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iDempiere Plug-In Development Guide

The document discusses plug-in development for iDempiere. It explains that plug-ins allow for modular customizations that do not require modifying core files and can be enabled/disabled at runtime. Common tasks for plug-ins include models, processes, forms and lookups. The document provides best practices for starting plug-in development, such as creating a new plug-in project, configuring the manifest and exporting as a 2Pack file.

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Shakiro Ruvalcaba

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)

44 views65 pages

iDempiere Plug-In Development Guide

Uploaded by

Shakiro Ruvalcaba

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

evenos

Consulting

Plug-In Development

Jan Thielemann – evenos Consulting GmbH

16. Mai 2013

evenos Consulting GmbH 1

evenos
Table of contents Consulting

 Why should I use plug-ins?

– ADempiere approach
– iDempiere approach
– Reasons to use plug-ins

 What can I do with plug-ins?

– Common tasks
– Special tasks

 How do I start developing my own plug-ins?

– First steps
– Best practice

 How can i distribute my plug-ins?

– p2 repositories
– Install plug-ins from jar files via Apache Felix Web Console

 Tips and tricks

 Conclusion

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evenos
Why should I use plug-ins? Consulting

ADempiere approach:
 Check out ADempiere and configure your workspace
 Create a new project for your customizations or modify the original sources
 Re-compile the sources and create a [Link] with the modified files
 Stop the Server
 Replace existing files or install the [Link] via setup/silentsetup
 Run additinal migration scrpits
 Start the Server

Disadvantages:
 Inconvenient for new developers
 Error-prone
 Server must be shut down
 Ant build files must be modified to solve additional dependencies
 Code from within the [Link] must be placed in the right directory structure to work
 No possibility to quickly enable/disable modifications

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evenos
Why should I use plug-ins? Consulting

iDempiere approach:
 Check out iDempiere and configure your workspace
 Create a new „Plug-in Project“
 Use extension points or component definitions to provide functionality
 Export the plug-in
 Install and start the plug-in during runtime

Disadvantages:
 Modification of core files is not possible
 Today not everything can be done with plug-ins - but we are working on it

Advantages:
 Modular architecture
 Convenient and easier to understand for new developers
 Server must not be shut down to install/activate/deactivate/remove plug-ins
 No need to modify the core
 Dependency management
 Better/easier extensibility
 Easily update the core without losing your customizations
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Why should I use plug-ins? Consulting

Reasons to use plug-ins:

 You develop functionality for your personal use, but you still want to support the community with bug fixes

 You want to make some quick and dirty tests and may want to rollback your changes without headache

 You have several customers for who you develop but some of the functionality is only for some of the
customers and should not be available for everyone

 You regulary update iDempiere to the latest available version

 You develop functionality on your local system and want an easy way to export your changes to your
productive system

 You are new to iDempiere development and have no understanding of the core yet

 You developed a great feature which you want to sell without caring about the customers base system

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What can I do with plug-ins? Consulting

Common tasks:
 Model
 Modelvalidator
 Processes
 Callout
 Document
 Form
 Editor
 Infowindow
 Lookup

Special tasks:
 Payment Processor
 Shipment Processor
 Attachements
 Pack In/Out
 PIPO Element Handlers
 Tabs
 Menus
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evenos
How do I start developing my own plug-ins? Consulting

First steps:
 Check out the iDempiere source code and configure your workspace
– A good tutorial can be found at [Link]

 Read the plug-in development tutorials in the idempiere wiki

– [Link]

 Read the forum from Redhuan D. Oon - he has some great tutorials too
– [Link]

 Take a look at existing plug-ins

– There are a lot of plug-ins and many of them makes use of extension points and component definitions