User Guide

Extension APIs 25
Multiuser Configuration folders
For the multiuser operating systems of Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Macintosh OS X,
Dreamweaver creates a separate Configuration folder for each user in addition to the
Dreamweaver Configuration folder. Any time Dreamweaver or a JavaScript extension writes to
the Configuration folder, Dreamweaver automatically writes to the user Configuration folder
instead. This practice lets each Dreamweaver user customize configuration settings without
disturbing the configuration settings of other users. For more information, see “About
customizing Dreamweaver in a multiuser environment” on page 29 and “File Access and
Multiuser Configuration API” in the Dreamweaver API Reference.
Running scripts at startup or shutdown
If you place a command file in the Configuration/Startup folder, the command runs as
Dreamweaver starts up. Startup commands load before the menus.xml file, before the files in the
ThirdPartyTags folder, and before any other commands, objects, behaviors, inspectors, floating
panels, or translators. You can use startup commands to modify the menus.xml file or other
extension files. You can also show warnings, prompt the user for information, or call the
dreamweaver.runCommand() function. However, from within the Startup folder, you cannot call
a command that expects a valid DOM.
Similarly, if you place a command file in the Configuration/Shutdown folder, the command runs
as Dreamweaver shuts down. From the shutdown commands, you can call
dreamweaver.runCommand() function, show warnings, or prompt the user for information, but
you cannot stop the shutdown process.
For more information about commands, see Chapter 7, “Commands,” on page 135. For
more information about the
dreamweaver.runCommand() function, see the Dreamweaver
API Reference.
Extension APIs
The extension APIs provide you with the functions that Dreamweaver calls to implement each
type of extension. You must write the bodies of these functions as described for each extension
type and specify the return values that Dreamweaver expects.
If you are a developer who wants to work directly in the C programming language, there is a
C extensibility API that lets you create dynamic link libraries (DLLs). The functionality that is
provided in these APIs wraps your C DLLs in JavaScript so that your extension can work
seamlessly in Dreamweaver.
The documentation of extension APIs outlines what each function does, when Dreamweaver calls
it, and what value Dreamweaver expects it to return.
See the Dreamweaver API Reference for information about the Utility API and the JavaScript API,
which provide functions that you can use to perform specific tasks in your extensions.