API Plug-ins › How to Write and Use API Plug-ins

How to Write and Use API Plug-ins

To write and use an API plug-in, follow this process:

1. Define the purpose of the plug-in, for example, to populate a select field with meeting rooms that a user can reserve for a specifed time period. Other examples include options for the meeting room, such as projectors, video conferencing units, and microphones.
2. Meet the prequisites. Be able to do the following proficiently:
   • Program in Java
   • Create forms using the Form Designer
   • Create the following fields in Form Designer forms:
     • Single select, multiselect, and dual list fields
     • Dynamic table fields
3. Review the API Plug-in documentation, as follows:
   1. Log in to CA Service Catalog and select Administration, Tools.
   2. In the left menu, select Links.
   3. Scroll down to the Documentation section and click Plug-in Documentation.

   The API documentation is automatically generated Java documentation based on the Java class methods for the plug-ins. You use the interfaces, classes, methods, and so forth to implement your plug-in.

4. Create a Java class for the type of Form Designer field for which the plug-in applies, as follows:
   • For single select, multiselect, and dual list fields: Create a Java class that implements the interface named com.ca.usm.plugins.apis.forms.FDSelectDataProvider
   • For dynamic table fields: Create a Java class that implements the interface named com.ca.usm.plugins.apis.forms.FDTableDataProvider

   Both interfaces and sample Java classes appear in the API Plug-in documentation. You can use the samples in the API Plug-in documentation as models for your Java classes.

5. (Optional) If you use content configuration forms, retrieve values from fields on these forms and use them as needed.
6. Create a properties file for the plug-in. You can use the samples in the API Plug-in documentation as models for your properties files.
7. If applicable, do one of the following:
   • Configure sorting and pagination parameters for static tables
   • Configure sorting and pagination parameters for dynamic tables
   • Configure Page Size attribute to configure pagination for a select box
8. Create a folder to store the following:
   • The properties file

     Important! Store the properties file at the top level of the folder. Do not store the properties file in a subfolder.

   • Any JAR files that provide the classes and supporting libraries

     You can store them in subfolders, if necessary.

9. Do the following to activate the plug-in:
   1. Stop the Windows service for Service View. The service is named CA Service View.
   2. Copy your folder (including all subfolders, if any) to the %USM_HOME%\filestore\plug-in folder.
   3. Restart the Windows service for Service View.
10. Do the following to verify that the plug-in was successfully adopted:
    1. Log in to CA Service Catalog and select Administration, Tools.
    2. In the left menu, select Plug-ins.
    3. Verify that the plug-in is listed and that its details appear properly.

You are ready to test this API for use in a form field.