This article demonstrates the IGB plug-able architecture using a simple example plugin that adds a menu item to the IGB Tools menu.

Overview

IGB runs within an OSGi framework, also called an OSGI "container" or "runtime." This means you can extend IGB without modifying the core IGB code base. By implementing a few well-described interfaces and using the Apache maven project management tool, you can add new menu items, create new kinds of tracks, or connect IGB to all-new data sources - all without re-installing or even re-starting IGB.

This tutorial introduces the IGB platform by demonstrating a very simple IGB App that adds a new entry to the IGB Tools menu. 

Get started: clone IGB Hello World App

Clone the IGB Hello World App project - this contains complete, working example of the Hello World IGB App:

git clone https://bitbucket.org/lorainelab/igb-app-hello-world.git

 

 

Compile the App

To build your App, open the igb-app-hello-world project into Netbeans, select the project in the Projects tab, and then select Run > Build.

Alternatively, you can build it from the command line by entering:

mvn clean install

Building the App will create a new directory named "target" which can serve as a new App repository. This new directory contains compiled code as well as a meta-data about the App it contains.

Add target directory as new App repository

Normally, Apps are deployed on-line via an App Store or your own on-line App repository.

However, you can also deploy an App Store on your local computer - useful for developing and testing new Apps.

To add your target directory as a local App Store:

  1. Start IGB
  2. Select Tools > Open App Manager
  3. Click Manage Repositories... button (opens Plug-in Repositories tab in Preferences window)
  4. Click Add... button (opens Plugin Repository dialog)
  5. Enter a name for your repository (can be anything)
  6. Click Choose local folder button
  7. Select "target" in your igb-app-hello-world project folder

Once you add "target" as a new local App store, you should see the Hello World App added as a new App in the IGB App Manager window, as show below:

Install App

To install the hello world App:

To check that installation worked correctly, select the Edit menu. Check that there is  now a new menu item named Hello World App.

Run App

To run the App:

 

Observe the message that appears:

 

Next step: Modify your code

Open the IGB App project in Netbeans. Edit the message your IGB App prints and re-build your App. Then, return to the IGB App Manager, un-install and then re-install your App. When you select the the menu item again, the new message will print instead of the old one.

Note that you can rapidly repeat this edit-build-uninstall-install cycle. You don't have to re-build IGB or even restart it, which makes development much faster than if you had to modify the IGB code directly.

Next step: Make README.md for your App (optional)

It's not enough to create and deploy an App; you should also provide an easy-to-understand README.md file suitable for display in the IGB App Manager. See Create Markdown to display in IGB App Manager