Plug-in parameters

[Daryl Wood]

Two questions on plug-in data:

1. Why is it possible to add parameters to some plug-ins, and have those parameters show up in the OIP, while others will not. In some cases I have to create a format record and use the data tab in the OIP to add the data. For some plug-ins I can add the data directly to the plug-in, via the vectorscript plug-in editor, and have it show up in the OIP??? For my use, it is much better to add the parameters to the plug-in itself instead of creating a separate format record. Consistency in the function of these plug-ins seems best.

2. If I add parameters to a plug-in via the vectorscript plug-in editor, should I be coping, or moving, that plug-in .vso file to my user folder so that it is not over written upon software updates, assuming the plug-in function does not change?

Regards,

[Pat Stanford]

1. You can only modify PIOs that are created in Vectorscript. NNA appears to be moving toward most of their PIOs being created with the SKD (software development kit) in C++.

2. I would certainly move anything I had edited out of the Vectorworks folder as that could be changed at any upgrade by NNA.

The downside of modifying their PIOs is that it is hard to know if there have been any bugs fixed, and even if there are, you still have to go back and make all of the changes again in any case. And what happens when you do a version upgrade? Do you loose your data? Is the object corrupted?

While it may be a better interface to edit the PIOs, it is much safer and better in the long run to stick to attaching records or writing your own PIOs that you can fully control.

[Daryl Wood]

Thanks for the reply Pat,

While attaching records may be the safer way to go in the long run, the interface of data entry in the data tab leaves alot to be desired. The interface does not allow interface functionality like drop down lists, which is useful to setup with frequently used items. After all, VW is supposed to be a BIM application.

I am trying real hard to use VW as a BIM application and trying to keep the interface as fast and useful as possible. The answer to this could be to allow record format data to populate the bottom of the OIP, with all the data input field types, and just separate it from that data NNA uses with some kind of delimiter, or change how the data tab input works and provide us with some useful input field types. Let's get this thing useful, and fast, as a BIM application!

I know you don't have anything to do with this and I appreciate your response.

Regards,

[Miguel Barrera]

As a plugin programmer, one can control what is presented to the user in the OIP. In recent plugins, I have added this functionality where I only show the first X number of parameters and the rest are hidden and used only internally or to hold data for other plugins.

This may be the case with NNA plugins where they only show what they want you to modify and the rest of the parameters are hidden (i.e. not included when adding parameters to the OIP).