~ubuntu-branches/debian/experimental/thunar/experimental

This section explains the basic steps required to write an extension for the <a href="http://thunar.xfce.org" target="_top">Thunar File Manager</a> using the C language interface. It is

just a short introduction and not meant to provide extensive details about the internal workings

of the file manager.

</p>

<a name="thunarx-writing-extensions-basic-concepts"></a>Basic Concepts</h2></div></div></div>

<a name="thunarx-writing-extensions-extensions-and-providers"></a>Extensions and Providers</h3></div></div></div>

<p>

<span class="emphasis"><em>Thunar Extensions</em></span> are shared libraries that extend the basic functionality

provided by the Thunar File Manager. An extension exports one or more <span class="type">GObject</span>s, called <span class="emphasis"><em>providers</em></span> to Thunar.

</p>

<p>

Providers implement one or more of the <span class="type">GInterface</span>s included with

the <code class="systemitem">thunarx</code> library. The currently exported interfaces

include the <a href="ThunarxMenuProvider.html" title="ThunarxMenuProvider"><span class="type">ThunarxMenuProvider</span></a> for adding context menu

items to the file views and the <a href="ThunarxPropertyPageProvider.html" title="ThunarxPropertyPageProvider"><span class="type">ThunarxPropertyPageProvider</span></a> for adding pages to the

file properties dialog.

</p>

</div>

<a name="thunarx-writing-extensions-thunarxfileinfo"></a>ThunarxFileInfo</h3></div></div></div>

<p>

Thunar passes file references to the provider using <a href="ThunarxFileInfo.html" title="ThunarxFileInfo"><span class="type">ThunarxFileInfo</span></a>

objects. The <a href="ThunarxFileInfo.html" title="ThunarxFileInfo"><span class="type">ThunarxFileInfo</span></a> interface provides access to the file

information that Thunar has already read - mime type, URI, name, etc. Extensions should use the data from

from the <a href="ThunarxFileInfo.html" title="ThunarxFileInfo"><span class="type">ThunarxFileInfo</span></a> rather than reading it themselves, to

prevent excessive I/O.

</p>

<p>

There is exactly one <a href="ThunarxFileInfo.html" title="ThunarxFileInfo"><span class="type">ThunarxFileInfo</span></a> per file, and it is kept around

for as long as Thunar is interested in the file. Extensions can use this information to manage lifecycles of

its own data - e.g. when the <a href="ThunarxFileInfo.html" title="ThunarxFileInfo"><span class="type">ThunarxFileInfo</span></a> goes away, it is safe

for the extension to forget any private data for that file.

</p>

</div>

<a name="thunarx-writing-extensions-names"></a>Names</h3></div></div></div>

<p>

Most objects created by the extensions need names, e.g. the <span class="type">GtkAction</span>s

returned from the <a href="ThunarxMenuProvider.html" title="ThunarxMenuProvider"><span class="type">ThunarxMenuProvider</span></a>s. These names must be

namespaced with the name of the extension. For example the main action returned from the

<span class="application">OpenTerminal</span> extension should be called <code class="literal">OpenTerminal::open-terminal</code>.

The namespace must be global among the providers exported by a certain extension.

</p>

</div>

<a name="thunarx-writing-extensions-types"></a>Types</h3></div></div></div>

<p>

Thunar extensions are loaded as <span class="type">GTypeModule</span>s. This means that all GTypes

created by the extension must be registered with the <span class="type">GTypeModule</span>, using

<code class="function">g_type_module_register_type()</code> function rather

than <code class="function">g_type_register_static()</code>. All types exported by

an extension must be registered in

<code class="function">thunar_extension_initialize()</code>.

</p>

</div>

<td align="right"><a accesskey="n" href="thunarx-writing-extensions-getting-started.html"><b>Getting Started >></b></a></td>

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