Customizing PowerDesigner Menus Using Add-Ins

An add-in is a module that adds a specific feature or service to PowerDesigner standard behavior. PowerDesigner add-ins allow you to customize PowerDesigner menus by adding your own menu items. You can customize the following menus:

All contextual menus of objects that are accessible from the Browser or from a symbol in the diagram
Main menus of each module from each diagram type (i.e. Import, Export, Reverse, Tools, Help)

You can add the following menu items:

Commands that call a method script defined using scripting
Submenus that are cascading menus that appear under a menu item
Separators that are lines used to organize commands in menus

You can use the following types of add-ins to create menu items in PowerDesigner:

Customized commands - to call executable programs or VB scripts using the Customize Commands dialog box from the Tools application menu. Commands you define can appear as submenus only in the Execute Commands menu items and in the Import and Export menu items of the File application menu, but not in objects contextual menu. You can hide their display in the menu while keeping their definition. For more information, see Creating customized commands in the Tools menu.
Resource files – for defining commands for a specific target. Methods and menus are created in the resource file in the Profile category under the corresponding metaclass. You can filter methods and menus using a stereotype or a criterion. However, the resource file must always be attached to the model in order for the commands to be displayed. For more information, see Menus (Profile).
ActiveX – for when you require more complex interactions with PowerDesigner, such as enabling and disabling menu items based on object selection, interaction with the windows display environment or for plug-ins written in other languages, such as Visual Basic.NET or C++. For more information, see Creating an ActiveX add-in.
XML file – for when you want to define several commands that will always be available independently from the target you selected. This XML file contains a simple declarative program with a language linked to an .EXE file or a VB script. Commands linked to the same applications (for example, ASE, IQ etc.) should be gathered into the same XML file. For more information, see Creating an XML file add-in.

Note: The XML syntax of a menu defined in the Menu page of the resource editor is the same for XML file and ActiveX add-ins. You can use the interface of the resource editor to visualize in the XML page the syntax of a menu you created in the Menu page to help you construct the same XML syntax in your ActiveX or XML file. For more information on XML files, Creating An XML File Add-In.