Re: Choosing between a Layer or Plug-in

Hi Damian,

The real advantage of creating a PlugIn and using the PlugInLayer is
that the PlugIn gets called in it's own thread, and you don't have to
worry about holding up the application. PlugIns can do pretty much
everything that a Layer can do (provide graphics, a palette, handle
MouseEvents, work with the BeanContext), but it is still working through
the PlugInLayer. Another advantage of the PlugIn is that is was
intended to be used on the server-side, too, as a way to access data.
So you can isolate data access from the actual Layer mechanics.

If you just want to display and manage data, I'd write a PlugIn. I'd
write a Layer if I wanted more flexibility or control over when the data
is gathered - you'd have to look at the PlugInLayer to see what you
would want to change. Even then, you might want create a PlugIn and
then modify the PlugInLayer to do what you want.

Hope this helps,

Don

On Sunday, August 12, 2001, at 10:14 PM, Damian O'Dea wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm new to the Openmap development side of things and I understand
> that there
> is now a Pluginn Layer. If I have the right of it, this gives me the
> option of
> developing either (i) a layer or (ii) a plugin to the Plugin Layer.
>
> What I don't know at the moment is which is the right choice to
> make? Is it the
> case that plugins are just simpler ways of getting data into the
> client, but
> that implementing a Layer would make for a more efficient way of doing
> the same
> thing?
>
> How do I make this choice?
>
> Thanks (in Advance) for your help,
> Damian
> --
> === Damian O'Dea Damian.ODea@dsto.defence.gov.au ===
> === Information Exploitation Group ph: (08) 8259 5839 ===
> === Information Technology Division fx: (08) 8259 5619 ===
> === DSTO - Salisbury, P. O. Box 1500, Salisbury, Adelaide, SA 5108 ===
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