Using Plugins

1. General
2. Textures
3. Controls
4. 3D Shapes
5. List of plugins
6. Data for plugins

1. General

Plugins let you extend the functionality of your ROOMS desktop.

You can download plugins from the internet or create your own.

There are different kinds of ROOMS plugin for different kinds of task:

RSI - ROOMS Stream Interface (1)	Can be used to generate textures (e.g. from AVI or Web cam)
RSI - ROOMS Stream Interface (2)	Can be used to control devices (e.g. CD or DVD player)
RPC - ROOMS Polygon Conversion	Can be used to convert and manipulate 3D shape files (e.g. 3DS and .x)

You use a ROOMS wizard to select a plugin to perform a task.

For example, you use the target page of the Property Wizard to select a plugin which can control devices attached to your PC. And you use the editor page of the Shape Wizard to select a plugin to convert or manipulate 3D files.

And you can select a texture-generating plugin from any Advanced/Smart Texture dialog in any ROOMS wizard.

Plugins are installed into the ../rooms/plugins folder. This is automatically done by the installation program.

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2. Textures - plugins to provide pictures

Any ROOMS texture can take its image from an RSI plugin.

An RSI plugin may supply stationary or animated textures. An example RSI plugin is supplied with the ROOMS FreeWare download. The example lets you use AVI (movie) files as animated textures.

If you have programming skills you may also create your own RSI plugins. You can download the free ROOMS plugin SDK, which includes plugin templates and the source code for the AVI example.

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3. Controls - plugins to control periferals

Just as a ROOMS icon can open or run a program, it can also be used to issue a command to a device, such as your CD player.

Commands are issued through an RSI plugin. An example RSI plugin which controls your CD player is included with FreeWare ROOMS.

You select the plugin as the target file for your icon instead of a program. Once selected, the plugin tells you what choice of commands it offers, and you select one of these commands which in turn is issued whenever your icon is opened or run.

[This method also lets you trigger commands thru EVAC, e.g. merely selecting an icon can be mapped by EVAC to the open/run command]

Again, if you have programming skills you may create your own RSI plugins. You can download the free ROOMS plugin SDK, which includes plugin templates and the source code for the CD example.

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4. 3D Shapes - plugins to convert and manipulate shapes

ROOMS now support a generic, lowest-common-denominator, 3D graphics file format called RAV [RAV stands for ROOMS Arbitrary Vertex. See RAV file format].

If you can convert a shape into this file format then ROOMS can use the shape.

Some standard conversions are supplied with FreeWare ROOMS. They are for 3DS files, DirectX .x files and ROOMS RSF files.

In order to provide an expandible mechanism for file conversion, conversion is implemented thru plugins - RPC plugins.

3DS, .x and RSF conversion plugins are included with FreeWare ROOMS. They are used by the Shape Wizard.

A further, experimental, plugin is also supplied which allows you to manipulate RAV shapes, e.g. changing their natural color and texture triangle-by-triangle. This has the name "RAV_toolkit".

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5. List of bundled plugins

These plugins are bundled with ROOMS.

AVI_movie_rsi.dll	Display AVI images and control AVI replay
CD_control_rsi.dll	Control CD player
3DS_to_RAV_rpc.dll	Convert 3DS format shape files to RAV format
XFILE_to_RAV_rpc.dll	Convert DirectX .x format shape files to RAV format
RSF_to_RAV_rpc.dll	Convert ROOMS extruded shape format shape files to RAV format

The RAV toolkit plugin is part of the PluginCenter Plugin SDK package.

RAV_toolkit_rpc.dll

Manipulate properties of RAV files

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6. Data for plugins

In addition to searching Google for AVI files or 3DS files, you may like to visit these sites which we have seen and look interesting.

[Please let us know if you have any suggestions for inclusion in this list. Any suggestions will also be included on our links page].

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