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Structure of a plugin

Plugins must follow a given structure so they can be installed correctly. Once at all, all files of a plugin package are packed to an ZIP archive, which later is unpacked from the installation routine of the plugin manager.

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The name of the ZIP archive file must only contain the plugin some name, for example: linkchecker.zip. This name is not relevant for your folder name at plugin directory.

plugin.xml

Each plugin must have a XML file which contains metadata for the plugin itself and for the installation in the system. Among other things this file is responsible for the folder name in the plugins directory of CONTENIDO. Most important it contains all relevant entries for some special database tables, so the plugin is accessible in the backend (creating menu entries and so on). These tables are: actions, area, files, frame_files and nav_sub.

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Each plugin must have an UUID to identify it globally. These IDs base on the values for the plugin_name and copyright fields in this file. UUIDs only can be generated on the CONTENIDO website.

Tag general - meta information (required)

This tag contains meta information about the plugin which also are displayed in frontend. The tag has the attribute "active" which should have the value "1".

Tag name

Description

Required?

Example

plugin_name

Full plugin name.

yes

Code Block

language	html/xml

<general active="1">
        <plugin_name>Linkchecker</plugin_name>
        <plugin_foldername>linkchecker</plugin_foldername>
        <uuid>428CB6BC-2DE3-284D-34C9-C30C010F6B20</uuid>
        <description>Checks intern and extern links to valid</description>
        <author>Frederic Schneider (4fb)</author>
        <copyright>four for business AG</copyright>
        <mail>frederic.schneider@4fb.de</mail>
        <website>http://www.4fb.de</website>
        <version>2.0.1</version>
</general>

plugin_foldername

Name of the plugin folder.

yes

uuid

The universal Unique ID.

yes

description

Description of the plugins functions.

no

author

Author

yes

copyright

Copyright notice

yes

mail

Mail address for support

no

website

Website address for support

no

version

Version of the plugin

yes

Tag requirements - requirements for new plugins

Tag name

Description

Available attributes

Example

contenido

Versions of CONTENIDO

Name

Description

minversion

First compatible version

of CONTENIDO. Required

maxversion

Last compatible version of

CONTENIDO

Code Block

language	html/xml

    <requirements php="5.2.3">
        <contenido minversion="4.9.0" />
        <extension name="mysql" />
        <class name="cRegister" />
        <function name="i18n" />
    </requirements>

extension

PHP extensions

Name	Description
name	Name of the extension

class

PHP classes

Name	Description
name	Name of the class

function

PHP functions

Name	Description
name	Name of the function

Tag dependencies - dependencies to other plugins

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This tag contains information for plugin dependencies. The plugin manager checks if uuid is available in the database and if the required plugin is active.

Tag name

Description

Available attributes

Example

depend

Dependencies to other plugins

Name	Description
uuid	The universal Unique ID. Required.
minversion	First compatible version of plugin.
maxversion	Last compatible version of plugin.

Code Block

language	html/xml

<dependencies>
	        <depend uuid="82b117e94bb2cbcbce4e56b79a7d0c23" minversion="1.0.0" maxversion="1.0.1">Smarty Wrapper</depend>
</dependencies>

Tag contenido - database specific information

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The order of the XML tags must be the same as listed below.

Tag name

Description

Available attributes

Example

areas

Managing areas

Name	Description
parent	Name of the parent area or 0
relevant	Since CONTENIDO 4.9.10: Show this area on menu (1) or not (0). This attribute is optional. Before version 4.9.10, relevant is at all time active.
menuless	Area has left menu frame (0) or not (1)

Code Block

language	html/xml

<areas>
	<area parent="linkchecker" relevant="1" menuless="1">lc_whitelist</area>
</areas>

actions

Managing actions

Name	Description
area	Name of the area

Code Block

language	html/xml

<actions>
	<action area="linkchecker">linkchecker</action>
</actions>

frames

Managing frames

Name	Description
area	Name of the area
filetype	Type of the file (mostly "main")
name	relative path to frame include file
frameId	Number of the frame (from 1 to 4)

Code Block

language	html/xml

<frames>
	<frame area="linkchecker" filetype="main" name="linkchecker/includes/include.linkchecker.php" frameId="4" />
</frames>

nav_main

Managing main navigations

nonelanguagehtml/xml

Name	Description

Code Block

name	Name of the menu (since CONTENIDO 4.9.10, Menu occurs only if nav_sub exists)

Code Block
<nav_main>

<nav>locationname<

<nav name="menuname">pluginname/xml/lang_de_DE.xml;navigation/menuname/main</nav>
</nav_main>

nav_sub

Managing sub navigations

area, level, navm

Name	Description
area	Name of the area
level	Navigation level (0 or 1)
navm	Main navigation ID or Main menuname (if nav_main is used, name of this menue must set here)

Code Block

language	html/xml

<nav_sub>
	<nav area="linkchecker" level="0" navm="1">linkchecker/xml/lang_de_DE.xml;navigation/content/linkchecker/main</nav>
</nav_sub>

Tag content_types - registration of own content types

This tag contains information to register own content types.

Tag name

Description

Required?

Example

type

Content type name

yes

Code Block

language	html/xml

<content_types>
	<type>CMS_NAME</type>
</content_types>

plugin_install.sql, plugin_uninstall.sql and update sql files

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Furthermore, it is only possible to execute the following database operations.

Installation type	Available operations
Installation	CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS INSERT INTO UPDATE ALTER TABLE
Uninstall	DELETE FROM DROP TABLE
Update	UPDATE ALTER TABLE DELETE FROM DROP TABLE

The prefix placeholder contains the common database table prefix (per default: "con_") following by the chars "pi" for plugin.

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You can also define version specific update sql files. Format: plugin_update_oldversionnumber_to_newversionnumber.sql. Please replace "oldversionnumber" with your old plugin versioh number without dots, for example "10" for version 1.0 and replace "newversionnumber" with your new plugin version number without dots, for example "11" for version 1.1. Your update file namefilename: plugin_update_10_to_11.sql. With this file your plugin run your update statements, if you have installed plugin version 1.0 and want to updated it with plugin version 1.1.

Version	Old Version 18	New Version Current
Changes made by	frederic.schneider	homtata
Saved on	Apr 09, 2015	Feb 08, 2017

Versions Compared

Key

Structure of a plugin

plugin.xml

Tag general - meta information (required)

Tag requirements - requirements for new plugins

Tag dependencies - dependencies to other plugins

Tag contenido - database specific information

Tag content_types - registration of own content types

plugin_install.sql, plugin_uninstall.sql and update sql files