can work with MeshLib distribuiton

• Debug only:
  • Debug Configuration: C/C++ → Preprocessor → Preprocessor Definitions:
    Add: _ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL=0
• For all configurations:
  • General Properties -> C++ Language Standard:
    Set: /std:c++20 or later
  • C/C++ → General → Additional Include Directories:
    Add: C:\meshlib-built\install\include
  • C/C++ → All Options → Additional Options:
    Add: /bigobj /utf8
  • Linker → Input → Additional Dependencies:
    Add: C:\meshlib-built\install\lib\$(Configuration)\*.lib
    
  • Copy other files to target directory:

     <ItemGroup>
      <CopyFileToFolders Include="MyPlugin.items.json">
        <FileType>Document</FileType>
      </CopyFileToFolders>
      <CopyFileToFolders Include="MyPlugin.ui.json">
        <FileType>Document</FileType>
      </CopyFileToFolders>
      <Content Include="resource\**">
        <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
      </Content>
    </ItemGroup>

Tools Configuration File

MyPlugin.items.json - this file contains information about each tool that is present in the plugin:

• "Name" - name of the tool, should be same as in the code
• "Tooltip" - tooltip that is shown when user hover tool in UI
• "Icon" - unicode symbol from Fontawesome, it is shown in UI for the tool if there is no actual icon present in resource folder
• "Caption" - optional: label that is displayed instead of name in UI, if not present "Name" is used intead
• "HelpLink" - optional: link to web page that will be opened if "Help" button is pressed in UI
• "DropList" - optional: array with other tools that will be available in this tool drop list (see "List" in next section)

{
  "Items": [
    {
      "Name": "My Tool",
      "Tooltip": "Simple button that shows Hello World message",
      "Icon": "\uE05D"
    },
    {
      "Name": "My State Tool",
      "Tooltip": "Simple dialog that shows Hello World message",
      "Icon": "\uE05D"
    }
  ]
}

Tools Visualization Order File

MyPlugin.ui.json - this file has information about order of the plugin loading, and UI schema for present tools:

• "Order" - order of loading dll produced by this plugin, it can be used to determine constuction of tools in diferent plugins
• "LibName" - name of the dll that contains provided tools (in this case it is same dll)
• "Tabs" - tabs where tools are located in UI, could be new tabs or existing ones (specified plugins with less "Order" number)
  • "Name" - name of the tab
  • "Priority" - optional: tabs are ordered by this number
  • "Groups" - specify groups of tools in single tab, could be new groups or existing ones (specified plugins with less "Order" number)
    • "Name" - name of the group (it is not used now)
    • "List" - list of the tools in this group
      • "Name" - name of the tool, should be same as in the code and in the items.json file

{
    "Order": 999,
    "LibName": "example_plugin",
    "Tabs": [
        {
            "Name": "MyPlugin",
            "Priority": 20,
            "Groups": [
                {
                    "Name": "Primal",
                    "List": [
                        {
                            "Name": "My Tool"
                        },
                        {
                            "Name": "My State Tool"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Resoure Directory

resource - directory with icons that is used in UI, it should have same structure as in example:

• resource
  • icons
    • X0_5 (16x16 px)
    • X0_75 (24x24 px)
    • X1 (32x32 px)
    • X3 (96x96 px)

Note

Icons should have same name as tool in the code, in items.json file and in ui.json file

Source Code File

MyPlugin.cpp - this file contains two simple tools:

1. MyTool() : RibbonMenuItem( "My Tool" ) - shows "Hello World" modal window
2. MyStateTool() : StatePlugin( "My State Tool" ) - shows "Hello World" dialog window

For more information have a look at State Plugin Page

Usage

1. Open solution file with Visual Studio
2. Compile it
3. Copy content of just appeared x64\Release\ folder to MeshLib or MeshInspector app folder
   • MeshLib: install\app\Release
   • MeshInspector: C:\Program Files\MeshInspector\MeshInspector, please note that you should use same version of MeshLib that is used in MeshInspector to avoid unexpected errors

     Note

     take x64\Debug\ if you want to test it in MeshLib debug app folder: install\app\Debug