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.
Note: The plug-in files must use UTF-8 encoding.
A plug-in step is defined by a
<step-type> element
that contains these elements:
- One <properties> element
- One <command> element
- One <post-processing> element
The
<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.
See UrbanCode Deploy Plug-in for Eclipse Development in the IBM Bluemix® DevOps Services community for a tool
that can you save time in developing plug-ins.