qt-creator/doc/api/external-tool-spec.qdoc

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** This file is part of Qt Creator
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** Copyright (c) 2011 Nokia Corporation and/or its subsidiary(-ies).
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** GNU Free Documentation License
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/*!
    \contentspage{index.html}{Qt Creator}
    \page external-tool-spec.html
    \nextpage coding-style.html

    \title External Tool Specification Files

    An external tool specification file describes a tool that can be run from
    the \gui { Tools > External } menu.
    It specifies the name of the tool, the executable to run, optional
    arguments, and how to handle the output from the tool.

    \section1 File Name

    \c {<yourtoolname>.xml}

    \section1 Location

    User specific tools are located in \c {$HOME/.config/Nokia/qtcreator/externaltools}
    on Mac and Linux, and in \c {%APPDATA%\Nokia\qtcreator\externaltools} on Windows.

    System wide tools are located in \c {<Qt Creator install>/share/qtcreator/externaltools}
    on Windows and Linux, and in \c {Qt Creator.app/Contents/Resources/externaltools} on Mac.

    \section1 File Format

    External tool specifications are XML files with the following structure.

    \section2 Main Tag

    The root tag is \c externaltool. It has the mandatory attribute \c id.

    \table
    \header
        \o Tag
        \o Meaning
    \row
        \o externaltool
        \o Root element in the XML file that specifies an external tool.
    \endtable
    \table
    \header
        \o Attribute
        \o Meaning
    \row
        \o id
        \o A string that identifies the external tool.
           Two tools cannot have the same id. Required.
    \endtable

    \section2 Description Tags

    You must specify a description, display name, and category for the tool.
    You can translate their values into different languages by adding multiple
    \c description, \c displayname, and \c category tags that contain language
    codes.

    \table
    \header
        \o Tag
        \o Meaning
    \row
        \o description
        \o Short, one-line description of what the tool is for. Required.
    \row
        \o displayname
        \o Name to show in the menu item for the tool. Required.
    \row
        \o category
        \o Name of the category to show the tool in.
           This is the name of the sub menu of the \c { Tools > External }
           menu where the tool is placed. For example, specify the value
           \c "Text" to display the tool in the \c { Tools > External > Text }
           menu. Required.
    \endtable
    \table
    \header
        \o Attribute
        \o Meaning
    \row
        \o xml:lang
        \o Language code (such as, \c "en" or \c "de") of the language that is used for
           the description, display name, or category. Optional.
    \endtable

    \section2 Executable Specification Tag

    You must add an \c executable tag under the root tag, that specifies the
    executable to run, optional arguments, and how to handle the output.

    \table
    \header
        \o Tag
        \o Meaning
    \row
        \o executable
        \o Encloses subtags that specify what to run and which parameters to use. Required.
    \endtable
    \table
    \header
        \o Attribute
        \o Meaning
    \row
        \o output
        \o Specifies how to handle the tool's standard output stream.
           Defaults to \c ShowInPane. Optional.
    \row
        \o error
        \o Specifies how to handle the tool's standard error stream.
           Defaults to \c ShowInPane. Optional.
    \row
        \o modifiesdocument
        \o Specifies whether Qt Creator should expect changes to the current
           document. If this flag is set, Qt Creator prompts users to save
           changes to the current document before running the tool,
           and silently reloads the current document after the tool has finished.
           Possible values are: \c "yes" or \c "no" (defaults to \c "no").
           Optional.
    \endtable

    The \c executable tag allows the following subtags. You must specify at least
    one \c path. All subtags can contain special \l{Qt Creator Variables}.

    \table
    \header
        \o Subtag
        \o Meaning
    \row
        \o path
        \o File path to the executable to run, including filename. If you
           specify the executable name without a path, Qt creator checks the
           system PATH environment variable for a path to the executable. You
           can specify the path multiple times. Qt Creator tries to resolve the
           references in the given order and runs the first executable that it
           finds. Required.
    \row
        \o arguments
        \o Command line arguments for the executable. Specify the string in the
           same format (with respect to quoting and argument splitting, for
           example) as you would specify it on the command line of the platform
           the tool runs on. Optional.
    \row
        \o workingdirectory
        \o The working directory for the executable. Optional.
    \row
        \o input
        \o A potentially multiline string that is passed to the tool via standard input stream.
    \endtable

    \section1 Example

    \code
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<externaltool id="sort">
    <description>Sorts the selected text</description>
    <description xml:lang="de">Sortiert den ausgewaehlten Text</description>
    <displayname>Sort Selection</displayname>
    <displayname xml:lang="de">Auswahl Sortieren</displayname>
    <category>Text</category>
    <category xml:lang="de">Text</category>
    <executable output="replaceselection" error="ignore">
        <path>sort</path>
        <input>%{CurrentDocument:Selection}</input>
        <workingdirectory>%{CurrentDocument:Path}</workingdirectory>
    </executable>
</externaltool>
    \endcode
*/