Export extensions

Exports extensions

This type of extension allows us to retrieve an exportable version of a given meta-model object. Like other extensions, specifications retrieved from this endpoint will enlarge the list of options available on the IDE.

Target object

An export extension is applicable to a given meta-model object (package, class, method, etc.). See below accepted element types.

Specification

The structure of a export specification must be like this:

{
	"extensionType": "export",
	"elementType": "string",
	"label": "string",
	"description": "string",
	"get": "string",
	"defaultFilename": "boolean",
	"section": "string"
}

Where:

• extensionType as these are export extensions this property is export.

• elementType represents the meta-model object over which the change applies. It can be package, class, variable, category, method or code.

• label a text that will be used by the IDE to present the option.

• description (optional) a description of the exoirt (it might be used as a tip text or help).

• get a string specifying the way the export content will be obtained (see below).

• defaultFilename (optional) the default file name.

• section (optional) is used by the IDE to place the option under a submenu. By default no submenu is used (i.e., the option is just appended to the corresponding menu)

Example

Lets suppose we want to add a "File out" option to classes and that we count on a URI for that (/classes/{classname}/exports/chunks for instance). We could specify our extension like this:

{
	"extensionType": "export",
	"elementType": "class",
	"label": "File out",
	"get": "/classes/{element.name}/exports/chunks",
	"defaultFilename": "{element.name}.ch"
}

Get mechanism

As mentioned above, get specifies the way the IDE will get the actual contents to be exported. This could be an URI (if it begins with /) or an attribute of the target element.

In both cases, the value might contain {element.xxx} expressions, where element represents the meta-model object for which the export is requested (most likely the object selected in IDE), and xxx is an valid attribute for such element. This expression will be replaced by the actual value element's attribute. In the example, assuming the action was triggered from the class MyClass, the contents will be retrieved from the URI /classes/MyClass/exports/chunks.

Valid attributes can be extracted from the corresponding endpoints in the documentation (pacakges, classes, variables, categories, methods).

Default file name

As in the case of get property, defaultFilename is a string that can contain zero or more expression of the form {element.xxx} that will be replaced by their actual value.

In our example, the default file name will be MyClass.ch.

Assuming the payload of requesting /classes/MyClass/exports/chunks is the follwing:

Object subclass: #MyClass
	instanceVariableNames: ''
	classVariableNames: ''
	package: 'MyPackage'!

!MyClass methodsFor: 'as yet unclassified' stamp: 'guille 3/31/2024 16:34'!
myMethod
  ^1! !

A file dialog will be opened and once the user confirms a file name, such contents will be saved.