This section covers the plugin.xml properties and how to create new extensions to current plugin. Plugin.xml file under LbsCustomization project is used to create the necessary plugin properties and extensions. When double clicked the plugin.xml file mant tabs available under the editor.

Overview : Includes the ID, Version, Name, Provider and Activator of the plugin project. Version information will be changed when new installation file is created, before the export of deployable features. When this plugin exported to an eclipse, plugin files are copied under ID_Version directory, i.e com.lbs.customization_1_1_33. Activator file LbsCustomizationPlugin is used to activate and deactivate the plugin and get the necessary resources.

Extensions: This section contains the plug-in extension point definitions. In LPT many extension points are used.

org.eclipse.ui.newWizards: contains the wizard extensions. New project, new debug project, new table, new business object, new query, new form, new browser form, new report layout, new report class, new profile and new menu tree wizards are defined in this extension. Extensions are defined under this extension point includes their id, name, class, icon, category (if any) and a flag if it is a new project wizard or not.

org.eclipse.ui.preferencePages: contains the plug-in preference information. Unique ID, name, class used in preference page content creation is defined here. In PluginPreferencePage necessary fields to get from preferences and initialization of the preference properties are supplied.

org.eclipse.ui.propertyPages: contains the plug-in property preferences. ID, name, class used in property preference page content creation and object class (Java project or normal Project ) are defined here. These extensions can be seen when the right-click on Java or other projects is done. LPT Project Preference, deployment preference, language settings of the project can be changed by these extensions.

org.eclipse.ui.editors: contains the editor definitions used in this plug-in. ID, name, icon, extension of the files used in this editor (if any), class for page content creation and exact filename used in this extension are defined here. These extensions can be seen when double clicked one of file that ends with the extensions defined or files with defined filenames. Table, BO, Query, Form Designer, Report Designer, Report Definition, Profile, Menu Definition, WP Definition, BL Handler Definition, Batch Operations Definition, Operations Definition, BO Viewer, Table Viewer, Query Viewer editor definitions are created as an extension under this extension point.

org.eclipse.core.resources.nature: contains the LPT Project runtime nature. LbsCustomizationNature class is used to add new nature when new project is created as a customization project.  

org.eclipse.core.resources.builders: contains the customization project builder definition. LbsCustomizationBuilder class is used to build the customization project. Loading the customization project, validations as definition checks and LbsDefinition.jar file compatibility checks are done while building the customization project with this class. Errors while building given in the problems after each build.

org.eclipse.ui.perspectives: contains the customization perspective definition. LbsCustomizationPerspective class is used to create the actions and layout of the perspective.

org.eclipse.ui.actionSets: contains the customization menu items and actions. Logo action set is defined first and menu items necessary are added under this menu. These action set definitions include ID, Label shown in menu, icon, tool-tip and a class for action execution when menu item is selected. LbsMenuAction is used for all menu actions. Run method in this class look at the type of the action string and do the necessary operations for the selected project. Cleaning, building, deployment, validation, XUI form conversion, Upgrade and Clearing Cache actions are defined in this extension.

org.eclipse.help.toc: contains the customization help menu items. Extension only needs the required file for help document.

org.eclipse.jdt.core.classpathVariableInitializer: contains the class that is used to initialize the classpath of the customization project. ClasspathVariableInitializer is used to initialize the classpath and set the necessary jars as LbsCustomization.jar to the build-path of the project.

org.eclipse.ui.popupMenus: contains the plug-in popup menu item definitions. These definitions can be as a object contribution or viewer contribution. LPT’s popup menus are all object contributions that are defined on files, projects, etc. ID, object class (org.eclipse.core.resources.IFile, org.eclipse.jdt.core.IJavaProject, org.eclipse.jdt.core.IProject) and name filter (*.xml, *.lfrm, ...) must be defined. Under these object contributions necessary menu, groups and actions are defined. Upgrade, Conversion to XML and Conversion to Module Project actions are defined in this extension point.

org.eclipse.ui.views: contains the plug-in view definitions. In LPT object, table and query explorer views are defined in this extension point. Tree view is used while creating these views. They can be seen from Window, Show view, Other, Logo Customization Views.