2.2.2 User Plugins

A User Plugin is a plugin that is developed using the API provided by Navigation Platform. The following types of User Plugins can be developed:

I/O Plugin

An I/O Plugin controls the input and output of data between external programs that cannot be controlled by a System Plugin.
Suspend/Resume Plugin

A Suspend/Resume Plugin enables a user to temporarily save information entered in the Operational Content Execution Window, and then restore that information when resuming operations. When you develop a Suspend/Resume Plugin, users will be able to view other operations while in the middle of their own operations, and resume their operations from the point of the temporarily saved status even after having logged out.
Custom Window Plugin

A Custom Window Plugin is a plugin for the development of new windows. It lets you display separate windows created independently of other Navigation Platform windows (custom windows) after logging in.

Organization of this subsection

(1) I/O Plugin (User Plugin) processing and behavior diagram
(2) Suspend/Resume Plugin (User Plugin) behavior diagram

(1) I/O Plugin (User Plugin) processing and behavior diagram

An overview of the I/O Plugin (User Plugin) is illustrated below.

Figure 2‒7: I/O Plugin (User Plugin) overview

Once there is a link to the I/O Plugin (User Plugin), the following processing can be performed:

Passing data between processes in the Operational Flow
Inserting values entered in Guides into the database

For example, suppose that the flow of operations is as follows:

Make changes to the details of a contract
Confirm the changes

In this case, the Guide in step 2 (confirm the changes) is associated with an I/O Plugin (User Plugin) so that it is able to display the values that are entered in step 1 (make changes to the details of a contract). The following figure illustrates the behavior of the Operational Content Execution Window when a Guide is associated with an I/O Plugin (User Plugin).

Figure 2‒8: Behavior of Operational Content Execution Window when a Guide is associated with an I/O Plugin (User Plugin)

In addition to developing an I/O Plugin (User Plugin), it is necessary in order to use the plugin to use the Operational Content Editing Window to associate it with a Guide. For details about doing this, see the manual JP1/Navigation Platform Content Editing Guide.

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(2) Suspend/Resume Plugin (User Plugin) behavior diagram

The following figure illustrates the behavior of the Operational Content Execution Window when a Suspend/Resume Plugin is used.

Figure 2‒9: Behavior of Operational Content Execution Window when a Suspend/Resume Plugin is used

The user can save the information that was entered by clicking the Suspend button in the bottom right corner of the Operational Content Execution Window. When operations are resumed, the information listed below (suspend information) is restored.

Process that was running before it was suspended

The process that was running before the suspension is restored as the currently running process. In addition, the Operational Flow scrolls automatically^#1 to make the currently running process visible.
Processes for which direct transition is enabled^#2

The statuses of processes that can directly transition to other nodes when you click on them are restored.
Information entered in Guides

The information that was entered in the Guides of each process is restored.

#1: Automatic scrolling occurs if the property ucnp.base.client.autoscroll is true in the user property file (ucnp_user.properties).
#2: Nodes that can directly transition to other nodes are displayed if the property ucnp.base.client.directjump.enable is true in the user property file (ucnp_user.properties).

In addition to developing the plugin, the tasks listed below are also required in order to use a Suspend/Resume Plugin. References to additional details are provided in parentheses.

Estimate the amount of suspend information (see 3.4.3 Estimating the size when using a Suspend/Resume Plugin)
Set the following properties (see 8.5 Specifying settings in the user property file (ucnp_user.properties))
- Required: ucnp.base.client.suspend.enable (enables or disables use of Suspend/Resume Plugin)
- Optional: ucnp.base.client.viewer.confirm.discardinput.enable (enables or disables display of a dialog box for confirmation before discarding input information)
Use the suspend information when adding or modifying an Operational Content (see 5.6 Handling suspend information)

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