Demonstration of methods for unloading an extension during main application is running

Objectives

• Create the simplest and functional extension on C#;
• Use various methods to unload extensions.

Practical part

Order of actions:

• Open ENCY because we will be editing the list of utilities while the application is running.
• Open the repository in our GitHub account and clone it.
• Find the directory GCodeGeneration\ExtensionUtilityNCMakerNet - this is what you will base your new extension on.
• The extension is already correct. In this lesson, we will not modify it but will only change the configuration file.
• Open .NET project and compile it - bin/debug/ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.dll should appear;
• Copy ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.settings.json into bin/debug/;
• Add extension in the first time:
  • Archive both files (dll and settings.json) into file with *.dext extension;
  • Execute created *.dext file - it will be added to ENCY. It has no unload_mode setting, so it will be set to default umJustAfterExecution;
• In ENCY open utilities menu and press Generate G code by C#. Then close notepad window with results.
• Don't close ENCY and add extension in the second time:
  • Modify bin/debug/ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.settings.json:
    • Add unload mode umManuallyFromUI;
    • Change caption;

    {
      "name": "Extension on C# to generate G code",
      "description": "Extension on C# to generate G code",
      "module_path": "${extensionJsonFolder}/ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.dll",
      "unload_mode": "umManuallyFromUI",
      "extensions": [
        {
          "utility": {
            "name": "Generate G code by C#",
            "caption": "Generate G code by C# (version 2)",
            "id": "Extension.Utility.NcMaker.Net"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
    

  • Archive json and dll files into file with *.dext extension;
  • Execute created *.dext file - it will be added to main application. Library will be overwritten, because it was unloaded. Otherwise, you will encounter an error.
  • In ENCY open utilities menu - there should be item, called Generate G code by C# (version 2). This means that with the previous action, you successfully updated the extension - now it has new caption.
  • Press Generate G code by C# (version 2) and close notepad with opened results.
  • Now try to execute early created *.dext extension. You'll get an error Access to the path 'ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.dll' is denied. This means that the extension was not unloaded from memory - as it should be, since we specified the unload method as umManuallyFromUI.
  • But we still can unload it from UI:
    • Open Settings -> Extensions;
    • Choose Generate G code by C# (here is value from name field in settings.json);
    • Click unload - if the library unloads successfully, the unload button will become inactive, otherwise, you will encounter an error.
  • Now execute early created *.dext extension - you will succeed, because extension was manually unloaded from memory;
• Don't close ENCY and add extension in the third time:
  • Modify bin/debug/ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.settings.json:
    • Add unload mode umBeforeProgramFinalization;
    • Change caption;

    {
      "name": "Extension on C# to generate G code",
      "description": "Extension on C# to generate G code",
      "module_path": "${extensionJsonFolder}/ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.dll",
      "unload_mode": "umBeforeProgramFinalization",
      "extensions": [
        {
          "utility": {
            "name": "Generate G code by C#",
            "caption": "Generate G code by C# (version 3)",
            "id": "Extension.Utility.NcMaker.Net"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
    

  • Archive json and dll files into file with *.dext extension;
  • Execute created *.dext file - it will be added to main application.
  • In ENCY open utilities menu - there should be item, called Generate G code by C# (version 3). This means that with the previous action, you successfully updated the extension - now it has new caption.
  • Press Generate G code by C# (version 2) and close notepad with opened results.
  • Try to execute early created *.dext extension. You'll get an error Access to the path 'ExtensionUtilityNcMakerNet.dll' is denied.
  • Check unloading manually from UI:
    • Open Settings -> Extensions;
    • Choose Generate G code by C# (here is value from name field in settings.json);
    • Ensure that the unload button is inactive. You can't unload it, because of umBeforeProgramFinalization.
• Now you can close ENCY and execute created *.dext - the library was unloaded from memory when ENCY closed.