Using a Source Plugin |
A source plugin is a plugin that connects to the From Plugin component of an Iguana channel. The channel obtains messages by polling the source plugin for new messages.
Source plugins use the Source object, which is defined in the Iguana plugin libraries, to establish a connection to an Iguana channel. This object also generates the events that enable the source plugin to communicate with the channel.
The Connect() method, which is defined in the Source object, establishes the connection to the Iguana channel. This method requires three parameters:
- The hostname or IP address of your Iguana server (typically, this is localhost);
- The port that the Iguana plugin communication server is using (which is normally 6123);
- The name of the channel.
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You can configure your plugin to use a port other than 6123. For details, see Plugin Settings. | ||
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The following table lists the methods and properties defined for the Source object:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Connect() | Connects to a From Plugin component of an Iguana channel as a source plugin. |
| ConnectTimeout() | The time, in milliseconds, that the plugin will wait for a connection with Iguana. |
| Disconnect() | Disconnects the plugin from Iguana. |
| DisconnectReason() | Describes the reason for the plugin's most recent disconnection from Iguana. |
| EnableDebugLogging() | Enables logging of internal runtime debug information. |
| WaitForDisconnect() | Waits until the plugin is disconnected from Iguana. |
| WaitForDisconnectWithTimeout() | Waits until either the plugin is disconnected from Iguana or a specified timeout elapses. |
The events that the Source object needs to respond to are:
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| OnMessageRequested | The event that is triggered when Iguana makes a request for a message. |
| OnMessageRequestCompleted | The event that is triggered when Iguana indicates that a message request has been completed. |
| OnDisconnected | This event is triggered when the connection between Iguana and the plugin is closed. |
The easiest way to write a plugin that sends messages is to use Chameleon to generate the plugin stubcode for you. For information on how to do this, refer to the page for the language in which you are writing the plugin:
- Using Chameleon to Generate a C++ Source Plugin
- Using Chameleon to Generate a VB.NET Source Plugin
- Using Chameleon to Generate a C# Source Plugin
- Using Chameleon to Generate a Java Source Plugin
- Using Chameleon to Generate a Delphi Source Plugin