Extension Guide : Add New UCM Element

Overview

• The purpose of this guide is to give pointers on what tasks need to be accomplished when a new model element is to be added.
• For simplification purposes, lets consider adding a new PathNode subclass.
• This guide should be verified by the person actually following the guide.

Initial Steps

• Read JUCMNav Dev Doc articles if you have the time
• You'll need to add your model element to the palette so that it can be added.
  • Create an icon; maybe we've already created it for you; check the icons folder (See Dev Doc Icons)
  • Make sure ModelCreationFactory can generate instances of your new object (See Dev Doc Model Creation Factory)
  • Add entry in UcmPaletteRoot.buildPalette() (See Dev Doc Palette)
• Create a figure for your new model element (See Dev Doc Figures)
• Create an editpart for your new element (See Dev Doc Edit Part Creation)
  • Register your figure in PathNodeEditPart.createFigure()
  • If you have lots of new behaviour, extend PathNodeEditPart and Register yourself in GraphicalEditPartFactory
  • Do same for outline (See Dev Doc Outline):
    • Simply add icon image in PathNodeTreeEditPart
    • Hopefully won't need to access TreeEditPartFactory

Optional Steps

• You'll probably have some special "do something or other" that you'll want to add to the contextual menu.
• Create a command that does your work (See Dev Doc Commands). Look at many command examples before attempting this; it is critical.
• Create an action that maps a user selection to your command. (See Dev Doc Actions)
  • Don't forget to register your action in the action registry and context menu provider.

Testing

• Any command you created implements JUCMNavCommand and must therefore implement testPreConditions()/testPostConditions(). (See Dev Doc Commands)
• Create a simple test case in JUCMNavCommandTests; simply add a method and a few lines that execute your command. Find other examples.
• You might want to create tests for your action (elsewhere) as well, if it is complicated.
• See Dev Doc Checkout Code for running the tests.

-- Jason Kealey - 14 Jul 2005