Introduction
Add-Ins enable you to add functionality to Enterprise Architect. The Enterprise Architect Add-In model builds on the features provided by the Automation Interface to enable you to extend the Enterprise Architect user interface.
Add-Ins are ActiveX COM objects that expose public Dispatch methods. They have several advantages over stand-alone automation clients:
| · | Add-Ins can define Enterprise Architect menus and sub-menus |
| · | Add-Ins receive notifications about various Enterprise Architect user-interface events including menu clicks and file changes |
| · | Add-Ins can (and should) be written as in-process (DLL) components. This provides lower call overhead and better integration into the Enterprise Architect environment |
| · | Because a current version of Enterprise Architect is already running there is no requirement to start a second copy of Enterprise Architect via the automation interface |
| · | Because the Add-In receives object handles associated with the currently running copy of Enterprise Architect, more information is available about the current user's activity; for example, which diagram objects are selected |
| · | You are not required to do anything other than to install the Add-In to make it usable; that is, you do not have to configure Add-Ins to run on your systems. |
Because Enterprise Architect is constantly evolving in response to customer requests, the Add-In interface is flexible:
| · | The Add-In interface does not have its own version, rather it is identified by the version of Enterprise Architect it first appeared in; for example, the current version of the Enterprise Architect Add-In interface is version 2.1 |
| · | When creating your Add-In, you do not have to subscribe to a type-library |
Note: At Enterprise Architect release 7.0 Add-Ins created before 2004 are no longer supported. If an Add-In subscribes to the Addn_Tmpl.tlb interface (2003 style), it will fail on load. In this event, contact the vendor or author of the Add-In and request an upgrade.
| · | Add-Ins do not have to implement methods that they never use. |
| · | Add-Ins prompt users via context menus in the treeview and the diagram. |
| · | Menu check and disable states can be controlled by the Add-In. |
Add-Ins enhance the existing functionality of Enterprise Architect through a variety of mechanisms such as UML Profiles and the Automation Interface. Once an Add-In is registered, it can be managed using the Add-In Manager.
Create and Use Add-Ins
This topic of the help file covers the following information on Add-Ins:
