| Author’s note |
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Since I wrote this article in 2006, the AbstractMiniApp class used to create the original plug-in in Sametime 7.5 has been deprecated and replaced with shelfViews. This update to the 2006 article outlines the necessary steps and provides sample code for recreating the original plug-in using shelfViews in Sametime 7.5.1 and above. I’ve also included a more concise explanation of deploying the newly created plug-in.
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The Sametime Connect client allows administrators and developers to extend the Sametime Connect client’s features and functions with Java plug-ins they create or obtain from other parties. You can also use plug-ins to reuse Java code within Sametime applications. The plug-ins can be as simple as custom menu choices that display information in a dialog box or as complex as full programs. Not a Java programmer? That’s not an insurmountable problem, because with the right tools, just a little Java knowledge, and patience, you can create some amazing plug-in tools that add value to your Sametime Connect client.
This article gets you started by showing you how to develop and install a useful Sametime administration plug-in called “Total Connections.” This plug-in takes advantage of the StAdminAct.exe cgi-bin program on all Sametime servers to display the total Sametime connections (regardless of uniqueness) and the total unique user connections in a mini application (miniApp) right in the Sametime Connect client.
By following along with the step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn that developing small Java plug-ins requires attention to detail but is probably easier than you thought, and you’ll have a useful Sametime administration tool you can apply right away.
Figure 1 shows the Total Connections miniApp located just below the contact list in the Sametime Connect client. When this plug-in is installed, the administrator doesn’t need to open a browser and point to an HTML page for the connection data. It’s a very simple but powerful and beneficial tool.
A Perl script provides the back-end data collection that displays on an auto-generated Web page, and the front-end miniApp provides the means to view the collected data.
Installing the tools for developing the plug-in is often the most challenging part of the process (at least the first time), so in addition to providing guidance on I’ll walk you through the installations step by step.
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