Specifications

Chapter 220
Types of extension APIs in Dreamweaver
The following list describes the types of extension APIs that are documented in this guide:
Object extensions create changes in the Insert bar. An object is typically used to automate the
inserting code into a document. It can also contain a form that gathers input from the user and
JavaScript that processes the input. Object files are stored in the Configuration/Objects folder.
Command extensions can perform almost any specific task, with or without input from the user.
Command files are typically invoked from the menu system, but they can also be called from
other extensions. Command files are stored in the Configuration/Commands folder.
Tag Dialog extensions work with Tag Dialog and the associated Tag Library files. Tag Dialog
extensions can modify attributes of existing Tag Dialogs, create new Tag Dialogs, and add tags to
the Tag Library. Tag dialog and tag library extension files are stored in the Configuration/
TagLibraries folder.
Code Snippet extensions add new code snippets to the Snippets panel. You can create code
snippets (CSN) files and install them into the Snippets directory so they appear in the Snippets
panel. Code Snippets files are sorted in the Configuration/Snippets folder.
Code Hint extensions add new code hints for tags, objects, or script key words. Code hints provide
information about
HTML, XML and script tags that the user can view as they edit their documents.
New code hints are incorporated into the *.vtm files that you create for new tags. Code hints
extensions are stored in the Configuration/TagLibraries/servermodel folder.
Toolbar extensions can add menu items to existing toolbars or create new toolbars in the
Dreamweaver user interface. Editing the toolbar is usually used to add new menu items to the
site, browser, and code option pop-up menus. New toolbars appear below the default toolbar in
the user interface. Toolbar files are stored in the Configuration/Toolbars folder.
Panel extensions add floating panels to the Dreamweaver user interface. Panels can interact with
the selection, the document, or the task, or they can display useful information. Floating panel
files are stored in the Configuration/Floaters folder.
Inspector extensions appear in the Property inspector panel. Most of the inspectors in
Dreamweaver are part of the core product code and cannot be modified, but custom Property
inspector files can override the built-in Dreamweaver Property inspector interfaces or create new
ones to inspect custom tags. Inspectors are stored in the Configuration/Inspectors folder.
Behavior extensions let users add JavaScript code to their documents. The JavaScript code
performs a specific task in response to an event when the document is viewed in a browser.
Behavior extensions appear in the plus (+) menu in the Dreamweaver Behaviors panel. Behavior
files are stored in the Configuration/Behaviors/Actions folder.
Server Behavior extensions add blocks of server-side code (ASP, JSP, or ColdFusion) to the
document. The server-side code performs tasks on the server when the document is viewed in a
browser. Server behaviors appear in the plus (
+) menu in the Dreamweaver Server Behaviors
panel. Server behavior files are stored in the Configuration/Server Behaviors folder.
Help Book extensions implement Integrated OS Help by installing a new compiled help (*.chm)
file into the Help directory and adding a new
<book-id> tag to the help.xml file. All help files are
stored in the Dreamweaver MX/Help folder
.