You can extend PowerDesigner menus to add commands to call scripts
defined in resource files or externally and to launch executables and ActiveX add-ins. XML
add-ins can be used to group and organize multiple commands. You can extend the
File, Tools, and
Help menus, and the contextual menus available on objects in the
Browser and diagrams.
You can modify PowerDesigner menus in the following ways:
- Custom commands - are defined directly
in PowerDesigner and can call executable programs or VB scripts (see Adding Commands to the Tools Menu).
- Menu and method extensions – are
specified in a DBMS or language definition or extension file and define commands
for a specific target or model type (see Menus (Profile)).
- ActiveX Add-Ins – are written in
languages such as VB, C#, C++ or any language supporting COM, and permit more
complex interactions with PowerDesigner, such as enabling and disabling menu
items based on object selection, and interaction with the windows display
environment (see Creating an ActiveX Add-in).
Note: The XML syntax used to define menus in an ActiveX or XML add-in
is the same as that used in the creation of a menu extension, and you can
use the resource editor menu XML page (see
Menus (Profile)) to help you construct the syntax for your add-ins.
- XML Add-Ins – define multiple commands to call executable programs or VB
scripts. Commands linked to the same applications (for example, ASE, IQ etc.)
should be gathered into the same XML file (see Creating an XML File Add-in).