Installing plugins or components

Plug-ins and components bring additional functionalities to your applications.

• Plug-ins are external programs, usually developed in C, that give access to various functionalities. For example, the 4D Write plug-in adds the functions of a word-processing software. Certain plug-ins such as 4D Internet Commands are provided free of charge, others may require the purchase of a specific license. Plug-ins can be developed by 4D SAS itself or by third parties. 
• Components are independent programs developed with 4D that offer additional high-level functionalities. For example, the 4D SVG component extends the standard 4D capabilities related to working with SVG.

Plug-ins and components fit into your 4D and 4D Server environment. To be able to use them in your databases, you must install them in suitable locations. Different locations are possible depending on how they are to be used and on your operating system.

Note: For more information about developing and distributing components, refer to the Developing and installing 4D components chapter.

You can install plug-ins and components in the 4D environment by copying their files into the appropriate folders: plug-ins go into a folder named PlugIns and components into a folder named Components. These folders can be placed in two different locations depending on your needs (see the next section).

Here are the elements to be placed in the folders:

• “PluginName.bundle” folders (called packages under Mac OS) contain both Windows and Mac OS versions of 4D plug-ins. Their specific internal architecture lets 4D Server load the appropriate version according to the platform where the client machine will be run. To install a plug-in in your environment, you just need to put the “PluginName.bundle” folder or package concerned into the desired PlugIns folder.

• Components are matrix databases whose files are suffixed either .4db (interpreted matrix database), .4dc (compiled matrix database) or .4dbase (package type matrix database, see .4dbase Extension). You can use aliases (Mac OS) or shortcuts (Windows) to these matrix databases. The Components folder can contain any custom files or folders necessary for component operation (xliff, pictures, and so on). On the other hand, it cannot contain plug-ins or Components subfolders, or data files or user structure files (.4DA). If these items are present, they are ignored by 4D. For more details about component architecture, refer to the Overview section of components).

Plug-ins and components are loaded by 4D when the application is launched so you will need to quit your 4D application before installing them.
Then open your database with 4D. If any plug-in requires a specific license for use, it will be loaded but not available for use.

You can put the PlugIns and Components folders in two different places:

• At the level of the 4D executable application, i.e.:
  
  • Under Windows: next to the .exe file
  • Under Mac OS: at the first level of the Contents folder inside the application package.
  In this case, the plug-ins and components are available in every database opened by this application.

• At the same level as the database structure file.
  In this case, the plug-ins and components are only available in this particular database.

The choice of location depends on how you want to use the plug-in or component.

If the same plug-in or component is placed in both locations, 4D will only load the one located next to the structure. In an application that is compiled and merged using 4D Volume Desktop, if there are several instances of the same plug-in or component present, this will prevent the application from opening.