Packages and add-ins

An Extension is typically implemented in a Visual Studio solution containing one or more projects of which at least one contains an add-in, that is, a class deriving from AddIn. There must also be a module.xml file that describes the metadata of the extension and points out the AddIn classes. The Spotfire Package Builder application that is part of the SDK helps with creating and updating the module.xml file and creating the .spk file for the Spotfire package.

When Spotfire loads a deployed package (sometimes also referred to as a module), it will instantiate all its AddIns and let them register their extensions. It is possible for an AddIn to register more than one extension. It can, for instance, register tools, custom data methods, and both models and views for custom visuals.

Intended clients

Each Spotfire Package has an intended client attribute in its metadata that describes whether it shall be downloaded by the installed client, the web client or both. In most cases, all extensions provided can be run on both clients. If so, when creating the Spotfire Package Builder project, set the Intended client project option to Spotfire Any Client.

The preferred way of implementing a view for a custom visual is to derive from CustomVisualView. This allows you to write an HTML and JavaScript-based view that can run on both clients and thus be shipped together in the same Spotfire package.

Client specific extension parts

In cases where you need different view implementations for the installed client and the web client, the extension should be split into two or three packages, targeting the different clients.

Implement the model parts using the core Spotfire APIs and define the add-in in a Visual Studio project. When creating the Spotfire Package Builder project, set the Intended client project option to Spotfire Any Client.

View add-ins

Extension views are also set up as Visual Studio projects. They define their own add-ins, registering the view by overriding the RegisterViews method. They must also define dependencies to the project implementing the model that is used by the view. For views that target either Spotfire Analyst or Spotfire Business Author and Spotfire Consumer, the Intended client for the Package Builder project corresponding to the view is either set to Spotfire Installed Client or Spotfire Web Client.

The following figure illustrates an extension with one model component and two views, one for Spotfire Analyst and one for Spotfire web clients:

Some extension types, for example Custom Visualization or Custom Panel, use the same HTML/JavaScript-based view for all clients and no Forms-based view is needed in this case.