Plugin_Features.md

PlugIn Features

A plugin has multiple features that are used to communicate with the host application.

DocumentFeature

The DocumentFeature provides full access to the internal IfcDB population of the active document and a mechanism to notify the host application when changes occur.

Example:

class PluginWithDocumentObserver : public Plugin
{
public:
    PluginWithDocumentObserver()
    {
        // when the document (IfcDB) changes, the lambda is called
        m_documentObServer.attach([&](IfcDB::Populationi* db)
        {
            // the db is forwarded to another feature in the same plugin
            m_anotherFeature.setDb(db);
        });
    }
    
private:
    DocumentObserverImpl m_documentObserver;
    AnotherFeature m_anotherFeature;
};

LiveLogFeature

The LiveLogFeature enables the output of messages in the LiveLog Toolbar of the application.

MessageDialogFeature

The MessageDialogFeature shows a message dialog in the host application.

ProgressBarFeature

The ProgressBarFeature shows a progress bar in the applications status bar.

RendererFeature

The RendererFeature allows to create screenshots of the scene from a plugin.

IdleFeature

The IdleFeature provides a callback to the plugin from the host application's message loop. This callback may e.g. be used to feed the message loop of a UI library

FileSaveFeature

The FileSaveFeature triggers the host application so save objects in different graphic formats (e.g. OBJ, 3DS or STL).

ColorCodingFeature

The ColorCodingFeature can be used to control the coloring of objects in the scene.