Integrate new functions into iSeries Navigator

Install, uninstall, and maintain plug-ins.

Plug-ins reside in a source directory on the host server and allow you to integrate new functions or applications into iSeries™ Navigator. They typically add:

Folders and objects to the hierarchy tree
Choices to iSeries Navigator menus
Property pages to the property sheet for a folder or object

You can distribute plug-ins to your users as part of the installation process. If a plug-in resides on the installation source, it appears as a sub-component of iSeries Navigator.

If a plug-in does not exist on your installation source, you can install it as a separate, installable component using Selective Setup. After completing the product installation, when you start Selective Setup, supply the location (one of the following directories) for the plug-in that you want to install.

Plug-in	Location
IBM^®	(iSeries NetServer™ name)\QIBM\ProdData\OpNavPlugin
Third party	(iSeries NetServer name)\QIBM\UserData\OpNavPlugin

Note:

Selective Setup displays all Plug-ins that are available for installation from the specified location. However, some optionally installable components of iSeries Access for Windows^® do not appear if the client and host are not at the same version, release, and modification (VxRxMx) level.
A warning message appears if the plug-in is not explicitly supported by iSeries Access for Windows, however, you can still install the plug-in.

After installation, you can maintain plug-ins using the When to check service level function.

Upgrade or service plug-ins

To update a plug-in, simply copy the updated files into the plug-ins installation source directory on the host.

The When to check service level function maintains the version of the plug-in. Every time this function starts, it checks the plug-ins installation source directory on the host to see if the plug-in requires an upgrade. If the plug-in requires an upgrade, CheckVersion begins the iSeries Access for Windows Selective Setup program in a special mode. Selective Setup then updates the plug-in.

For more information about plug-ins, and how you can use them, see Developing iSeries Navigator plug-ins.