Chapter 5
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Developing third-party FileMaker plug-ins 53
To avoid potential resource ID conflicts with your plug-in and other
applications or plug-ins, follow these guidelines:
1 Use ID numbers between 23,000 and 24,999
Use hard-coded IDs from this range for your dialog boxes, sounds,
icons, and other resources to avoid conflicts with FileMaker
Pro,
FileMaker Pro Advanced, FileMaker Server, or FileMaker Server
Advanced resources. FileMaker does not use any of the IDs in this
range for the application resources.
1 Set the current resource file to your plug-in
To avoid conflicts with other plug-ins that use the same resource IDs,
use the Mac
OS X toolbox call in the Resource Manager to set the
current resource file to your plug-in before getting any resource
objects from the resource file.
Include the following line before any line that references or uses a
resource:
UseResFile (pb -> resourceID) ;
When FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Pro Advanced, FileMaker Server, or
FileMaker Server Advanced loads your plug-in, the application gives
the resource ID. This is located in the parameter block near the
param2 and param3 variables in the FMExtern.h file. For more
information, see
“API code files” on page 49.
Providing documentation for your plug-in
Your plug-in should include an example database file with any special
fields and scripts necessary to demonstrate the use of the plug-in’s
external functions. In addition, you should provide documentation
that describes each external function and its parameters.
For ideas on how to document your plug-in, see other external
function plug-ins registered with FileMaker at www.filemaker.com.
Registering your plug-in
Register your external function plug-in with FileMaker to ensure that
it’s unique and not in use by any other plug-in. Registering also allows
you to make your plug-in visible to customers searching for a plug-in
to suit their needs.
Before registering your plug-in, you can search to see if the plug-in
name or option string ID you are requesting has already been
assigned.
You must register each plug-in separately. To register your plug-in, go
to www.filemaker.com/developers.
Revising a registered plug-in
If you need to revise information about a plug-in that is already
registered to you, you must send an email message to FileMaker at
plugins@filemaker.com. Please be sure to provide the following
information:
1 the registration ID number that was assigned to you when you first
registered your plug-in
1 your name
1 your full company name
1 your daytime phone number
1 the name of the plug-in with registered information you want to
revise
Include any changes you want to make. If applicable, send the revised
plug-in file. A confirmation of the revision will be sent to you.
