Terms and definitions

This section describes terminology used in the document for easier understanding of the ArchestrA IDE extensibility features.

• Galaxy Explorer – The main Integrated Development Environment (IDE) window that allows users to browse, review and operate on galaxy objects within a Galaxy. When the IDE is started, after connecting to a galaxy the Galaxy Explorer is displayed.

• Galaxy Browser – A convenient tool in the IDE that allows users to search for galaxy objects object attributes, attribute properties and so on.

• Command – A galaxy object specific or global operation, pertaining to a Galaxy from configuration viewpoint. Deploying or checking out an AutomationObject instance could be examples of commands.

• Command UI vector – User interface element through which user can initiate an operation by invoking a command. This includes menus, menu items, toolbars, toolbar items, contextual menus, contextual menus items and keyboard shortcuts.

• Extensible IDE UI elements – All of the IDE command UI vectors and status bar panels constitute extensible IDE user interface (UI) elements.

• Command Override – Conditionally or unconditionally changing behavior of a command declared by the IDE or other extension module. Remember, overriding a command changes the command behavior, not the actual definition of the command, attributes such as command text or command icon will remain unchanged.

• IDE extension – A .Net plug-in module loaded by the IDE at runtime, which seamlessly integrates and interacts with the IDE.

• Command Extension – An IDE extension usually without user interface, which can add new commands, add new command UI vector to IDE or modify behavior of existing commands.

• View Extension – An IDE extension with user interface displayed inside IDE, which can be docked just like default IDE views. A view extension can also be a command extension.

• Command Framework – The IDE framework that manages the application’s command set and command UI vector, provides command extensibility and handles command routing.

• Docking Framework – The IDE framework that manages the application’s window layout including creation and positioning of docking windows.

• Service – Any reusable functionality provided by the IDE or an extension module, which can be shared between extension modules.

• Service Pool - The application’s global service pool that provides functionality for registering and consuming services offered by the IDE and other extension modules.

• IDEExtensions Folder – The predefined IDE folder, a subfolder under IDE application path, where all IDE extensions are installed and IDE loads all of its extensions from.