App XML

Each app must be accompanied by an XML file defining its basic information and its inputs. This XML file can be used by a UI or another plugin to help format inputs.

The <plugin_info> tag is the base. Next, <plugin_name>, <plugin_description> and <plugin_dir> describe the name of the plugin to display, a description of what it does, and the location of the actual executable file, if necessary. For example

<plugin_info>
    <plugin_name>Test Plugin</plugin_name>
    <plugin_dir>TestPlugin/trunk/TestPlugin.py</plugin_dir>
    <plugin_description>Check for the existance of a network in hydra
            Written by Stephen Knox stephen.knox--at--manchester.ac.uk
            (c) Copyright 2013, University College London.
    </plugin_description>
    <plugin_epilog>For more information visit www.hydraplatform.com</plugin_epilog>
...
</plugin_info>

Immediately after this, the app’s inputs are defined.

There are three category of input: <mandatory_args>, <non_mandatory_args> and <switches>

<mandatory_args>
    <arg>
        <name>network_name</name>
        <switch>-t</switch>
        <multiple>N</multiple>
        <argtype>string</argtype>
        <help>The name of the network you are creating</help>
    </arg>
</mandatory_args>
<non_mandatory_args>
    <arg>
        <name>num_nodes</name>
        <switch>-n</switch>
        <multiple>N</multiple>
        <argtype>integer</argtype>
        <help>The number of nodes to create in the network</help>
    </arg>
    <arg>
        <name>scenario_name</name>
        <switch>-s</switch>
        <multiple>N</multiple>
        <argtype>string</argtype>
        <help>The name of the scenario to create. If none is specified, a default is used.</help>
    </arg>
</non_mandatory_args>
<switches>
    <arg>
        <switch>-d</switch>
        <name>include-data</name>
        <help>If you want data in your network, use this switch.</help>
    </arg>
</switches>

Within each category there is an <arg>, inside which is defined a <name>, command line <switch>, whether <multiple> inputs can be expected, what type input can be expected and a help string to describe what it is.