Code example: Create model plug-in using Windows Forms

In Microsoft Visual Studio, create a new project. Select Class Library(.Net framework) as template and enter a name for your project.

Add Tekla API assemblies to your project as references.

Rename Class1.cs to MainPlugin.cs (this could be a more specific name).

Edit MainPlugin.cs:

• Add assemblies needed: 

  using TSDatatype = Tekla.Structures.Datatype;
  using TSModel = Tekla.Structures.Model;
  using TSPlugins = Tekla.Structures.Plugins;

• Add a method that includes attributes passed from the dialog to the plug-in. Add the lines for each attribute on the dialog. 

  Public class StructuresData
  {
      [TSPlugins.StructuresField("ATTRIBUTE_NAME")]     
      public VARIABLE_TYPE VARIABLE_NAME;
  }

  Replace ATTRIBUTE_NAME with the name entered for the AttributeName property, VARIABLE_TYPE with a type corresponding to AttributeNameType, and VARIABLE_NAME with a suitable variable name.

• Add the description of your plug-in: 

  [TSPlugins.Plugin("FormPlugin")]
  [TSPlugins.PluginUserInterface("FormPlugin.MainForm")] 

• Inherit from PluginBase and add code to MainPlugin class: 

  public class MainPlugin : TSPlugins.PluginBase
  {
      // Enable inserting of objects in a model
      private readonly TSModel.Model _model; 
   
      public TSModel.Model Model     
      {         
          get { return _model; }     
      } 
      
      // Enable retrieving of input values
      private readonly StructuresData _data; 
   
      public MainPlugin(StructuresData data)     
      {         
          // Link to model.         
          _model = new TSModel.Model(true); 
   
          // Link to input values.         
          _data = data;     
      } 
  
      // Specify the user input needed for the plugin.
      public override List<InputDefinition> DefineInput()     
  {     
      // Define input objects.     
  }         
  
  // This method is called upon execution of the plug-in and it´s the main method of the plug-in
  public override bool Run(List<InputDefinition> input)     
  {   
      try     
      {             
          // Write your code here.         
      }         
      catch (Exception e)           
      {             
          MessageBox.Show(e.ToString());         
      } 
      return true;     
  }

On Project menu, click Add Windows Form to add a form. Name it MainForm.cs or something specific. Design the dialog and bound the values of controls to attributes.

In Mainform.cs, add event handlers for the OK and Modify buttons: 

Private void okButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    this.Apply();
    this.Close();
}

Private void modifyButton_Click(object sender,EventArgs e)
{
    this.Modify();
}

Build the project and copy the .dll file created to \TeklaStructures\[version]\nt\bin\plugins. This adds your plug-in directly to the Applications & components catalog in Tekla Structures.

Run Tekla Structures and look for the plug-in in the Applications & components catalog.