iSeries™ Navigator plug-in requirements differ according to the programming language that you use.
C++ plug-ins
Plug-ins that are developed by using Microsoft®'s Visual C++ programming language must be written in Version 4.2 or later.
C++ plug-ins also require the following iSeries Navigator APIs:
| Header file | Import library | Dynamic Link Library |
|---|---|---|
| cwbun.h | cwbunapi.lib | cwbunapi.dll |
| cwbunpla.h (Application Administration APIs) | cwbapi.lib | cwbunpla.dll |
Java™ plug-ins
Java plug-ins run on the IBM® runtime for Windows®, Java Technology Edition. The following table indicates the version of Java installed with iSeries Access for Windows:
| Release | JRE | Swing | JavaHelp |
|---|---|---|---|
 V5R4 |
1.4.2 | N/A | 1.1.1 |
| V5R3 | 1.4.1 | N/A | 1.1.1 |
| V5R2 | 1.3.1 | N/A | 1.1.1 |
| V5R1 | 1.3.0 | N/A | 1.1.1 |
| V4R5 | 1.1.8 | 1.1 | N/A |
| V4R4 | 1.1.7 | 1.0.3 | N/A |
All Java plug-ins require a small Windows resource DLL, that contains certain information about your plug-in. This allows iSeries Navigator to represent your function in the Navigator object hierarchy without having to load your plug-in's implementation. The sample's resource DLL was created by using Microsoft's Visual C++ version 4.2, but any C compiler that supports compiling and linking Windows resources may be used.
iSeries Navigator provides a Java console as an aid to debugging. The console is activated by selecting a registry file to write the required console indicators to the Windows registry. When the console is activated, the JIT compiler is turned off to allow source code line numbers to appear in the stack trace, and any exceptions that are encountered in the Navigator's Java infrastructure will be displayed in message boxes. The registry files for activating and for deactivating the console are provided with the sample Java plug-in, found in the iSeries Access for Windows Toolkit.
The sample's user interface was developed by using the Graphical Toolbox for Java, which is a part of the IBM Toolbox for Java component. The Toolbox is an optionally installable component of iSeries Access for Windows. It can be installed with the initial installation of the iSeries Access for Windows product or selectively installed later, by using the iSeries Access for Windows Selective Setup program.
Visual Basic plug-ins
Visual Basic plug-ins run on Version 5.0 of the Visual Basic runtime environment.