In addition to compiled COM-based plugin scripts, a plugin script interface is provided. The engine plugin scripts system is the first engine plugin system, supported since STK v4.3. You can create scripts, written in either MATLAB or VBScript, that are executed at specified times during a computation to integrate their own models within STK's computational framework. Plugin scripts provide a simple-to-use mechanism for customizing STK while leveraging its generic computational algorithms.
With plugin scripts, you basically write a script that follows some specific coding conventions. The script defines the inputs that are required from STK. It also declares the output that it can provide. The list of possible inputs and outputs depend on the plugin point. Finally the script is called during the STK computations. The script computes the outputs based on the inputs passed from STK.
Although plugin Scripts provide a simple-to-use mechanism for customizing STK while leveraging its generic computational algorithms, they also have some limitations, which include the following:
- Plugin scripts are not as fast as compiled code.
- Plugin scripts use nonstandard calling conventions.
- Plugin scripts are unable to get and set plugin configuration.
- Debugging support for plugin scripts is limited.
The current plugin script capabilities continue to be supported. As plugin points that currently use plugin scripts are rewritten to use COM-based Plugin Scripts, backward compatibility will be preserved. AGI recommends that, when a plugin point is available both for scripting and COM-based Plugin Scripts, you use the COM-based plugin point.
For reference information and instructions on the installation, setup, and use of plugin points provided with STK and its modules , see Plugin Scripts.