Creating C++ Plugin

You can load a custom library module (a *.dll or *.so file) and access its services and library functions in Unigine run-time via the Plugin class interface. Using a plugin system enables to choose which libraries to load on-the-fly without recompiling a Unigine executable.

To create the plugin library, you need to perform the instructions given below.

To implement the plugin interface, perform the following steps:

1. Create a plugin project via C++ Visual Studio or C++ GNU Make (depending on the operating system).
   • For Visual Studio, ensure to specify all required dependencies in the project properties, including the paths to the include and lib directories of the UNIGINE SDK.
   • In GNU Make, define the include and library directories of the UNIGINE SDK using flags in the Makefile. To specify the include directories, use the -I flag, and for the libraries, use the -L flag.

2. Include all required headers and specify a Unigine namespace to be used.

   Notice

   The UniginePlugin.h header must be included necessarily as it is required for accessing the Plugin class methods.
   Source code (C++)

   #include <UniginePlugin.h>
   
   using namespace Unigine;

3. Implement methods and classes of the dynamic-link library that will be accessible from the script or C++ side of your Unigine application.
   Source code (C++)

   my_plugin_function() {...}
   
   class MyExternClass {
   		
   	public:
   		
   		MyExternClass() { }
   		~MyExternClass() { }
   		
   		
   		void my_member_function() {
   			...
   		}
   };

4. Create a plugin class - an implementation of the plugin interface which provides access to the dynamic-link library by the Unigine executable. This class must contain the following: a constructor, a destructor, an initialization function (init()), a shut down function (shutdown()), a destroying function (destroy()).

   Don't forget to declare two functions:

   • get_name() returning the plugin's name.
   • get_order() returning the plugin's execution order.
   Notice

   Each plugin has its execution order, which determines the sequence in which plugin's functions (update() / postUpdate() / render() / shutdown()) will be executed. The only exception is the init() function as it is called just after loading the plugin. Remember, when writing a plugin, that requires interaction with other ones, specifying correct order value is required to avoid issues and ensure proper execution sequence. If in your case the order doesn't matter, set the default 0 value.

   If necessary, you can also implement an update(), render(), swap() and other functions available in the Plugin class. These methods will be automatically called on the corresponding stage of the engine execution sequence.

   Source code (C++)

   // 1. Declare the class
   class MyPlugin : public Plugin {
   		
   	public:
   	
   		// constructor
   		MyPlugin() {...}
   		// destructor
   		virtual ~MyPlugin() {...}
   		
   		// plugin data
   		virtual void *get_data() {
   			return this;
   		}
   
   		// plugin name
   		virtual const char * get_name() override { return "MyPluginName"; }
   
   		// plugin execution order
   		virtual int get_order() override { return 10; }
   
   		// initialize the plugin
   		virtual int init();
   		
   		// shutdown the plugin
   		virtual int shutdown();
   		
   		// destroy the plugin
   		virtual void destroy();
   		
   };
   
   // 2. Define the plugin's initialization function.
   // The engine will automatically call it on its start-up
   int MyPlugin::init() {
   	...
   	
   	return 1;
   }
   
   // 3. Define the plugin shut down function.
   // The engine will automatically call it on its shut down
   int MyPlugin::shutdown() {
   	...
   	
   	return 1;
   }
   
   // 4. Define the function which is called on the video mode restart
   void MyPlugin::destroy() {
   	...
   	
   	return 1;
   }

5. Export the plugin: expose the created implementation of the plugin interface. The engine will search for these functions to add and release the plugin library.

   Source code (C++)

   // 1. Define the function required for adding the plugin library.
   // It returns a new instance of the custom plugin
   extern "C" UNIGINE_EXPORT void *CreatePlugin() {
   	return new MyPlugin();
   }
   
   // 2. Define the function required for releasing the plugin library.
   // For that, a void pointer should be casted to the custom plugin type and then deleted
   extern "C" UNIGINE_EXPORT void ReleasePlugin(void *plugin) {
   	delete static_cast<MyPlugin*>(plugin);
   }

   CreatePlugin() and ReleasePlugin() functions are declared as extern "C" to be compiled as regular C functions. This is required to prevent mangling of the function names and thus ensure that the naming decoration scheme matches between the Unigine executable and the created dynamic-link library. Otherwise, binary code generated by two different C++ compilers may be incompatible, because there is no recognized C++ application binary interface.

The following implementations are not necessary, but they allow extending the plugin interface:

• If you are going to use plugin's classes and functions on the script side of your application, you should implement exporting and removing of these classes and functions in the plugin's init() and shutdown() functions correspondingly.

  Notice

  It is required to include UngineInterface.h for exporting custom classes and functions to the script.

  For example:

  Source code (C++)

  // 1. Implement exporting of the custom functions and classes into the script
  // on plugin initialization
  int MyPlugin::init() {
  	...
  
      // create a pointer to the function and register its name to be used from the script
  	Interpreter::addExternFunction("my_plugin_function",MakeExternFunction(&my_plugin_function));
  	
  	// export the custom class into the script:  
      // create a pointer to the object of the external class
  	ExternClass<MyExternClass> *my_class = MakeExternClass<MyExternClass>();
  	// and register the class constructor.
  	// if it was not declared explicitly, a default one will be registered
  	my_class->addConstructor();
  	// register the class member function
  	my_class->addFunction("my_member_function",&MyExternClass::my_member_function);
  	// register the class
  	Interpreter::addExternClass("MyExternClass",my_class);
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  
  // 2. Implement removing of the custom functions and classes on plugin shut down
  int MyPlugin::shutdown() {
  	...
  	
  	// remove the function
  	Interpreter::removeExternFunction("my_plugin_function");
  	
  	// remove the external class
  	Interpreter::removeExternClass("MyExternClass");
  	
  	return 1;
  }

• If you are going to interfere the engine initialization, main loop or shutdown, implement classes inherited from the World/System/EditorLogic classes. You can implement your own logic (namely, callback functions) in these classes and then add it to the engine to be executed in its init(), update(), shutdown(), etc. via the plugin interface.

  Notice

  It is required to include UnigineLogic.h for accessing the World/System/EditorLogic classes' methods.

  For example:

  Source code (C++)

  // 1. Declare the class which has the same logic as the system script:
  // all the implemented MySystemLogic class functions will be called by the engine
  // after corresponding system script's methods
  class MySystemLogic : public SystemLogic {
  		
  	public:
  		
  		virtual int init();
  		virtual int shutdown();
  };
  
  /*
   */
  // 2. Implement the init() function that will be called
  // after system script initialization
  int MySystemLogic::init() {
  	
  	Log::message("MySystemLogic::init(): called\n");
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  // 3. Implement the shutdown() function that will be called
  // after the system script shut down
  int MySystemLogic::shutdown() {
  	
  	Log::message("MySystemLogic::shutdown(): called\n");
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  
  // 4. Declare the class which has the same logic as the world script:
  // all the implemented MyWorldLogic class functions will be called by the engine
  // after corresponding world script's methods 
  class MyWorldLogic : public WorldLogic {
  		
  	public:
  		
  		virtual int init();
  		virtual int shutdown();
  };
  
  
  // 5. Implement the init() function that will be called
  // after the world script initialization
  int MyWorldLogic::init() {
  	
  	Log::message("MyWorldLogic::init(): called\n");
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  
  // 6. Implement the shutdown() function that will be called
  // after the world script shut down
  int MyWorldLogic::shutdown() {
  	
  	Log::message("MyWorldLogic::shutdown(): called\n");
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  
  // 7. Declare the class which has the same logic as the editor script:
  // all the implemented MyEditorLogic class functions will be called by the engine
  // after corresponding editor script's methods 
  class MyEditorLogic : public EditorLogic {
  		
  	public:
  
  		virtual int init();
  		virtual int shutdown();
  };
  
  /*
   */
  // 8. Implement the init() function that will be called
  // after the editor script initialization
  int MyEditorLogic::init() {
  	
  	Log::message("MyEditorLogic::init(): called\n");
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  // 9. Implement the shutdown() function that will be called
  // after the editor script shut down
  int MyEditorLogic::shutdown() {
  	
  	Log::message("MyEditorLogic::shutdown(): called\n");
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  
  // 10. Declare instances of the classes inherited from System/World/EditorLogic classes in the plugin class
  class MyPlugin : public Plugin {
  		
  	public:
  	
  		MyPlugin() {...}
  		virtual ~MyPlugin() {...}
  		
  		virtual void *get_data() {
  			return this;
  		}
  		
  		// plugin name
  		virtual const char * get_name() override { return "MyPluginName"; }
  
  		// plugin execution order
  		virtual int get_order() override { return 0; }
  
  		virtual int init();
  		virtual int shutdown();
  		virtual void destroy();
  		
  	private:
  	
  		MySystemLogic system_logic;
  		MyWorldLogic world_logic;
  		MyEditorLogic editor_logic;
  		
  };
  
  // 11. Add C++ callbacks that are called on the engine initialization
  int MyPlugin::init() {
  	...
  	
  	Engine *engine = Engine::get();
  	
  	// init() functions of the MySystem/MyWorld/MyEditorLogic classes will be called
  	// after init() functions of the corresponding scripts
  	engine->addSystemLogic(&system_logic);
  	engine->addWorldLogic(&world_logic);
  	engine->addEditorLogic(&editor_logic);
  	
  	return 1;
  }
  
  // 12. Remove C++ callbacks that are called on the engine shut down
  int MyPlugin::shutdown() {
  	...
  	
  	Engine *engine = Engine::get();
  	// shutdown() functions of the MySystem/MyWorld/MyEditorLogic classes will be called
  	// after shutdown() functions of the corresponding scripts
  	engine->removeSystemLogic(&system_logic);
  	engine->removeWorldLogic(&world_logic);
  	engine->removeEditorLogic(&editor_logic);
  	
  	return 1;
  }

To compile your library, you can use one of the ways described in the Creating C++ Application article. Note that the following requirements should be met:

• The library should be compiled as .dll or .so (according to the operating system used).
• The UNIGINE naming convention should be followed, and the files should be stored in the corresponding folders.
• To use with a Unigine debug build, a debug version of the library should be compiled (libname_x64d or libname_double_x64d for double builds): specify the debug=1 command-line option.
• To compile the library with double precision support, specify the double=1 command-line option.

Naming Convention#

Path to Plugin Files#

You can access classes and functions exported from the created dynamic-link library from both the script and C++ level.

Calling Library Functions from Script Side#

int init() {
	
	log.message("\n");
	
	// call the function exported from the library
	my_print("Hello world");
	
	log.message("\n");
	
	// create new instances of the class exported from the library
	MyExternClass my_class = new MyExternClass();
	
	// call the exported member functions of the class
	my_class.print("Hello world");
	
	delete my_class;
	
	return 1;
}

Calling Library Functions from C++ Side#

The plugin library can be loaded at any moment of Unigine runtime by using one of the following ways:

• Pass the plugin as a command-line argument extern_plugin. Once passed, it is written into the configuration file.
• Specify the plugin directly in the configuration file (data/configs/default.boot, extern_plugin string).
• Add and use the plugin in the world script via engine.addPlugin(). The same can be done in the project's world logic via Engine::addPlugin() on the C++ side or via Engine.addPlugin() on the C# side of the project.

• Add and use the plugin in the system script (unigine.cpp):

  • Add the plugin via engine.addPlugin() and use it in the world script. You cannot initialize the plugin in the system script and call plugin functions from it at the same time.
  • Use the plugin in the system script after initializing it via the command-line argument extern_plugin.

  The same can be done in the project's system logic via Engine::addPlugin() on the C++ side or via Engine.addPlugin() on the C# side of your project.

The plugin library should be loaded at the engine start-up. The following example shows how to dynamically link the library via the -extern_plugin command:

• The library version that corresponds to the name of the Unigine executable will be used.

• The name of the library should be specified without any prefixes or postfixes. For example, to load the VendorNamePluginName_plugin_x64d.dll library on the application start-up, the binary executable of the Unigine project should be run as follows:

  Shell commands

  main.exe -extern_plugin VendorNamePluginName

  The main.exe binary executable was created during the application building.

  Notice

  If the path to the library is relative, it should be relative to the binary executable. It can also be absolute.