Newbies needs help writing plugin!

[idkpmiller]

I have added the DVDripper VB src to the wiki which includes the fix requested by a user.

Here is my vb.net version of the Wiz skeleton plugin which should help you working with the new style UI which DVDripper does not use.

Cheers

[zehd]

At that point, you can interrogate (or change) variables, single step, reset the execution point,...

Well, I haven't had a chance to try these steps, but have chatted with idkpmiller who codes with ms vb.net and he can't get this technique to work. I'll try and maybe we can figure something out.

I'm not sure if I'll have the patience for coding 'blindly' and reading logs. That's sort of the state of skin editing, and I gave up on that until I could see a GUI ...

I think once I do get it up and running, it might be time for a wiki page (The absolute beginnners guide, from nothing to startup, one for really, really new .net programmers)

[Sheik Yerbouti]

If you're having trouble with the $(GBPVR) parameter (I did), you can just enter the full path of you're install directory there. I found out you also need to enter the debug path in the csproj file. I've added/changed the following line:

Code:

<OutputPath>c:\program files\devnz\gbpvr\plugins\xxxxxxxx\</OutputPath>

where xxxxxxxx is the name of my plugin.
And I've created a user file with:

Code:

<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <StartAction>Program</StartAction>
    <StartProgram>C:\program files\devnz\gbpvr\pvrx2.exe</StartProgram>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug Config|AnyCPU' ">
    <StartAction>Program</StartAction>
    <StartProgram>C:\program files\devnz\gbpvr\config.exe</StartProgram>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>

Hope this helps!
Chris

[bgowland]

I'm not sure if I'll have the patience for coding 'blindly' and reading logs. That's sort of the state of skin editing, and I gave up on that until I could see a GUI ...

There's no doubt that IDE debugging is a major benefit, but depending on the nature of the plugin, you may want to be generating some logging information anyway. If you make the plugin public, it's always useful for solving problems that end-users come across.

In particular I'd recommend you use try/catch blocks around all sections of code that could throw an exception and at least make use of the native GB-PVR Logger. Something like...

Code:

private void MyMethod()
{
    try
    {
        // Method code
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        Logger.Verbose("MyMethod() threw exception: " + e.Message + e.StackTrace
    }
}

...or whatever the equivalent is in VB.NET.

If you include the .pdb file in your plugin distribution, this will log the line number and code filename where the exception was thrown. I agree that wading through large logfiles is a bind, but if you log an exception in that way it stands out big time and the line number will take you straight to the problematic code.

If you're going to do that, make sure you take a copy of your source code whenever you make a new version available. If you don't, and you then modify your code, the line numbers reported for logged exceptions may not match your current code files.

Not that I've ever forgotten to keep a copy of course. :o

CHeers,
Brian

[zehd]

Because of all the C# heads here, I'm wondering if I should at least become versed in starting a project in C and then converting, and becoming versed in the errors that mostly happen

And then when I recognize that there are the same damn conversion errors, and they're all in the damn xml files, I'll write a VB6 program that will rewrite the xml, so the VB Project will start...

And then of course I'll write a wiki page. Of course...

[idkpmiller]

well trying with and without $GBPVR I get the same error.

Any suggestions?

[McBainUK]

Have you created the user file like in post #13?

[JavaWiz]

well trying with and without $GBPVR I get the same error.

Any suggestions?

Make sure in project Properties dialog, when you have the desired Configuration and Platform set, on 'Build' page, click 'Advanced..." button, insure 'Debug Info' is set to full.