Single File (SPDL or DLL) Registration

Once your implementation file and/or SPDL file is ready to be tested, you need to install and register your plug-in.

You can quickly install a plug-in using the Plugins (SPDL) window in the user interface. Softimage copies the SPDL file to the correct location, generates a preset, copies it into the correct location, and registers the plug-in. See Quick Plug-in Installation and Uninstalling Plug-ins for more information.

If you have a library file that does not have a SPDL associated to it, you can use the cmdreg tool to install the library file by itself. See Installing or Uninstalling Implementation Files (without SPDLs) for more information.

Quick Plug-in Installation

Installing a plug-in by itself (without keymaps, toolbars, or extra files) is a very straightforward process consisting of opening the Plugins (SPDL) window, and selecting it from the Softimage browser.

To quickly install a Plug-in by itself

1. From the Plug-in Manager’s SPDLs tab, click Install. The Install SPDL window appears.

2. Click the browse button beside the SPDL File Path box to select a SPDL file from the browser.

| Your SPDL file does not have to be in any of the three Softimage paths ($user, $factory, or $workgroup). The browser allows you to pick the SPDL file from any directory.

3. Choose the root location of where you want to install the plug-in ($user location or $workgroup location) from the Destination drop-down list.

| It is recommended to install it in the user location if you are planning to create an add-on package for your plug-in.

4. When you are ready to finish installing your plug-in, click Install. Softimage installs and registers the file and displays the results in the Execution Log window.

5. Click Close to close the Install SPDL window and return to the SPDLs tab of the Plug-ins Manager.

| You can also quickly install your plug-in from the command line. For more information, see Special Switches for SPDL Installation.

Uninstalling Plug-ins

You can uninstall shaders from the SPDLs tab of the Plug-in Manager. The spdl file and any associated library files are removed from the location where they were installed.

To uninstall a SPDL from your machine

- From the Plug-in Manager’s SPDLs tab, right-click to bring up the contextual menu and choose Delete.

| You can also uninstall your plug-in from the command line. For more information, see Command Line Removal.

Installing or Uninstalling Implementation Files (without SPDLs)

Autodesk Softimage supports command line options for installing and uninstalling library files. You can install or uninstall DLLs or SOs from the command line using this syntax:

    cmdreg [-u] [-f FileList] [ file1 ... ]

The following table explains the options available with the cmdreg tool:

Option | Description
-u | Indicates that this you want to uninstall the library file. Note: The default (not using the -u option) is for installing the library file.
-f <FileList> | Specifies a file (with path) containing the list of library files you want to install or uninstall.
<file1 ... fileN> | Specifies the library file(s) with path(s) you want to install or uninstall. Note: You can use wildcards with this list of filenames. For example, you can use myFile*.dll to refer to myFile.dll, myFile1.dll, or FileX.dll.

| You can use either the file list or a list of library files, but not both at the same time. For example, these are both valid command line statements:
    cmdreg -f C:\myFileList.txt
    cmdreg myDllFile*.dll
This is not valid:
    cmdreg -f C:\myFileList.txt myDllFile*.dll

Examples of Installing and Uninstalling

The following examples demonstrate how to use the cmdreg tool with the various options:

| If cmdreg cannot find a specified library file, the following message appears:

       Loading <filename>.dll:  Unable to load library.
       Running REGSVR32.EXE may provide more information

Example: installing a single library file

       cmdreg C:\SlimeBuckets.dll

Example: installing several library files

       cmdreg C:\SlimeBuckets.dll C:\DroolMonger.dll

Example: installing library files from a file list

       cmdreg -f C:\SlimeBuckets.txt

Example: uninstalling a library file

       cmdreg -u C:\SlimeBuckets.dll

Example: uninstalling with wildcards

       cmdreg -u C:\SlimeBucket*.dll

Autodesk Softimage v7.5