How to Migrate COM-based plugins to STK 9.0 from STK 8 and STK 7

Plugin registration with STK has changed in STK 8.1 and later(including STK 9). STK no longer uses a CAT_ID (i.e., an Implemented Category identifier) in the Windows registry to identify plugin types. The older registration method required STK to search through the entire Windows registry for plugins, which caused a delay in application start-up. The new registration method, introduced in STK 8.1, uses XML files located in specific pre-identified directories to identify a plugin as being of a particular type.

Note: The new methodology replaces only the category registration---COM registration is still required just as before.

To register your plugin with STK, you need to list it in an XML registration file that is located either in <STK install folder>\Plugins (e.g., <STK install folder>\Plugins) or {CONFIG_DIR}\Plugins (e.g., My Documents\STK 9\Config\Plugins). See Registration with a Plugin Point.

Plugins written in C# or VB .Net

1. Follow the .NET plugin steps provided in the migration from STK 8.1 to STK 9 to setup a new plugin project.
2. Locate the code involving existing catalog IDs in your C# or VB .Net source files (.cs or .vb). Any code that creates or deletes an Implemented Category registry key is no longer necessary and should be removed. Previous sample plugins provided by AGI included code that created/removed such registry keys as part of the RegisterForComUse() and UnregisterForComUse() functions.
3. Save, Compile, Fix, Register your plugin project as directed in the .NET plugin migration from STK 8.1 to STK 9.

Plugins written in C++

1. Follow the .NET plugin steps provided in the migration from STK 8.1 to STK 9 to setup a new plugin project.
2. Open the .rgs file for your plugin's COM Object in a text editor.
3. Locate the 'Implemented Categories' section and remove it from the file.
4. Save, Compile, Fix, Register your plugin project as directed in the .NET plugin migration from STK 8.1 to STK 9.

Plugins written using Window Script Component (WSC)

• Note: Previously, a Windows Registry file, with extension .reg, was used to register an Implemented Category for the plugin. This method has been replaced by the XML file registration so that the .reg file is no longer needed.

• Follow the WSC plugin steps provided in the migration from STK 8.1 to STK 9

STK Programming Interface 11.0.1