Downloaded Tab for Plugins in the MPLAB® X IDE

Last modified by Microchip on 2024/06/24 06:32

To access the Plugins window, select from the main menu: Tools > Plugins

downloaded plugins window

The Downloaded Tab of the Plugins Window is used to add and install manually downloaded plugins.

The left pane displays the manually downloaded plugins that you can install. The right pane displays a description of the plugin.

Click Add Plugins to use the file browser to add any plugins (*.nbm files) that you downloaded to your local system.

To install the plugin, select the Install checkbox for the plugin and click Install.

For a more detailed description of the downloaded plugin installation process, please see this tutorial.

Installing Community Supplied Plugins

Download an *.nbm Plugin File

For the purposes of this tutorial, we'll download and install the Rectangular Edit Tools for NetBeans 6.9.

When you click on the Download button on the netbeans.org site, you will be prompted to save the following file:
1287573153809_org-netbeans-modules-rectangularedittools.nbm

Save it anywhere you like, just be sure you can find it later.

This plugin supports rectangular edit operations:

  1. Rectangular Cut
  2. Rectangular Copy
  3. Rectangular Paste
  4. Rectangular Delete
  5. Rectangular Clear
  6. Rectangular Replace

It is extremely useful for manipulating data formatted as a table in your source code, enabling you to select a column, instead of a row.

netbeans plugin window

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Open the Plugin Manager

In MPLAB® X IDE, from the main menu, select Tools > Plugins.

In the Plugins window, select the Downloads tab.

list of downloaded plugings

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Load the *.nbm File 

Click on the Add Plugins… button in the upper left of the Plugins window.

Navigate to the location where you downloaded the *.nbm file in step 1, select it and click Open.

add plug in dialog box

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Install the Selected Plugin 

You should see the plugin's information in the right pane, and the checkbox next to the plugin's name in the left pane should be checked.

Click Install at the bottom left of the Plugins window.

install window

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Follow Plugin Installer Prompts

The Plugin Installer wizard should launch automatically.

Click Next >

plug in installer window telling what tool is being installed

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Accept the License Agreement

If you agree with the terms of the license, check the box next to "I accept the terms…".

Click Next >

read the license agreement

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Validation Warning 

In many cases, third party / community supplied plugins will not be digitally signed.

If you trust the source of the plugin, click Continue, otherwise click Cancel.

Disclaimer:
As the author of this tutorial, I do not know the creator of the plugin and I cannot vouch for its safety. While I have used it personally for over three years without any problems, I cannot guarantee that you will have the same experience.

validation warning box

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Installation Complete

Click Finish

installation is not complete

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Verify Installation

The plugin you just installed should no longer be visible under the Downloaded tab. Click on the Installed tab and verify that it now appears in that list.

check to see if the tool you just installed is in the installed list

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