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Extending product function
Learn how to extend the function of HCL Launch.
Plug-ins
The UrbanCode plug-ins provide tools for creating component processes and integrations. The IBM UrbanCode site provides plug-ins for several common deployment processes, and others that are available to integrate with a wide variety of tools, such as middleware tools, databases, and servers.
Creating plug-ins
You can create your own plug-ins for use with HCL Launch. A plug-in consists of XML files and supporting script files that the plug-in requires.
The plugin.xml file for automation plug-ins
An automation plug-in is defined with the plugin.xml file.
The header element
The mandatory header element identifies the plug-in and contains three mandatory child elements and one optional child element:

Extending product function
Learn how to extend the function of HCL Launch.
- Plug-ins
  The UrbanCode plug-ins provide tools for creating component processes and integrations. The IBM UrbanCode site provides plug-ins for several common deployment processes, and others that are available to integrate with a wide variety of tools, such as middleware tools, databases, and servers.
  - Creating plug-ins
    You can create your own plug-ins for use with HCL Launch. A plug-in consists of XML files and supporting script files that the plug-in requires.
    - The plugin.xml file for automation plug-ins
      An automation plug-in is defined with the plugin.xml file.
      - The header element
        The mandatory header element identifies the plug-in and contains three mandatory child elements and one optional child element:
      - The plugin-javaopts.conf file
        The plugin-javaopts.conf file can be used to set the JAVA_OPTS environment variable for automation plug-ins that use Groovy.
    - Creating source plug-ins
      Source-type plug-ins are defined the same way that automation-type plug-ins are defined except for some modifications to the plugin.xml file.
    - Plug-in steps: The step-type element
      You define plug-in steps with the step-type element; each step-type element represents a single step in the HCL Launch process editor.
    - The command element
      Steps are run by starting the scripting tool or interpreter that is specified by the <command> element. The <command> element's program attribute defines the location of the tool that runs the command.
    - The post-processing element
      When a plug-in step's <command> element finishes processing, the step's mandatory <post-processing> element runs.
    - Upgrading plug-ins
      This example shows how to upgrade a plug-in.
    - The info.xml file
      Use the info.xml file is required for each plug-in. It describes the plug-in and provides release notes to users for each version.
    - Automatically importing objects from plug-ins
      You can add objects to plug-ins so that they are automatically imported when the plug-in is installed or upgraded. Objects include applications, components, component templates, and processes. For example, you can add a component template that implements a standard process to a plug-in, so that the plug-in user does not have to create the component template.
  - Example plug-in
    A plug-in consists of one or more steps. A step represents a unit of functionality that can be user-configured and combined with other steps into a process. Creating a plug-in consists in defining its individual steps and then grouping them together for presentation in HCL Launch.
- Creating notification templates
  Notification templates are the basis for emails that the server sends to users after an event occurs on the server. You can create customized notification templates by modifying the default templates provided, or by creating new templates of your own.
- REST API reference
  The HCL Launch server and blueprint design server each have a separate REST interface. You can use these REST interfaces to automate tasks on those servers.
- Command-line client (CLI) reference
  CLI is a command-line interface that provides access to the HCL Launch server. It can be used to find or set properties and to run numerous functions.
- Process-as-code feature
  Programmatically manage processes with PAC language.

The `header` element

The mandatory header element identifies the plug-in and contains three mandatory child elements and one optional child element:

Table 1. Contents of the `header` element
`<header>` Child Elements	Description
`<identifier>`	This element's 3 attributes identify the plug-in: `version` API version (the version number for upgrading plug-ins is defined in the info.xml file). `id` Identifies the plug-in. `name` The plug-in name is shown on the Automation Plugins pane, and on informational pages for the plug-in. All values must be enclosed within single quotation marks.
`<description>`	Describes the plug-in; is shown on the Automation Plugins pane, and on informational pages for the plug-in.
`<tag>`	Defines where the plug-in is listed within the process editor's hierarchy of available plug-ins. The location is defined by a string that is separated by slashes. For example, the Tomcat definition is the following string: `Application Server/Java/Tomcat`. The Tomcat steps are listed beneath the Tomcat item, which in turn is nested within the other two. Note: Do not include underscores in this element.
`<server:required-server-version>`	This optional element defines the minimum version of HCL Launch required for use with the plug-in. The version is defined by 4 digits. For example, a plug-in that requires HCL Launch Version 6.0.1 or later would include the following element in the header: `<server:required-server-version>6.0.1.0</server:required-server-version>`
`<server:dependencies>`	This optional element specifies other plug-ins that must be loaded before this plug-in. The `<server:dependencies>` element contains a `<server:dependency>` element that specifies the identifier and minimum version for each dependency. For example, a plug-in that requires version 76 or later of the WebSphere® Application Server - Deploy plug-in would include the following elements in the header: `<server:dependencies> <server:dependency plugin-id="com.urbancode.air.plugin.WebSphere" min-version="76"/> </server:dependencies>`

The following text is a sample header definition:

<header>
  <identifier version="3" id="com.&company;.air.plugin.Tomcat" name="Tomcat"/>
  <description>
  The Tomcat plugin is used during deployments to run Tomcat run-book 
  automations and deploy or undeploy Tomcat applications.
  </description>
  <tag>Application Server/Java/Tomcat</tag>
</header>