by Jaspal Sohal |
11 January 2006Extensions are a fantastic new feature to Zinc v2.5
which provide unlimited expandability to Zinc v2.5 projectors. Developers can
now create their own custom commands for {mdm}Script 2.0 based upon existing or
custom DLL files.
The Zinc™ v2.5 Extension Creator provides an interface to your DLL which can
then run internal functions via custom named {mdm}Script Commands. Extensions
can be saved and shared with other developers to extend the {mdm}Script™ 2.0
API.
In this Tutorial we shall create an extension from a
function found in the Windows kernel32.dll - the functions available in the
kernel32.dll are documented in the Win32 Programmer's Reference which is
available at the
MDM File Exchange.
For advanced users, the Zinc v2 Extension Creator SDK is also available at
the
MDM File Exchange.
We want to create a beeping sound using our animation, and we want to do it
via a DLL accessed using Zinc. The kernel32.dll is a Shared Library which
is available in all Windows Systems. This DLL allows access to the entire
Windows API through a series of functions. To understand and use the available
functions, we can check the Win32 Programmer's Reference.
The Win32 Programmer's Reference contains detailed usage guides on each
function contained in the kernel32.dll. Click on Index and type the word
"beep" in the search box at the top. The Chapter on the Beep Command should be
highlighted as shown below:
[ the win32 programmer's reference
window ]
With the Beep chapter selected, press the Display button. You will see some
documentation outlining how to use the Beep function:
[ beep documentation ]
The Beep function within the kernel32.dll is a simple command which executes
a System Beep Tone. The reference for the Beep function shows that this function
has just 2 parameters:
- Frequency (in hertz)
- Duration (in milliseconds)
To create a custom {mdm}Script Command based upon this DLL Function, it is
important that we know how many parameters are required so good DLL
documentation is extremely important.
Onwards to the next page!
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Creating an Extension
