Plug-in Library

The plug-in library allows a user-defined routine to be executed for each value record being processed, and enables conditional logic and control flow when table-based approaches are inadequate. A plug-in, once defined, can be called as if it were a built-in operator, and if properly configured, can be made visible to the HyperView Expression builder.

The execution of a plug-in is the same as any other Result Math operator, and is driven by the HyperWorks application which controls what subcase, simulation step, entity pool, and layer. Once a particular pool, layer, and data type, is selected within a simulation step by the HyperWorks application, a read request is made for the plug-in data type. The read request triggers the processing of the values by the plug-in and follows a sequence that has been broken down into events that are processed by the plug-in. These events are passed function or objects that allow the plug-in to query the data being processed and to add records to the destination value table:

Event	Arguments	Description
Begin	table_info	Called once before the data type is read for a given pool and layer. The table_info argument is an object/function that allows the table to be queried.
OnRecord	record_info, record_action	Called for each record being processed in the data type. The record_info argument is an object/function that allows the record to be queried. The record_action argument is an object/function that allows data to be output to the destination value table.
End	table_info, record_action	Called after all records have been processed for the data type pool/layer.

The query/action objects allow the plug-in to query the data passing through the data type request as well as the entities directly attached to the value. They have the same basic signature, independent of the plug-in type (C++/Templex/Tcl):

Function	Property/Method	Description
table_info	label, domain type	Label the table label Domain of the table (real, complex)
record_info	id, data, count, part ID system ID, dimension, numeric Type, domain type	Entity ID of the value record Data within the value (scalar, vector, tensor) Number of value items (>1 for corner-bound) Part ID the element belongs to (0 for nodal) System ID for directional values Dimension for tonsorial values Numeric type (float, double) Domain type (real, complex)
record_action	AddRecord	Supports the addition of a value to the destination value table. Records can be added in the OnRecord or End event only.
option_string (scripted plug-ins only)	GetOption, GetOption(key)	Returns the optional argument passed for the “opt_str” argument. Any argument passed that is not recognized as a function parameter will be added to a key/value pair list of optional arguments that will work with the GetOption(key) form of this command. The 2nd form of the optional argument setting/getting is available only via XML, and not through the Expression Builder.

The following sections provide additional information regarding the various Plug-in Library options that are available:

•	Scripted Plug-ins

•	Compiled Plug-ins

•	Dynamically Loaded Plug-in