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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.

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.

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 defines the steps that constitute the plug-in; plug-in steps define a plug-in's functions. Each step is an independently configurable entity in the HCL Launch editor.
The info.xml file contains a version ID and other information that describes the plug-in.

Note: The plug-in files must use UTF-8 encoding.

A plug-in step is defined by a <step-type> element that contains these elements:

One <properties> element
One <command> element
One <post-processing> element

The <properties> element is a container for <property> child elements, and can contain any number of <property> elements. Property values can be specified at design time or run time. The <post-processing> element provides error-handling capabilities and sets property values that other steps can use. The <command> element runs the step's function. The function can be defined completely by the element or be constructed in part or entirely from the step's properties at design time or run time.

A command can access these properties:

The step's own properties
Properties that were set earlier by other steps in the process
Properties that were set by the application that started the process
Properties on the target environment and resource

Step property values become unavailable after the component process ends.

Plug-in steps are run by an agent that is installed in the target environment. Thus, plug-ins can be written in any scripting language, and the agent can access the required scripting tools on the host. After a plug-in is created, upload it into HCL Launch to make it available to users. To upload a plug-in, create an archive file that contains the XML files (plugin.xml and info.xml) and scripts that the plug-in requires. Then, import the archive file with the Automation Plugins pane for automation-type plug-ins or the Source Config Plugins pane for source plug-ins.

To troubleshoot plug-ins, you can retrieve the information from each step that ran in a process request. To download these logs, open the process request and click Download All Logs.