Dexpot Plugin API
Dexpot has an interface to communicate with other applications. It can be used by dedicated plugins, that extend the functionality of Dexpot, as well as other third party programs that want to interact with Dexpot.
The plugin API is based on window messages. Dexpot can optionally return complex data requested by a plugin through shared memory using file mapping, eliminating the need to wait for return messages. This is used in a C++ wrapper class included in the Plugin SDK. In general, any programming language that can access the Win32 API and also supports Unicode and sending and receiving of window messages, should be suited to create Dexpot plugins.
Feature set
The development of the plugin API is driven by the needs of individual plugins. This means that only those features of Dexpot are exposed through the API, that are required by existing plugins. If you are interested in developing a plugin, and need access to features which are not yet available, please post on our message boards. We will then try to extend the API accordingly for the next version.
Features currently available to plugins include:
- Notifications about Dexpot events
- Desktop switching
- Start and shutdown of Dexpot
- Desktop content changes
- Changes of Dexpot settings
- Retrieval of information from Dexpot
- Current desktop
- Desktop count
- Desktop names
- Desktop wallpapers
- Desktop screenshots
- Control of Dexpot
- Triggering desktop switches
- Vetoing desktop switches
- Moving and copying windows to different desktops
- Opening Dexpot menus
- Integration with Dexpot
- Option management through Dexpot
- Hotkey management through Dexpot
- Adding items to the Dexpot main menu
