Importing MAC Plugins to WINDOWS Version

[rfchamusca]

Is there some way to make Plugins made for the MAC VW plataform run under Windows VW?

I work with both versions, but the scripts are generated and only work for the MAC plataform. What's the deal? I noticed many files don't have an extension, so Windows don't recognize them.

I appreciate any help or opinion expressed here. Thanks.

[Lee C.S. Young]

Files on the Mac are recognised via file types and creator codes. (Well, they were in Mac OS 9 and earlier, I?ve moved away from Mac since then so I am not sure about Mac OS X). As you know, file types in Windows are recognised via a file extension. For your plug-ins, simply amend the appropriate file extension to the filename if it does not contain one. (Check to make sure that you are not hiding file extensions in Explorer first.) If the plug-ins are your own and are not encrypted, you?ll be able to open them via the Plug-In Editor in VW. Scripts on the other hand, since they are not stored in binary format but are plain text, should be editable with your favourite text editor. If you have not done so already, add a file type of .vss through Explorer and assign the files to open with your text editor.

There should not be a reason that plug-ins created on the Mac do not run in Windows provided any scripts that access external files use the Windows style file path delimiters. Even if the delimiters are Mac style the script/plug-in should return an error when accessing an external file when run on Windows.

One thing to note: Plug-ins created on the Mac through the Plug-In editor/Script Editor should in fact still have the file extension as part of the filename.

I personally ?converted? (for lack of a better word) hundreds of plug-ins without an issue.

Good luck.

[rfchamusca]

Thanks Lee, I'll try it.

[ 04-19-2004, 09:53 AM: Message edited by: pattoni ]

[rfchamusca]

Hi Lee, thanks for your support. Well, i've add the .vss extension as you told me, but it's still not working.

I've realized that the standart VW scripts are 'readable' by Notepad, but my company's scripts only display series of ASACII characters like this: ?? ?!??H ??H ?1

Maybe, i'm skipping a step. Note that i do not own VectorScript.

[Lee C.S. Young]

It sounds like you are attempting to edit a plug-in and not a script. Plug-ins are not plain text; they are binary and can not be edited with a text editor. (Well, that's not entirely true but it's neither here nor there.)

In order to edit a plug-in, you'll need to use VectorWorks' Plug-In Editor and the plug-in must not be encrypted.

What do you mean by 'Standard VW scripts'?

[rfchamusca]

Sounds like the 'Standard VW scripts' are common scripts and what I have here are Plugins.

In this case i think it's quite hard to figure out how to associate them with a filetype (they could be .dll, etc).

It seems to me that a VectorWorks' Plug-In Editor is a RETAIL program, right?

Thanks again, Lee.

[Guest]

VectorScript Plug-ins developed on Mac are compatible with Windows, and the other way around also. As was mentinoed above, they are binary files (not just text). You cannot edit them in a text editor, you must use VectorWorks. Under the "Orgainze" menu there is a menu item "Scripts->VectorScript Plug-in Editor...".

The plug-in files should have extensions that indicate their type. VS Plug-in Objects use .vso, VS Plug-in Tools use .vst, and VS Plug-in Menu Commands use .vsm for the extension. VectorScript Plug-ins are not DLLs, but are simply data files that VectorWorks understands.

VectorWorks also supports Plug-ins that are developed with the C-language and our SDK. These are built into shared libraries on the Mac and DLLs on Windows. SDK Plug-ins are not cross-platform and must developed separately on each platform, though much of the source code may be shared.

Regards,

Jeff