viathinksoft-std-0018-dll-plugin-info.txt

 



VIATHINKSOFT/WEBFAN                                         D. Marschall
SPECIFICATION No. 18                                        ViaThinkSoft
First Draft: 2024                                         5 January 2025


     === Plugin Type+Metadata Mechanism for Windows DLL Plugins ===

Abstract

   This document describes a method for plugins written as Windows DLL
   files, to present the plugin's type and metadata.

Identification of this Document

   Revision:  2025-01-05
   State:     In Force
   Filename:  viathinksoft-std-0018-dll-plugin-info.txt
   URN:       urn:x-viathinksoft:std:0018:2025-01-05
   OID:       1.3.6.1.4.1.37476.3.3.1
              { iso(1) identified-organization(3) dod(6) internet(1)
                private(4) enterprise(1) 37476 specifications(3)
                interface(3) dll-plugin-info(1) }
   WEID:      weid:pen:SX0-3-3-1-0
   IETF/RFC:  (None)

Attachments

   (None)

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2011-2025 ViaThinkSoft and the persons identified as
   the document authors.  All rights reserved.

   Licensed under the terms of the Apache 2.0 License.













 


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Table of Contents

   1  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
     1.1  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   2  Definition  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   3  Parameter Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
     3.1  Input Paramters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
     3.2  Return Value  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   4  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   5  RA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   6  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
     6.1  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
     6.2  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5


































 


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1  Introduction

   This recommendation applies to applications written for Microsoft
   Windows (EXE files) that use plugins which have a DLL file structure.
   It defines a method that can be used to check if the plugin is
   compatible with the application, and also returns metadata about the
   plugin.

1.1  Terminology

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
   "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in
   BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
   capitals, as shown here.

2  Definition

   The undecorated method is defined as follows:

   Delphi: function VtsPluginID(lpTypeOut: PGUID; lpIdOut: PGUID;
   lpVerOut: PDWORD; lpAuthorInfo: Pointer): HRESULT; stdcall;

   C++: HRESULT __stdcall VtsPluginID(GUID* lpTypeOut, GUID* lpIdOut,
   DWORD* lpVerOut, void* lpAuthorInfo);

3  Parameter Description

   All data MUST BE little endian.

3.1  Input Paramters

   if lpTypeOut is not NULL, then the method MUST write a GUID that
   defines the plugin "type" (note that an application might support
   multiple plugin "types").

   If lpIdOut is not NULL, then the method MUST write a GUID that is
   unique to this plugin, but stays the same for different versions of
   that plugin.

   If lpVerOut is not NULL, then the method MUST write a DWORD in the
   following structure:
   - 1 byte major version
   - 1 byte minor version
   - 1 byte patch
   - 1 byte build

   Example: 0x01020304 means version 1.2.3.4
 


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   If lpAuthorInfo is not NULL, then the method MUST write a variable
   size structure which contains the following information in order:
   - PluginName
   - PluginAuthor
   - PluginVersion
   - PluginCopyright
   - PluginLicense
   - PluginMoreInfo

   Each string is an UTF-16 string (WideString) prepended by a 16-bit
   WORD that defines the length of the string.  No zero terminator
   bytes.

   Note that the caller must make sure that the size of the memory
   location is big enough; recommended 4096 bytes.

3.2  Return Value

   A valid HRESULT should be returned.

4  Security Considerations

   None

5  RA Considerations

   OID:  1.3.6.1.4.1.37476.3.3.1
   WEID: weid:pen:SX0-3-3-1-0
   ASN1: { iso(1) identified-organization(3) dod(6) internet(1)
   private(4) enterprise(1) 37476 specifications(3) interface(3)
   dll-plugin-info(1) }
   IRI:  /ISO/Identified-Organization/6/1/4/1/37476/Specifications/
   Interface/DLLPluginInfo

6  References

6.1  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

6.2  Informative References

   None


 


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Authors' Addresses

   Daniel Marschall
   Postfach 11 53
   69243 Bammental
   Germany

   Email: daniel-marschall@viathinksoft.de
   URI:   https://www.viathinksoft.com/










































Marschall                                                       [Page 5]