Plugins
Plugins are modular pieces of code that allow your system to perform specific activities.
Almost all system components, such as HCP data connections, the built-in stages, and the email notification feature, are based on built-in plugins.
You can extend functionality by writing your own plugins. You can write these kinds of plugins:
- Data connection plugins, which allows your system to access new kinds of data sources, ones that the system does not support by default.
- Stage plugins, which allow your system to process documents in new ways. You can add your custom stage plugins as stages in a processing pipeline.
Plugins are organized in groups called plugin bundles. When adding or removing plugins from your system, you work with plugin bundles, not individual plugins.
Writing and testing your own plugins
You use the plugin software development kit (SDK) to write your own stage and data connection plugins. The SDK is contained in this file:
HCI-Plugin-SDK-<version>.tgz
For information on obtaining this file, see your sales representative or administrator.
The plugin SDK is in the form of a Java API. To build plugins, you need the Java Development Kit (JDK) version 1.8 or earlier. You can download the JDK from http://www.oracle.com/.
The plugins you write need to be grouped into plugin bundles. A plugin bundle can contain one or more plugins. The SDK includes instructions on grouping your plugins as plugin bundles.
Hitachi Content Intelligence includes a plugin test harness for debugging your plugins and ensuring that they meet system requirements. The plugin test harness does not need a running system.
You can find the test harness and its documentation under the plugin-test folder in the plugin SDK package.
Installing new plugin bundles
You can use the Admin App, administrative REST API, or administrative CLI to upload your custom plugin bundles.
For information on writing and packaging your own plugins, see Writing and testing your own plugins.
Procedure
Click the Configuration window.
Click Plugins.
Click Upload Bundle.
Do one of these:
-
If the plugin bundle you want to import is stored on your computer, click and drag the plugin bundle into the Upload window.
-
If the bundle you uploaded doesn't appear, click Reload Plugins.
-
Related CLI commands
uploadPlugin
Related REST API methods
POST /plugins/upload
You can get help on specific REST API methods for the Admin App at REST API - Admin.
Viewing installed plugins
Use the Admin App, REST API, and CLI to view all plugin bundles and individual plugins that have been installed. You can view all individual plugins at the same time or filter the list based on plugin type.
Procedure
Click the Configuration window.
Click Plugins.
The Plugin Bundles tab shows all installed plugin bundles.
To view all individual plugins, click the All Plugins tab.
Related CLI commands
listPlugins
Related REST API methods
GET /plugins
You can get help on specific REST API methods for the Admin App at REST API - Admin.
Upgrading plugin bundles
To upgrade plugins, you upload a new version of the bundle that contains those plugins.
You can select which version of the plugin bundle is the active one (that is, the one that connectors or stages will use). If you select the new version, all connectors and stages immediately begin using the new versions of the plugins in the bundle.
You can change the active plugin bundle version at any time.
Procedure
Click the Configuration window.
Click Plugins.
Click Upload Bundle.
In the Upload Plugins window, drag and drop the new version of the plugin bundle.
In the list of plugin bundles, click the row for the plugin bundle version that you want.
If the bundle you uploaded isn't listed, click Reload Plugins.Click Set Active.
Related CLI commands
uploadPlugin
setPluginBundleActive
Related REST API methods
POST /plugins/upload
POST /plugins/bundles/{name}/{bundleVersion}/active
You can get help on specific REST API methods for the Admin App at REST API - Admin.
Setting the active plugin bundle version
If you've uploaded multiple versions of a plugin bundle, only one version can be active at a time. The active plugin bundle version is the one that the system uses.
When you change the active version of a plugin bundle, any workflow tasks that contain connectors and stages that use the bundle immediately begin using the new active version.
Procedure
Click the Configuration window.
Click Plugins.
Click the row for the plugin bundle version that you want.
Click Set Active.
Related CLI commands
Related REST API methods
POST /plugins/bundles/{name}/{bundleVersion}/active
You can get help on specific REST API methods for the Admin App at REST API - Admin.
Deleting plugin bundles
To delete plugins from your system, you delete plugin bundles from the system. You cannot delete individual plugins.
Procedure
Click the Configuration window.
Click Plugins.
Click the delete icon (
) for the plugin bundle you want to remove.
Related CLI commands
deletePluginBundle
Related REST API methods
DELETE /plugins/bundles/{name}/{bundleVersion}
You can get help on specific REST API methods for the Admin App at REST API - Admin.