CR_HelloWorld – Your first DXCore plugin

So for your first DXCore Plugin, we’ll show you the traditional “Hello World” program…plugin style.

We’ll show you how you can execute any managed code from a plugin – Fun stuff

First up you’ll need to Create a Vanilla plugin. From here you’ll be able to add all the relevant pieces to create CR_HelloWorld.

 

Ok first Step… ensure you’re looking at the designer view of your plugin. If you’ve not renamed it this will be the “Plugin1” (cs or vb) file.

Next locate the ‘Action’ component in your toolbox and place one on the designer surface.

The set an appropriate name and a few properties:

Finally handle the “Execute” Action and do something within it.

This seems appropriate:

-------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub actSayHelloWorld_Execute(ByVal ea As ExecuteEventArgs) Handles actSayHelloWorld.Execute
    MessageBox.Show("Hello World")
End Sub
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Ok well that’s the majority of the work done.

However you’re going to need some way to activate this action…

So hit F5 to run up a new instance of studio to debug your new plugin.

Once this new copy of studio is running, be sure to ensure your plugin is actually running in memory.

Next we will attach your new action to a shortcut….

Open up the DXCore options screen (DevExpress\Options) Note – You may need to use the previously mentioned 'registry hack' to get the DevExpress menu to show up, if you’re running one of the Free DXCore based products.

Next select the IDE\Shortcuts page from the left hand side and you should see something like the following.

In the shot you can see (Click to view full image) I have created a new ‘keyboard shortcut’ ( which I did via a context menu within the shortcut tree) and then I have filled out the Key1 and command options.

Now you can have your copy of Studio say “Hello World” whenever you choose :)

Obviously this is a something of a contrived example but, as you can see, it would be easy to have studio execute any managed code you care to dream up in a similar way.