How to Migrate COM-based plugins to STK 9 from STK 8.1

For coding and project settings examples please refer to the STK plugin samples located in the <STK install folder>\CodeSamples\Extend directory.

Refer to Visual Studio .NET documentation for further details on the Visual Studio .NET project and source code details which are beyond the scope of this section.

Plugins Written in C# or VB .Net

1. Copy your STK 8.1 plugin project and source code to a new directory location before making STK 9 changes. This will allow you to reuse your STK 8.1 plugin if you still have STK 8.1 installed alongside STK 9. It also provides a convenient reference for the original version of your plugin if the migration to STK 9 does not go as planned.
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3. Open your new STK 9 plugin project in Visual Studio .NET and update your project references. Refer to the Visual Studio .NET documentation for details on the "References" folder within a VS .NET project. To do this, you must remove the existing AGI.* references from the expanded references folder in your .NET plugin project.
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   • For an HPOP Force Model plugin, add the new references for the following COM DLLs from the STK 9 installation:
     
     AgUtPlugin.dll
     AgAttrAutomation.dll
     AgCrdnPlugin.dll
     AgStkPlugin.dll
     AgAsHpopPlugin.dll
     

     These DLLs are located in <STK install folder>\bin.

   • For an Astrogator Engine Model Plugin you must add the new references for the following STK 9 COM DLLs:
     
     AgUtPlugin.dll
     AgAttrAutomation.dll
     AgCrdnPlugin.dll
     AgStkPlugin.dll
     AgGator.dll
     AgGatorPlugin.dll
     

     These DLLs are located in <STK install folder>\bin.

   • For an Astrogator Attitude Controllers Plugin you must add the new references for the following STK 9 COM DLLs:
     
     AgUtPlugin.dll
     AgAttrAutomation.dll
     AgCrdnPlugin.dll
     AgStkPlugin.dll
     AgGator.dll
     AgGatorPlugin.dll
     

     These DLLs are located in <STK install folder>\bin.

   • For an Astrogator Search Plugin you must add the new references for the following STK 9 COM DLLs:
     
     AgUtPlugin.dll
     AgAttrAutomation.dll
     AgSearch.dll
     AgStkPlugin.dll
     

     These DLLs are located in <STK install folder>\bin.

   • For an Access Constraint Plugin you must add the new references for the following STK 9 COM DLLs:
     
     AgUtPlugin.dll
     AgAttrAutomation.dll
     AgInview.dll
     AgCrdnPlugin.dll
     AgStkPlugin.dll
     

     These DLLs are located in <STK install folder>\bin.

5. Save all changes of your project and source files.
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7. Compile the .NET plugin project and fix any compile and linking errors that may occur.
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9. Register your plugin with STK and with the Windows Registry.
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11. Exit Visual Studio .NET.

Plugins Written in C++

1. Copy your STK 8 plugin project and source code to a new directory location before making STK 9 changes. This will allow you to reuse your STK 8 plugin if you still have STK 8 installed alongside STK 9. It also provides a convenient reference for the original version of your plugin if the migration to STK 9 does not go as planned.
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3. Open your project file (.vcproj) in Visual Studio .NET.
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5. Open your plugin project's properties page. Complete steps 4 through 8 for both Release and Debug Configurations.
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7. Navigate to the "C/C++" properties folder in the left navigation pane and select "General" from the submenu.
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9. Update the "Additional Include Directories" to replace the STK 8 installation binaries filepath with the STK 9 installation binaries filepath <STK install folder>\bin.( The default location for <STK install folder> is C:\Program Files\AGI\STK 9)
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11. Navigate to the "MIDL" properties folder in the left navigation pane and select "General" from the submenu.
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13. Update the "Additional Include Directories" to replace the STK 8 installation binaries filepath with the STK 9 installation binaries filepath <STK install folder>\bin.
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15. Click the Apply and OK buttons in the property pages.
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17. Open the .rgs file for your plugin's COM Object in a text editor.
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19. Locate the 'Implemented Categories' section and remove it from the file.
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21. Save all changes of your project and source files.
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23. Compile the C++ plugin project and fix any compile and linking errors that may occur.
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25. Register your plugin with STK and with the windows registry.
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27. Exit Visual Studio .NET.
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Migrating Window Script Component ( WSC ) COM-based plugins

These plugins are typically written in VBScript, JavaScript, or another late-bound scripting language.

To use them with STK register your plugin with STK and with the windows registry

Plugin Registration

• STK Category Registration

  The STK plugin category registration method uses XML files located in specific pre-identified directories to identify a plugin as being of a particular type/category.

  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.

• Windows Registration

  Microsoft COM Plugins still require registration in the Windows Registry.

Compilation Changes/Fixes

• Specifically in C#...
  
  

  From	To
  public bool Init( AgUtPluginSite Ups )	public bool Init( IAgUtPluginSite Ups )
  public bool PrePropagate( AgAsHpopPluginResult Result )	public bool PrePropagate( IAgAsHpopPluginResult Result )
  public bool PreNextStep( AgAsHpopPluginResult Result )	public bool PreNextStep( IAgAsHpopPluginResult Result )
  public bool Evaluate( AgAsHpopPluginResultEval ResultEval )	public bool Evaluate( IAgAsHpopPluginResultEval ResultEval )
  public bool PostEvaluate( AgAsHpopPluginResultPostEval ResultEval )	public bool PostEvaluate( IAgAsHpopPluginResultPostEval ResultEval )
  public bool PostPropagate( AgAsHpopPluginResult Result )	public bool PostPropagate( IAgAsHpopPluginResult Result )

• 
  
  
• Specifically in VB.NET...
  
  

  From	To
  Public Function Init(ByVal Ups As AgUtPluginSite) As Boolean Implements IAgAsHpopPlugin.Init	Public Function Init(ByVal Ups As IAgUtPluginSite) As Boolean Implements IAgAsHpopPlugin.Init

  
  
  

STK Programming Interface 11.0.1