Creating plug-ins
You can create your own plug-ins for use with IBM® UrbanCode® Deploy. A plug-in consists of XML files and supporting script files that the plug-in requires.
- The plugin.xml file defines the steps that constitute the plug-in; plug-in steps define a plug-in's functions. Each step is an independently configurable entity in the IBM UrbanCode Deploy editor.
- The info.xml file contains a version ID and other information that describes the plug-in.
<step-type>
element
that contains these elements:- One
<properties>
element - One
<command>
element - One
<post-processing>
element
<properties>
element is a container
for <property>
child elements, and can contain
any number of <property>
elements. Property values
can be specified at design time or run time. The <post-processing>
element
provides error-handling capabilities and sets property values that
other steps can use. The <command>
element runs
the step's function. The function can be defined completely by the
element or be constructed in part or entirely from the step's properties
at design time or run time.A command can access these properties:
- The step's own properties
- Properties that were set earlier by other steps in the process
- Properties that were set by the application that started the process
- Properties on the target environment and resource
Step property values become unavailable after the component process ends.
Plug-in steps are run by an agent that is installed in the target environment. Thus, plug-ins can be written in any scripting language, and the agent can access the required scripting tools on the host. After a plug-in is created, upload it into IBM UrbanCode Deploy to make it available to users. To upload a plug-in, create an archive file that contains the XML files (plugin.xml and info.xml) and scripts that the plug-in requires. Then, import the archive file with the Automation Plugins pane for automation-type plug-ins or the Source Config Plugins pane for source plug-ins.
To troubleshoot plug-ins, you can retrieve the information from each step that ran in a process request. To download these logs, open the process request and click Download All Logs.