1. Dev10. Eclipse Plug-ins in Notes 101, and then some Teresa Deane, BCC
Dev10. Eclipse Plug-ins in Notes 101, and then some Teresa Deane, BCC Date – March 23, 2016
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2. Introduction Veteran of Lotus, Iris, Groove, Microsoft, Teamstudio
Currently at BCC
Last spoke at LotuSphere 2000
Expertise:
Notes C++ API
IBM Notes application development (forms and views)
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3. Introduction to Plug-ins
Terminology: Plug-ins, Features, Widgets
Functionality: What can you do with Plug-ins?
Developer Topics
Development Tools: Eclipse
Source Code: MANIFEST.MF, plugin.xml, Activator.java, feature.xml, internationalization
Administration Topics
Deployment: Security (Policies), Widget Catalog, Site Database, Third Party
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4. Goals Introduce the concept of IBM Notes Plug-ins
Demonstrate the Necessary Tools
Create a Simple Plug-in
Dissect the Files
Discuss deployment options
Resource List
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5. What is a Plug-in? Manipulates the look and feel of Notes
Add Toolbars, Menus and Actions
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6. Why a Plug-in? Written in Java
Plenty of useful classes
Reusable
Object oriented
Platform independent
Call Native (DLL) files using JNI (Java Native Interface)
Use the Lotus Notes API
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7. What is a Widget? Tool that can consist of one or more components
Provides functions to provision items to client systems
App like component which delivers web like content based on user or application input
Can be used for a stand-alone feature by calling a feature update site to initially deploy or later provision updates to a client plug-in. 
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8. What is a Feature?
Functionality that alters the look and feel of Notes
Packages plug-ins for deployment
Describes the plug-ins used
Provides for versioning and licensing
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9. Example Plug-ins
Lotus Learn
IBM Connections
openntf
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10. What do I need to begin? Eclipse
Platform for  rapid development of integrated features based on a plug-in model
Eclipse for RCP/RAP Developers – Luna version
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11. Perspectives
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12. How to Run Notes from Eclipse
Setup the correct JVM
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13. How to Run Notes from Eclipse
Version of Notes that you are developing for must be installed
Run – Run Configurations…
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14. Eclipse Setup – Arguments tab
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15. Arguments – Variables – Edit variables
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16. Arguments - Configuration
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17. Plug-ins tab
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18. MANIFEST.MF
Contains Dependencies and Services of a plug-in
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19. Plugin.xml
Contains Extension Points
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20. Translating Plug-in Strings
Source – Externalize Strings…
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21. Translating Plug-in Strings
Creates messages.properties file
SampleHandler_0=Helloworld
Create additional files messages_de.properties with translated strings
Adds messages.java file which contains a resource bundle accessor class to initialize and retrieve messages
Properties files must have ISO encoding
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22. Demo Application
Live presentation of building and running demo application
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23. Deployment
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24. Plug-in Security
Desktop Setting Policy – Basics – Provisioning – Allow user initiated updates – Enable to turn off menu items in Notes
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25. Plug-in Security (cont’d)
Security Setting Policy – Signed Plug-ins
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26. Plug-in Security (cont’d)
Desktop Setting Policy – Widgets
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27. Deployment Steps
Place the feature's valid Eclipse update site, containing the signed features and plugins, in a central location
Install or upgrade the server and client, create the widgets catalog, and set widgets policy or preferences
Create an NSF-based update site and import the Eclipse update site
Create the extension.xml that the widget will use to call the feature's update site
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28. Deployment steps (cont’d)
Sample extension.xml
Explains what features are contained and where to find them
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29. Deployment steps (cont’d)
Display the Widgets sidebar and verify or set catalog access
Create the widget in the widgets catalog and attach its extension.xml file to call the update site
Test the widget by dragging it from the catalog view to your My Widgets sidebar
Communicate to users how to obtain the widget or inform them that they will be automatically provisioned with the widget and its feature
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30. Deployment Update site template (ntf) External update site (http)
Use this template to create an NSF-based update site to act as an Eclipse update site hosted in a Notes application
External update site (http)
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31. Other Deployment Methods
MSI Installer
Third party tools (BCC ClientGenie)
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32. Resource List Eclipse.org IBM Redbook Tutorials Specific to Notes
Internationalizing your plug-in
Using JNI(Java Native Interface) to call C++ code
Eclipse Notes Setup
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33. Contact Teresa_deane@bcc.biz twitter: @teresa_deane www.bcchub.com
Come see me at the BCC booth
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