Plug-in/Add-in differences

[Blackbeard]

From the development standpoint, how does a plug-in differ from an add-in as far as coding? Are there any code examples of an add-in anywhere?

Thanks for any info.

[j1sys]

Me too!!

seriously, not trying to hijack blackbeards thread. i've read all the posts about reflector an existing one etc. and i've done that.

i still can't get my head around the addin 'operation'. anyone with addin experience that can give us a starting point to sink our teeth into would be appreciated.

my real goal - can an addin be called by an output plugin or vice-versa? can i get a reference to a loaded addin? or even call a static functions in one from an output plugin? looking to do an addin that will assist in DMX keepalive for an output plugin i'm working on.

-Ed

to blackbeard - what are you working on? are you going to light up ohio? we could get together and talk plugin development.

[Blackbeard]

to blackbeard - what are you working on? are you going to light up ohio? we could get together and talk plugin development.

Ed,

Nope, not going.

I'm thinking about a simple idea - running a LedTriks over wireless DMX. I figured I could try using a LedTriks set of boards with a modified Trik-C (not modifying a Trik-C, but using the concept of one) that accepts DMX. Hook up a wireless to that. I've got a long way to run a cable to the LedTriks from the parallel port/USB, so figured wireless DMX instead of a 300 foot usb cable.

Now the add-in would just be a way to get the text/commands onto a normal Vixen channel that's output along with the rest of the DMX channels. The modded Trik-C would interpret the DMX (text instead of brightness) and be configured as a normal DMX channel receiver. No special output plug-in would be needed since the LedTrik would just be a normal DMX channel (or two maybe) in Vixen.

Special ASCII codes like <ESC> would replace the LTC commands and text remains ASCII text. Possible number of different characters/command codes would be the normal 256 possibilities of each DMX channel frame. The modded Trik-C would buffer the string until it received something new on the channel.

Sounds kinda silly, I'm sure, to most, but it's a way to get the data to the LedTriks without a lot of wires and power. I haven't thought about the timing yet, so that might shoot down the whole thing. I'm sure there's other stuff I'd need to consider, but this is just in it's infancy.

steve