Creating plug-ins

You can create your own plug-ins for use with IBM® UrbanCode® Deploy. A plug-in consists of XML files and supporting script files that the plug-in requires.

  • The plugin.xml file defines the steps that constitute the plug-in; plug-in steps define a plug-in's functions. Each step is an independently configurable entity in the IBM UrbanCode Deploy editor.
  • The info.xml file contains a version ID and other information that describes the plug-in.
Note: The plug-in files must use UTF-8 encoding.
A plug-in step is defined by a <step-type> element that contains these elements:
  • One <properties> element
  • One <command> element
  • One <post-processing> element
The <properties> element is a container for <property> child elements, and can contain any number of <property> elements. Property values can be specified at design time or run time. The <post-processing> element provides error-handling capabilities and sets property values that other steps can use. The <command> element runs the step's function. The function can be defined completely by the element or be constructed in part or entirely from the step's properties at design time or run time.

A command can access these properties:

  • The step's own properties
  • Properties that were set earlier by other steps in the process
  • Properties that were set by the application that started the process
  • Properties on the target environment and resource

Step property values become unavailable after the component process ends.

Plug-in steps are run by an agent that is installed in the target environment. Thus, plug-ins can be written in any scripting language, and the agent can access the required scripting tools on the host. After a plug-in is created, upload it into IBM UrbanCode Deploy to make it available to users. To upload a plug-in, create an archive file that contains the XML files (plugin.xml and info.xml) and scripts that the plug-in requires. Then, import the archive file with the Automation Plugins pane for automation-type plug-ins or the Source Config Plugins pane for source plug-ins.

To troubleshoot plug-ins, you can retrieve the information from each step that ran in a process request. To download these logs, open the process request and click Download All Logs.