HelloWorld Plugin on Ubuntu 11.04

[hibbity]

Ubuntu 11.04,  Codeblocks 10.05 installed from apt sources.

Plugin compiles and installs without errors, however:
    Plugin does not show up in Contrib pallette
    Plugin does not show up in Plugins drop down menu
    Zip file contains the manifest.xml file *only*.

I have checked similar threads for example:
   Getting started with plugins [resolved] http://forums.codeblocks.org/index.php/topic,5166.0.html
   
If I follow the wiki tutorial:  http://wiki.codeblocks.org/index.php?title=Managing_Plug-in_Resources
    verbatim, specifically the section, "Tutorial: Creating a New Plugin and Examining Its Structure"
    then add /usr/local/include/wx-2.8 to Project-->Build Options-->Search Directories-->Compiler
    and compile, then it compiles with 0 errors and 0 warnings.

    But the HelloWorld.zip file only contains the "manifest.xml" file, and nothing else.
 
    This result is easily repeatable with the above defined steps.
     What have I missed to get a different result than the wiki tutorial?

[hibbity]

Here is the Build Log:

-------------- Build: default in HelloWorld ---------------

Compiling: HelloWorld.cpp
Linking dynamic library: HelloWorld.so
Output size is 243.68 KB
Running target post-build steps
zip -j9 HelloWorld.zip manifest.xml
updating: manifest.xml (deflated 53%)
zip -j9 HelloWorld.cbplugin HelloWorld.so HelloWorld.zip
updating: HelloWorld.so (deflated 70%)
updating: HelloWorld.zip (deflated 12%)
Process terminated with status 0 (0 minutes, 1 seconds)
0 errors, 0 warnings
 

[hibbity]

Executing from the command line:

zip -j9 HelloWorld.cbplugin HelloWorld.so HelloWorld.zip
    updating: HelloWorld.so (deflated 70%)
    updating: HelloWorld.zip (deflated 12%)

ls -la HelloWorld.zip
    -rw-r--r-- 1 guest users 409 2011-05-27 14:33 HelloWorld.zip

less HellowWorld.zip

Archive:  HelloWorld.zip
 Length   Method    Size  Cmpr    Date    Time   CRC-32   Name
--------  ------  ------- ---- ---------- ----- --------  ----
     500  Defl:X      235  53% 2011-05-27 13:35 0b802f01  manifest.xml
--------          -------  ---                            -------
     500              235  53%                            1 file
HelloWorld.zip (END)

[off topic] BTW does anyone know what Font-Face to select for a fixed font in a posting?
Assigning font=Courier (using the standard format for font, e.g. [ f o n t = F o n t N a m e ] Some Text Here [ / f o n t ]) does not provide the expected result.

[Pecan]

A ".cbplugin" file simply packages the plugin for distribution. It does not of itself install the plugin.

To install the plugin,

the .zip file containing the .xml file must be copied to
...\share\CodeBlocks\

and the .so or .dll must be copied to ...\share\CodeBlocks\plugins\

Set your logging to "full command line" via Menu>Settings>Compiler and Debugger>Other Settings>Compiler Logging.

You can use the post build steps to doing the copying.


OR:

You can use Menu>Plugins>Manage plugins>Install new

then navigate to the .cbplugin file and click on it.

[hibbity]

To install the plugin,

the .zip file containing the .xml file must be copied to
...\share\CodeBlocks\

and the .so or .dll must be copied to ...\share\CodeBlocks\plugins\

These directories do not exist on my system. 
I am developing on Ubuntu, and all software has been installed from apt sources.

What I do have is /usr/lib/codeblocks/plugins/  which contains lib*.so files,
and /usr/share/codeblocks/  which contains *.zip files.

Are these the relevant directories I should be using?

Perhaps you could refer me to the developer's guide where all this is documented
in detail.  There is a developer's guide, right?

[oBFusCATed]

No there isn't
Some notes on the wiki and there is a sticky topic on the top of this subforum.

The directory you're looking for is ~/.codeblocks/share/...

[Jenna]

Doing what Pecan told you as second possibility is the normal way:

OR:

You can use Menu>Plugins>Manage plugins>Install new

then navigate to the .cbplugin file and click on it.

[hibbity]

Okay thank you.   Now I have:
~/.codeblocks/share/codeblocks/HelloWorld.zip
~/.codeblocks/share/codeblocks/plugins/HelloWorld.so

meaning the plugin has been installed in its expected location.

How can I make HelloWorld plugin show up in Menu-->Plugins list, or more importantly, make it visible in the Contrib widgets toolbar pallette?

[hibbity]

Gave up on the HelloWorld plugin, at least for now.

Compiled wxthings (wxscustombutton)

/usr/bin/codeblocks --debug-log

-------------- Build: default in CustomButton ---------------
Compiling: wxscustombutton.cpp
Linking dynamic library: custombutton.so
Output size is 458.84 KB
Running target post-build steps
zip -j9 custombutton.zip manifest.xml
updating: manifest.xml (deflated 52%)
zip -j9 custombutton.cbplugin custombutton.so custombutton.zip
updating: custombutton.so
 (deflated 68%)
updating: custombutton.zip
 (deflated 12%)
Process terminated with status 0 (0 minutes, 1 seconds)
0 errors, 0 warnings

Then, with Menu-->Plugins-->Manage plugins-->Install new
installed the plugin.  But with error message, see attached image file.

There were no command line messages printed to accompany this failed install.
So I don't know why it failed.

[oBFusCATed]

Most of the time the library on linux should be called libsomething.so, so try to add the lib prefix to the name.
Also you can try to use the "-z defs" linker option.

[hibbity]

wxthings (wxscustombutton) was authored in 2009, but it should still work as-is even after the most recent release.  I don't understand why it will not install.  I'm linking against unicode libraries (wxWidgets 2.8.12), could that be a problem?

 /usr/bin/codeblocks -d
-------------- Build: default in CustomButton ---------------
g++  -g -I/usr/include/codeblocks -I/usr/include/codeblocks/tinyxml -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/include -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/bindings -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/sqplus -I/usr/include/codeblocks/wxscintilla/include    -I/usr/lib/wx/include/gtk2-unicode-release-2.8 -I/usr/include/wx-2.8 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES -D__WXGTK__ -pthread   -march=i586   -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include  -c /home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/custombutton.cpp -o .objs/custombutton.o
g++  -g -I/usr/include/codeblocks -I/usr/include/codeblocks/tinyxml -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/include -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/bindings -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/sqplus -I/usr/include/codeblocks/wxscintilla/include    -I/usr/lib/wx/include/gtk2-unicode-release-2.8 -I/usr/include/wx-2.8 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES -D__WXGTK__ -pthread   -march=i586   -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include  -c /home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp -o .objs/wxscustombutton.o
g++ -shared  .objs/custombutton.o .objs/wxscustombutton.o   -o custombutton.so -z def -lcodeblocks    -pthread -Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions  -lwx_gtk2u_richtext-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_aui-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_xrc-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_qa-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_html-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_adv-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_core-2.8 -lwx_baseu_xml-2.8 -lwx_baseu_net-2.8 -lwx_baseu-2.8
Output size is 458.84 KB
Running target post-build steps
zip -j9 custombutton.zip manifest.xml
updating: manifest.xml (deflated 52%)
zip -j9 custombutton.cbplugin custombutton.so custombutton.zip
updating: custombutton.so
 (deflated 68%)
updating: custombutton.zip (deflated 11%)
Process terminated with status 0 (0 minutes, 3 seconds)
0 errors, 0 warnings

Not sure what "-z defs" is intended for?  It does not show up as an option for g++.
Adding it to Linker settings (Other options) causes 50 link errors:
e.g.
.objs/wxscustombutton.o: In function `wxsCustomButton':
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:68: undefined reference to `wxsWidget::wxsWidget(wxsItemResData*, wxsItemInfo const*, wxsEventDesc const*, wxsStyleSet const*, long)'
.objs/wxscustombutton.o: In function `wxsCustomButton::OnBuildCreatingCode()':
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:129: undefined reference to `wxsItem::Codef(wchar_t const*, ...)'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:132: undefined reference to `wxsBitmapIconData::IsEmpty()'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:134: undefined reference to `wxsItem::Codef(wchar_t const*, ...)'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:137: undefined reference to `wxsBitmapIconData::IsEmpty()'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:139: undefined reference to `wxsItem::Codef(wchar_t const*, ...)'

etc.

[oBFusCATed]

It is a linker options and it is defs not def!

http://www.computerhope.com/unix/uld.htm

[Jenna]

If I see it right, you do not link against the wxSmith library.

[hibbity]

Added the wxsmithlib library to the Project-->Build options-->Linker settings-->Link libraries
then rebuilt (0 errors and 0 warnings) then Plugins-->Manage plugins...-->Install new
and result was the same as before.

[hibbity]

ld -z defs:  

"Force a fatal error if any undefined symbols remain at the end of the link. This is the default when an executable is built. It is also useful when building a shared object to assure that the object is self-contained, that is, that all its symbolic references are resolved internally."

Makes sense.  But, in this case I cannot see 'ld' being invoked.  Could it be that g++ performs the linking?

[oBFusCATed]

Yes, the last g++ command (the one with -shared flag) is calling the linker for you.

[hibbity]

Now linking against wxsmithlib and adding linker option '-z defs', result is much more manageable.
Build log:

-------------- Build: default in CustomButton ---------------
g++  -g -I/usr/include/codeblocks -I/usr/include/codeblocks/tinyxml -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/include -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/bindings -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/sqplus -I/usr/include/codeblocks/wxscintilla/include    -I/usr/lib/wx/include/gtk2-unicode-release-2.8 -I/usr/include/wx-2.8 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES -D__WXGTK__ -pthread   -march=i586   -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include  -c /home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/custombutton.cpp -o .objs/custombutton.o
g++  -g -I/usr/include/codeblocks -I/usr/include/codeblocks/tinyxml -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/include -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/bindings -I/usr/include/codeblocks/scripting/sqplus -I/usr/include/codeblocks/wxscintilla/include    -I/usr/lib/wx/include/gtk2-unicode-release-2.8 -I/usr/include/wx-2.8 -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGE_FILES -D__WXGTK__ -pthread   -march=i586   -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include -I/usr/local/include/wx-2.8 -I/usr/include/wxsmith/contrib/include -Iwxthings/include  -c /home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp -o .objs/wxscustombutton.o
g++ -shared  .objs/custombutton.o .objs/wxscustombutton.o   -o custombutton.so -z defs -lcodeblocks    -pthread -Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions  -lwx_gtk2u_richtext-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_aui-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_xrc-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_qa-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_html-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_adv-2.8 -lwx_gtk2u_core-2.8 -lwx_baseu_xml-2.8 -lwx_baseu_net-2.8 -lwx_baseu-2.8   -z defs  -lwxsmithlib -lwxsmithlib
.objs/wxscustombutton.o: In function `wxsCustomButton::OnBuildPreview(wxWindow*, long)':
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:202: undefined reference to `wxCustomButton::CreateBitmapDisabled(wxBitmap const&) const'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:207: undefined reference to `wxCustomButton::SetMargins(wxSize const&, bool)'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:212: undefined reference to `wxCustomButton::SetLabelMargin(wxSize const&, bool)'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxscustombutton.cpp:217: undefined reference to `wxCustomButton::SetBitmapMargin(wxSize const&, bool)'
.objs/wxscustombutton.o: In function `wxCustomButton':
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxthings/include/wx/things/toggle.h:143: undefined reference to `vtable for wxCustomButton'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxthings/include/wx/things/toggle.h:145: undefined reference to `wxCustomButton::Init()'
/home/guest/custom_widgets/wxlinux/wxthings/wxthings/include/wx/things/toggle.h:146: undefined reference to `wxCustomButton::Create(wxWindow*, int, wxString const&, wxBitmap const&, wxPoint const&, wxSize const&, long, wxValidator const&, wxString const&)'
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
Process terminated with status 1 (0 minutes, 2 seconds)
7 errors, 0 warnings

It seems that ../wxthings/wxthings/.libs/libwxcustombutton.so is not being linked in.
 

[hibbity]

Cool, now it compiles, links and installs.

For the final steps, I added  wxthings/.libs to the Search directories -->Linker
and added libwxcustombutton to the Linker settings-->Link libraries.

Thanks for the help, much appreciated.  

[hibbity]

Discovered that placing a CustomButton widget into a project, and linking against libwxscustombutton causes problems -- the app does not exit properly, and when it does, a return code of "-1" is given.

Too bad, because now I'm back where I started -- trying to find a widget plugin that is simple, and "just works".

[hibbity]

Custom control widgets are made available in wxSmith as shared library plugins. 

Why shared?  Is it not possible to static link a plugin into a GUI application?  It would make debugging easier, for one.

[oBFusCATed]

What is the difference in terms of debugging?

[stahta01]

Why shared?  Is it not possible to static link a plugin into a GUI application?  It would make debugging easier, for one.

A plugin is something designed to be added or removed at runtime. If statically linked it can NOT be added or removed.

Tim S.

[hibbity]

What is the difference in terms of debugging?

Here is an example.  wxCustomButton has been added to a GUI.  There are no build errors, no runtime errors, except for this one nagging problem.
After OnExit() has been called, the app hangs.  This is attributable to the newly added wxCustomButton widget, because it never occurred before it was added to the GUI project.  So, how then do you go about debugging this -- when the problem exists in a shared library.  For example how would you set a breakpoint?

[oBFusCATed]

What will be the difference if wxCustomButton was a static lib instead of shared lib?

[hibbity]

What will be the difference if wxCustomButton was a static lib instead of shared lib?

Both present the same challenge in terms of debugging.  Speaking for myself (who is just learning to use the gnu debugger).

[hibbity]

Following OnExit, the gui app continues to execute into wxEntry(...) and never returns, as illustrated in debugging session:

GNU gdb (Ubuntu/Linaro 7.2-1ubuntu11) 7.2
This GDB was configured as "i686-linux-gnu".

Reading symbols from ../wx_test/bin/Debug/wx_test...done.
(gdb) break 78
Breakpoint 1 at 0x8050f5a: file ../wx_test/wx_testApp.cpp, line 78.
(gdb) run -i./test.ini
Starting program: ../wx_test/bin/Debug/wx_test -i./test.ini
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
OnInitCmdLine()
OnCmdLineParsed()
Parsing iniFile: ./test.ini
[New Thread 0xb7cb1b70 (LWP 14414)]
[New Thread 0xb72ffb70 (LWP 14415)]
OnInit()
Test GUI:  pid 14411
OnExit()

Breakpoint 1, wx_testApp::OnExit (this=0x80ca958)
    at ../wx_test/wx_testApp.cpp:78
78       return 0;
(gdb) step
79   }
(gdb) step
0x00840c87 in wxEntry(int&, wchar_t**) () from /usr/lib/libwx_baseu-2.8.so.0
(gdb) step
Single stepping until exit from function _Z7wxEntryRiPPw,
which has no line number information.
[Thread 0xb7cb1b70 (LWP 14414) exited]
<<<File->Quit causes OnExit(), (Thread 14415 has not exited); execution is hung here, no return to gdb command prompt.>>>

I would need to rebuild libwx_baseu-2.8 with debugging symbols to be able to trace into it.

[hibbity]

I followed tips found in http://wiki.codeblocks.org/index.php?title=Debugging_with_Code::Blocks
 i.e. compiler build settings (enable debugging symbols), no optimization or symbol stripping.

Then rebuild wxCustomButton, reinstall wxCustomButton, Rebuild test GUI, Debug test GUI.
Result is the same as before.  GUI app uses the same shared library as before.

Code

0x00840c87 in wxEntry(int&, wchar_t**) () from /usr/lib/libwx_baseu-2.8.so.0

This should read, "libwx_baseud-2.8.so.0" instead (i.e. the debug version of the shared library).  How do I change it?