Developers: How to Build System and Core Plugins

Getting Started

You will need the latest Xcode (4.2 or greater) running on OS X 10.7

System Plugins

Overview

System Plugins describe a core system and contain:

• SystemController and SystemResponder classes
• Plugin name and system identifier
• Supported rom types (file suffixes)
• Button mapping defaults and settings
• Controller preference layouts, graphics and icons.

These settings are stored in property list (.plist) files.

Structure of a System Plugin

Once compiled, system plugins take on the Product Name of the core they were built for if a target is set in the OpenEmu project. They are stored in ~/Library/Application Support/OpenEmu/Systems/

For example: Genesis.oesystemplugin, NES.oesystemplugin, SuperNES.oesystemplugin, etc.

The contents of the system plugin bundle include the compiled SystemController and SystemResponder classes, the .plists and supporting files for controller preference graphics and icons.

How to build a System Plugin

OpenEmu includes plugins for several systems. In this example, we will create a new system plugin for the TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine.

Since all plugins follow the same structure, we can duplicate a set from another system and then edit accordingly.

NSString *OEPCEButtonNameTable[] =
{
    @"OEPCEButton1",
    @"OEPCEButton2",
    @"OEPCEButtonUp",
    @"OEPCEButtonDown",
    @"OEPCEButtonLeft",
    @"OEPCEButtonRight",
    @"OEPCEButtonRun",
    @"OEPCEButtonSelect"
};

How to use a System Plugin

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Core Plugins

Overview

Core Plugins implement systems and contain: ...

Structure of a Core Plugin

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How to build a Core Plugin

porting...

How to use a Core Plugin

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