OpenWGA 7.3 - OpenWGA Concepts and Features

Plugins

Installing plugins

There are two ways to install OpenWGA plugins. Both utilize the OpenWGA admin client, more specifically Menu "Plugins".

Plugin Store

The OpenWGA plugin store is a part of the OpenWGA admin client which can be used to easily install publicly available plugins. It connects to the OpenWGA plugin store server on the internet, queries it for available plugins and is able to install them.

You find the plugin store in OpenWGA admin client under Menu "Plugins > Plugins Store".

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The plugin store presents to you all plugins that are available on the store server and are compatible to the OpenWGA server version you are using. By clicking on a plugin presented here you see a small description of it, including purpose, version, vendor and dependency plugins which also need to be installed when this one is installed:

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In order to install a plugin you first need to accept its license marking the checkbox "I accept all licenses listed above". You can retrieve the license in effect by clicking on the link of the license title, displayed in the top section.

Then you can click the button Install this plugin to finally install the plugin on your OpenWGA server. The store will also automatically install all additional plugins neccessary. After the installation process finished you will be presented a small confirmation message and your plugin is active on your server.

Plugin categories

Since OpenWGA 5.5 plugins in the store are presented in categories. Here is a small explanation of them:

  • Application Designs: These plugins provide designs for OpenWGA web applications. However installing this plugin will not automatically provide such an application. To use the application design you need to create a web application, under "Design Configuration" choose "Plugins" as source and then choose the installed design plugin. This application then will use the installed design.
  • System: These are plugins that add special services to the OpenWGA platform, for example access logging, new content store types, additions to the admin client etc. In order to use these services you most likely will need to configure them in admin client.
  • Themes: These are theme plugins for certain application designs. Installing a theme will also install the base design plugin for which it was created. Some themes may not be intended to be used directly, but to be customized in OpenWGA developer studio. These are the plugins that are also shown when creating a new web application in the studio after choosing a base design.
  • Utilities: These plugins add middleware modules to the OpenWGA platform that may be utilized in development of OpenWGA designs. They also are often installed in addition to other plugins as those depend on them to be installed.

Uploading plugin files

Plugins may also be distributed in file form, having the suffix ".wgaplugin". These plugin files can also be installed in OpenWGA admin client, under menu "Plugins > Plugin Management".

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Here click the button Install new plugin on the top right. You will be offered a file upload field where you can specify the plugin file to install. Click button "Upload" to proceed:

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You will be presented a summary of the operation to be performed and the plugin itself. If the plugin is distributed under a provided license you will be asked to accept this license via checkbox before you can commit the plugin installation with the button Perform Changes.

If your uploaded plugin declares dependencies to other plugins which are currently not yet installed then you will be warned here that your plugin will be inactive after installation. You may upload these dependency plugins now (again by uploading their plugin files as described before) and install multiple plugins in one operation. You may also install your plugin now and keep it inactive until you install those dependency plugins in a later operation.