Plugin Development Guide - Beyond the Redis example?

[GeoffreyBaldry]

Hi All,

I have followed the example Plugin Development Guide (based on Redis) to create a simple plugin specific to Netapp Cloud Storage, using the model-driven archetype.

It works well enough in its simple state (just a few "getters", etc, for simple types like "Hosts" and "Volumes"), but there are a few things missing that I would love to add, and I have questions which I can't seem to find answers for from the documentation available.

1) Is there a specific "channel" for plugin developers to ask questions, or is this the best place?

2) How do you get "folders" to appear in the inventory when expanding the tree? The doc only shows directly relating types (which I have done), but good plugins inject folders into the tree somehow to aid categorization. For example, i'd like my volumes to be in a volumes folder, not displayed directly under the Netapp host.

3) Is there anyone out there that "reviews" customer made plugins to advise on "correctness", or provide guidance?

That's it for now - i'll start simple with the questions I think, and see if I get a bite !

Thanks,

Geoff

[xian]

I have not developed any plugins yet, but a similar tree structure is available with the DynamicTypes plugin. It may give you some hints how to implement hierarchy within your plugin: https://vbombarded.wordpress.com/2017/11/21/a-primer-on-vrealize-orchestrator-dynamic-types/

[GeoffreyBaldry]

Thanks Xian_ for responding - good advise, and I have actually managed to do that with the Dynamic Types plugin, using that link you posted amongst others as a guide. However, I always have a nagging doubt about whether I am doing something the "right" way.

I suppose I was hoping for a vendor document on how it should be done, or advise from someone who has actually achieved it - especially with "model-driven".

When I did it with DynamicTypes I kind of made the folders as full-blown "types" in their own right, like in the example, but is there a better/smarter way of doing it when we have access to the vRO SDK and the model-driven archetype?