How to create a plugin

[johnnycrash]

I read about plugins everywhere. I want to create one of my own, but I am having trouble finding documentation on what a plugin exactly is? Is it a scriptlet, a control in conlib, a modified aspx page, or what? How is it expected to be installed and configured. What are the best practices?

Thanks.

[mazhar]

For store side plug in would be a control in ConLib. Scriptlet and ASPX page can be used to further extend the plug in. For example all you need is to put some functionality to some existing page then all you need is to create a new ConLib control and then reference it on desired page. If you are in need to have a new page then you would need ConLib control, a scriptlet that will contain the usage statement for your custom conlib control and finally the ASPX page that will make use of your custom scriptlet.

[johnnycrash]

Thanks! That leads to another questions. How does one upgrade to a new version of AC if there are customized asp pages? I don't see a custom directory for ASP pages like there is one for scriptlets.

Also, is it considered a best practice to use triggers or jobs on the DB? I have to integrate to a 3rd party warehousing system. I will need to notify it of items that need to be shipped, and I suspect I will need to update AC when the items have been shipped. I was thinking of a plugin or just adding a SQL job. If I used a plugin, it needs to fire off after an order has been committed to the system. Where would that be? How might a plugin get updates from a 3rd party system? If I used a SQL job, is there some sort of documentation for the DB?

- John