Plug-in installer framework

摘要

There is provided a system and method for providing a plug-in installer framework. The method includes creating an installer plug-in and reading configuration information with the installer plug-in. An application server may be contacted by the installer plug-in to determine which plug-in files to update in local storage. The updated plug-in files may be downloaded from an application server to local storage, and additional plug-ins may be created within the installer plug-in from the plug-in files in local storage. The additional plug-ins may be loaded through the installer plug-in within a host application.

主权项

1. A method of providing a plug-in installer framework, comprising:
creating an installer plug-in conforming to a host application's defined Application Programming Interface (API); reading configuration information with the installer plug-in; contacting an application server with the installer plug-in to determine which plug-in files to update in local storage; downloading updated plug-in files from an application server to local storage; updating the plug-in files which are used to create additional plug-ins; loading each of the additional plug-ins in an internal collection of the installer plug-in; maintaining the internal collection of the additional plug-ins in an additional plug-in library of the installer plug-in, wherein the host application is unaware of the additional plug-in library; and loading the additional plug-ins through the installer plug-in when a functionality of at least one of the additional plug-ins is called, wherein the host application is unaware of the additional plug-ins.