A Plug-In Script's API

Like program-based plug-ins, plug-in scripts:

• Run on the application server
• Have their API (input / output interface) defined by the plug-in spot (i.e., plug-in scripts don't get to declare their own API)
• Can only be invoked by the "plug-in spot driver"

The best way to understand a plug-in script's API is to use the View Plug-In Script Data Area hyperlink on Script - Data Area to view its parameters data area schema.

Figure 1. Plug-In Data Area

Notice the two groups: soft and hard. If you are familiar with plug-in spots, you'll recognize these as the classic soft and hard parameters:

• The soft parameters are the values of the parameters defined on the algorithm. Notice they are not named - if you want to reference them in your plug-in script, you must do it by position (this is equivalent to what a Java programmer does for plug-ins written in Java).
• The hard parameters are controlled by the plug-in spot (i.e., the algorithm entity). Notice that this plug-in spot has a single input parameter called " adjustment/id". Also notice the use= attribute - this shows that this parameter is input-only (i.e., you can't change it in the plug-in script).