Need documentation for Undocumented feature - Class.LoadDropinPackage()

I was looking for a way to load and use external DLL's from OScript.As I can see from currect LL code the following functions are used in order to load "dropin packages" to LL:1. Class.LoadDropinPackage() 2. Class.LookupByName() These functions are used across LL code (see attached code fragments for example) however we were unable to find any references about Class.() in Livelink Developer's Documentation.I'm useing LL 9.5 SP1; code examples from LL core attached below.Any help with Class.() description is greatly appreciatedPaul

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Matthew_McBride

Message from Matthew McBride via eLinkIt's likely not documented because it is not a "public" way of extending Livelink.The dropins you see loaded in the sample fulfill a bunch of required interfaces and link against lapi libraries. When we ( search ) have added a new dropin, it also required us to have registration from core.-MattOn 10-Apr-07, at 4:06 PM, eLink Discussion: Development Discussion wrote:> Need documentation for Undocumented feature - > Class.LoadDropinPackage()> Posted by Sleptsov, Paul on 04/10/2007 03:58 PM>> I was looking for a way to load and use external DLL's from OScript.>> As I can see from currect LL code the following functions are used > in order to load "dropin packages" to LL:>> 1. Class.LoadDropinPackage()> 2. Class.LookupByName()>> These functions are used across LL code (see attached code > fragments for example) however we were unable to find any > references about Class.() in Livelink Developer's Documentation.>> I'm useing LL 9.5 SP1; code examples from LL core attached below.>> Any help with Class.() description is greatly appreciated>> Paul>> [To reply to this thread, use your normal E-mail reply function.]>> ============================================================>> Attachment link: OT Admin Root.Startup> https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll/open/12098618>> ============================================================>> Discussion: Development Discussion> https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll/open/786303>> Livelink Server:> https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll>> To Unsubscribe from this Discussion, send an e-mail to > unsubscribe.development@elinkkc.opentext.com.>>>

sıɹɥɔ

Message from Chris Webster <cwebster@opentext.com> via eLink

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">eLink

Hi Paul,

You cannot call arbitrary DLL's from OScript; so a description of the Class package won't help you.

The DLL's the you see loaded by Livelink are, as you noted, dropin packages. Before being able to use Class you'd need to be able to develop dropins. However these are used for the underlying implementation of Livelink and their development is not a part of the Livelink SDK.

-chris

From: eLink Discussion: Development Discussion [mailto:development@elinkkc.opentext.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 3:07 PM
To: eLink Recipient
Subject: Need documentation for Undocumented feature - Class.LoadDropinPackage()

Need documentation for Undocumented feature - Class.LoadDropinPackage()

Posted by paulsleptsov (Sleptsov, Paul) on 04/10/2007 03:58 PM

I was looking for a way to load and use external DLL's from OScript.

As I can see from currect LL code the following functions are used in order to load "dropin packages" to LL:

1. Class.LoadDropinPackage()
2. Class.LookupByName()

These functions are used across LL code (see attached code fragments for example) however we were unable to find any references about Class.() in Livelink Developer's Documentation.

I'm useing LL 9.5 SP1; code examples from LL core attached below.

Any help with Class.() description is greatly appreciated

Paul

eLink User

Message from Nair, Krishnankutty via eLinkPlease check the ability to call jar files from oscript in version 9.7and above.Also limited ActiveX support may also be available.I just thought you may be interested as dropins are OT internal as Chrispointed out.Using the jar file I was able to tap into theZipping feature out of just plain curiosity.-----Original Message-----From: eLink Discussion: Development Discussion[mailto:development@elinkkc.opentext.com] Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 3:07 PMTo: eLink RecipientSubject: Need documentation for Undocumented feature -Class.LoadDropinPackage()Need documentation for Undocumented feature - Class.LoadDropinPackage()Posted by Sleptsov, Paul on 04/10/2007 03:58 PMI was looking for a way to load and use external DLL's from OScript.As I can see from currect LL code the following functions are used inorder to load "dropin packages" to LL:1. Class.LoadDropinPackage()2. Class.LookupByName() These functions are used across LL code (see attached code fragments forexample) however we were unable to find any references about Class.() inLivelink Developer's Documentation.I'm useing LL 9.5 SP1; code examples from LL core attached below.Any help with Class.() description is greatly appreciatedPaul[To reply to this thread, use your normal E-mail reply function.]============================================================Attachment link: OT Admin Root.Startuphttps://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll/open/12098618============================================================Discussion: Development Discussionhttps://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll/open/786303Livelink Server:https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dllTo Unsubscribe from this Discussion, send an e-mail tounsubscribe.development@elinkkc.opentext.com.-----------------------------------------*Please note my E-Mail Address has changed. Please update yourcontact list*Anadarko Confidentiality Notice: This electronic transmission and any attached documents or otherwritings are intended only for the person or entity to which it isaddressed and may contain information that is privileged,confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you havereceived this communication in error, please immediately notifysender by return e-mail and destroy the communication. Anydisclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any actionconcerning the contents of this communication or any attachments byanyone other than the named recipient is strictly prohibited.

Paul.S

Wow... I really did not expect to be flamed because of simple documentation question. ??Let me explain the reasons behind my curiosity. We are OT partner and we are responsible for support and development of one of the LL modules. The code that we have received originally has a few dropin loads. It might not be a way to do a new development but we have to support the current implementation. I was advised by OT representative to post Class.() documentation question here - in this particular forum. If that is not a right place to ask would you be so kind to point me into the right direction?Appreciated in advance,Paul

sıɹɥɔ

Message from Chris Webster <cwebster@opentext.com> via eLink

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Hi Paul,

Explaining the motivation behind your request helps, thanks. Your first message began by saying you wanted to "load and use external DLL's from OScript". So I think that everyone who responded assumed that was your goal. Being an OT development partner who has inherited dropins is quite different from a customer with the SDK who sees calls to the Class package and is wondering how to develop with it, as was inferred.

If you indeed are supporting a module that includes dropins I would think you should have documentation about how to create them. That documentation will include a description of how they are linked into Livelink (i.e. using the Class package). It may be that the OT person who pointed you here didn't realize that Class is undocumented. In this forum you'll likely get answers about documented API's, or about things that can be gleaned from browsing source code that ships with Livelink products.

I'll contact you offline and ensure you have a proper channel for your question as an OT partner. But feel free to post here about general Livelink development. Any flaming in this discussion group has always seemed to be the result of a simple misunderstanding: but we're all just developers helping one another out.

Hope this helps,

-chris

From: eLink Discussion: Development Discussion [mailto:development@elinkkc.opentext.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:43 AM
To: eLink Recipient
Subject: Strictly good intensions

Strictly good intensions		Posted by paulsleptsov (Sleptsov, Paul) on 04/11/2007 10:22 AM
In reply to: RE Need documentation for Undocumented feature - Class.LoadDropinPackage() 2		Posted by eLink on 04/10/2007 09:20 PM

Wow... I really did not expect to be flamed because of simple documentation question. ??
Let me explain the reasons behind my curiosity.

We are OT partner and we are responsible for support and development of one of the LL modules. The code that we have received originally has a few dropin loads. It might not be a way to do a new development but we have to support the current implementation.

I was advised by OT representative to post Class.() documentation question here - in this particular forum. If that is not a right place to ask would you be so kind to point me into the right direction?

Appreciated in advance,
Paul

Brett_Conley

We are also a partner of Opentext, although our software is not core Livelink. We produce commercial add-ons to Livelink to improve its functionality.This leads me to my question regarding dropins. I need to license our product using license code that we have developed for our other products. This presents a problem, because even if I wanted to translate all that code to OScript, we cannot tolerate the possibility that it would be available for perusal by anyone with Livelink Builder.Similarly, we won't put that code in Java, either, because it is simply not well enough protected from prying eyes.For these reasons, I must have a way to call native code from OScript. The dropin mechanism seems ideal, although if there were some other way to do it, it may be acceptable.It is not difficult to create a dropin. Anyone can discover that the single export of a dropin DLL is the DLLDropinInit function, and then they can load it in Livelink. What's unclear is how data is transferred between OScript and the DLL. In the past hour I've spent playing with this stuff, I haven't found in OScript any instances of actual DLL calls other than the Class.LoadDropinPackage that is in each module's Startup function that uses a dropin.I can continue playing, although I don't want to do anything that would make Opentext frown at my efforts. If it's not supposed to be used by developers like me, then so be it. We simply will not be able to license our product and therefore may not be able to sell it. However, I think it would be much better for Opentext to recognize that this kind of functionality is attractive and necessary to partners that develop commercial software for the Livelink platform.Is there any chance of getting support for this? Is there any other way to introduce code into the Livelink system that's reasonably well-protected against reverse engineering?Thanks,Brett

David_Forbes_(dforbes_-_(deleted))

Alas, This rrequest was first made over a decade ago... :-(

Hans Stoop

Message from Hans Stoop <hstoop@opentext.com> via eLink

Another partner question

HI Brett,

You should contact your partner manager at Open Text and ask him if you can get access to this technology or not.

The way it works is that you need to create a wrapper in a certain way around your own functions, so it can be used from OScript. The way you use it in OScript is that you have a new variable type or package type. The DAPI functions are implemented like this.

Hans

Von: eLink Discussion: Development Discussion [mailto:development@elinkkc.opentext.com]
Gesendet: Mi 1/30/2008 11:58
An: eLink Recipient
Betreff: Another partner question

Another partner question
Posted by Conley, Brett J on 01/30/2008 05:51 PM

We are also a partner of Opentext, although our software is not core Livelink. We produce commercial add-ons to Livelink to improve its functionality.

This leads me to my question regarding dropins. I need to license our product using license code that we have developed for our other products. This presents a problem, because even if I wanted to translate all that code to OScript, we cannot tolerate the possibility that it would be available for perusal by anyone with Livelink Builder.

Similarly, we won't put that code in Java, either, because it is simply not well enough protected from prying eyes.

For these reasons, I must have a way to call native code from OScript. The dropin mechanism seems ideal, although if there were some other way to do it, it may be acceptable.

It is not difficult to create a dropin. Anyone can discover that the single export of a dropin DLL is the DLLDropinInit function, and then they can load it in Livelink. What's unclear is how data is transferred between OScript and the DLL. In the past hour I've spent playing with this stuff, I haven't found in OScript any instances of actual DLL calls other than the Class.LoadDropinPackage that is in each module's Startup function that uses a dropin.

I can continue playing, although I don't want to do anything that would make Opentext frown at my efforts. If it's not supposed to be used by developers like me, then so be it. We simply will not be able to license our product and therefore may not be able to sell it. However, I think it would be much better for Opentext to recognize that this kind of functionality is attractive and necessary to partners that develop commercial software for the Livelink platform.

Is there any chance of getting support for this? Is there any other way to introduce code into the Livelink system that's reasonably well-protected against reverse engineering?

Thanks,
Brett

[To reply to this thread, use your normal E-mail reply function.]

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Topic: Need documentation for Undocumented feature - Class.LoadDropinPackage()
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Discussion: Development Discussion
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Brett_Conley

Thanks, Hans. I have put a request in to my project manager to mention this to our contact at Opentext, but he tells me they're in some annual meeting this week, so I guess I'll have to wait a few days for a response.I think it's the "create a wrapper in a certain way" part that's preventing me from figuring this out on my own. I've got a DLL that loads properly and executes, but I haven't figured out how to interact with OScript.

Louis_Routhier

As somebody already said, you could use ActiveX which are already documented. The main problem could be if you plan to use it on UNIX as I'm not sure it supports AciveX.Documentation could be found here:[livelinkDir]\builder\documentation\packages\activex.html