DnD Networks

Onyx v3 > Modules

Onyx is a module container. Modules are contained in the modules directory in which each directory represents a module. Modules can be downloaded from the Modul'Onyx repository. To install it, just drop the module.zip file in the module directory, Onyx will detect the file and will deploy it.
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Tree-based Architecture:
A module is part of a tree structure where the top element is Onyx itself. Follow the instruction of the parent to create a module. Entry-point of the module can vary, the programmation language itself can vary. For example, a module written in java may load children written in javascript. To conclue, a module must respect the rules of the parent module.
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Module desciption:

• A module contains one or more files
• A module is loaded by its parent
• A module can have some children
• The presence of a module is detected automatically by Onyx
• A module has got a descriptor file (called module.xml)
• A module can be loaded/unloaded on the fly
• A module is reloaded as soon as a change is detected

Creation of a module under Onyx
Children modules of Onyx must be written in java and requires a class as entry-point which implements 2 methods and has got a public empty constructor. Onyx will call the load method when the module gets deployed and the unload method when the module gets undeployed.
/**
* Called by the parent module to load this module or one of
* his children. A module is responsible for his loading and
* his children's loading.
* @param prop the properties attached to the module to load
*/
public void load(Properties prop);

/**
* Called by the parent module to unload this module or one of
* his children. A module is responsible for his unloading and
* his children's unloading.
* @param prop the properties attached to the module to unload
*/
public void unload(Properties prop);

The Properties sent to the methods are system onyx properties and the ones coming from module.xml. So, if you add some user-defined parameters in the module.xml, you will be able to pick them up in the load and unload methods.
Onyx creates a separate class loader for each module, so if you need to communicate between 2 modules, use the Services.

Helloworld example
We've prepared a full workspace of the classic Helloworld example. This example just displayed a message when loaded and unloaded by Onyx + some logging infos.
This workspace is using ant to compile, package and zip the module:

Here is the link to the HelloWorldModuleWorkspace.zip