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Extending product function
Learn how to extend the function of HCL Launch.
Plug-ins
The HCL plug-ins provide tools for creating component processes and integrations. HCL plug-ins provides plug-ins for several common deployment processes, and others are available to integrate with a wide variety of tools, such as middleware tools, databases, and servers.
Creating plug-ins
You can create your own plug-ins for use with HCL Launch. A plug-in consists of XML files and supporting script files that the plug-in requires.
The command element
Steps are run by starting the scripting tool or interpreter that is specified by the <command> element. The <command> element's program attribute defines the location of the tool that runs the command.

Extending product function
Learn how to extend the function of HCL Launch.
- Plug-ins
  The HCL plug-ins provide tools for creating component processes and integrations. HCL plug-ins provides plug-ins for several common deployment processes, and others are available to integrate with a wide variety of tools, such as middleware tools, databases, and servers.
  - Creating plug-ins
    You can create your own plug-ins for use with HCL Launch. A plug-in consists of XML files and supporting script files that the plug-in requires.
    - The plugin.xml file for automation plug-ins
      An automation plug-in is defined with the plugin.xml file.
    - Creating source plug-ins
      Source-type plug-ins are defined the same way that automation-type plug-ins are defined except for some modifications to the plugin.xml file.
    - Plug-in steps: The step-type element
      You define plug-in steps with the step-type element; each step-type element represents a single step in the HCL Launch process editor.
    - The command element
      Steps are run by starting the scripting tool or interpreter that is specified by the <command> element. The <command> element's program attribute defines the location of the tool that runs the command.
    - The post-processing element
      When a plug-in step's <command> element finishes processing, the step's mandatory <post-processing> element runs.
    - Upgrading plug-ins
      This example shows how to upgrade a plug-in.
    - The info.xml file
      Use the info.xml file is required for each plug-in. It describes the plug-in and provides release notes to users for each version.
    - Automatically importing objects from plug-ins
      You can add objects to plug-ins so that they are automatically imported when the plug-in is installed or upgraded. Objects include applications, components, component templates, and processes. For example, you can add a component template that implements a standard process to a plug-in, so that the plug-in user does not have to create the component template.
  - Example plug-in
    A plug-in consists of one or more steps. A step represents a unit of functionality that can be user-configured and combined with other steps into a process. Creating a plug-in consists in defining its individual steps and then grouping them together for presentation in HCL Launch.
- Creating notification templates
  Notification templates are the basis for emails that the server sends to users after an event occurs on the server. You can create customized notification templates by modifying the default templates provided, or by creating new templates of your own.
- REST API reference
  You can use these REST interfaces to automate tasks.
- Command-line client (CLI) reference
  CLI is a command-line interface that provides access to the HCL Launch server. It can be used to find or set properties and to run numerous functions.
- Process-as-code feature
  Programmatically manage processes with PAC language.

The `command` element

Steps are run by starting the scripting tool or interpreter that is specified by the <command> element. The <command> element's program attribute defines the location of the tool that runs the command.

It bears repeating that the tool must be on the host and the agent that starts the tool must have access to it. In the following example, the location of the tool that runs the command (the Java™ scripting tool Groovy in this instance) is defined.

<command program='${GROOVY_HOME}/bin/groovy'>

The actual command and any parameters it requires are passed to the tool by the <command> element's <arg> child element. Any number of <arg> elements can be used. The <arg> element has several attributes:

Table 1. `<arg>` element attributes
Attribute	Description
`<value>`	Specifies a parameter that is passed to the tool. Format is tool-specific; must be enclosed by quotation marks.
`<path>`	Path to files or classes that are required by the tool. Must be enclosed by quotation marks.
`<file>`	Specifies the path to any files or classes that are required by the tool. Format is tool-specific; must be enclosed by quotation marks.

Because <arg> elements are processed in the order they are defined, ensured the order conforms to the order that is expected by the tool.


<command program='${GROOVY_HOME}/bin/groovy'>
  <arg value='-cp' />
  <arg path='classes:${sdkJar}:lib/commons-codec.jar:
    lib/activation-1.1.1.jar:
    lib/commons-logging.jar:lib/httpclient-cache.jar:
    lib/httpclient.jar:lib/httpcore.jar:
    lib/httpmime.jar:lib/javamail-1.4.1.jar' />
  <arg file='registerInstancesWithLB.groovy' />
  <arg file='${PLUGIN_INPUT_PROPS}' />
  <arg file='${PLUGIN_OUTPUT_PROPS}' />
</command>

The <arg file='${PLUGIN_INPUT_PROPS}'/> specifies the location of the tool-supplied properties file. The <arg file='${PLUGIN_OUTPUT_PROPS}'/> specifies the location of the output file for the step-generated properties.

Note: new lines are not supported by the <arg> element and are shown in this example only for presentation.