Plug-ins

Plug-ins greatly increase Aston functionality by adding new features and enhancing your Desktop interface.

All modules are divided into two large groups:

• General plug-ins. They're often used on Desktop and Taskbar. Plug-in files have PLG extension.
• Toolbar plug-ins. These modules (like Notepad and CPU load monitor) are used on Toolbars only and have TBP extension.

Installing plug-ins

In order to install a plug-in, follow these steps:

• Download the module you need and extract the TBP or PLG file to c:\Aston\plugins folder (if you have installed Aston into C:\Aston).
• For PLG files: Go to Start>Aston options>Plug-ins and hit Add. Select the file you have just extracted and apply it. Then follow the instructions from this document to set up the module.
• For TBP files: Just add a plug-in item to a Toolbar as described here.

Sharing plug-in settings

You can share your plug-ins' settings with your friends so they could apply them without applying the whole Theme.

In order to do so, follow our hints:

• Configure your plug-in (apply a skin for it, change fonts, etc...).
• Go to Start>Aston Options>Plug-ins and select the module from the list.
• Press Setup plug-in and in the dialog, which appears on the screen, click File>Save settings.
• Save your settings into a separate folder, then just ZIP them and e-mail/share them with your friend.

In order to apply the settings you have received from someone, just do the following:

• Extract the settings archive into a separate folder.
• Go to Start>Aston Options>Plug-ins and select the plug-in you have received settings for.
   !   For successful settings usage both you and the person you have recieved the settings files from should have the same version of the plug-in.
• Press Setup plug-in and in the dialog on the screen click File>Load settings.
• Enjoy.

Default plug-ins

Aston Shell is distributed with a set of plug-ins, created by its developers. Even though anyone can create his own plug-in using our open SDK we recommend to use "native" plug-ins if possible rather than ones made by independent developers, as plug-ins made by Gladiators Software are already tested for compatibility and should be more stable.

Here's the list of default plug-ins from Aston 1.9.2 package:

General plug-ins

• AClock: analog clock with glass effects, antialiased hands and date display
• aMonitor: simple resource monitor
• DisksEx: gives you an easy access to disk partitions while visually demonstrating the state of each partition's infill
• MenuEX: Start button and the Main Menu.
• Panel: a handy menu, allowing one to effeciantly organize Desktop shortcuts
• QLaunch: Quick launch replacement
• RecycleBinEx: Recycle bin, visually demonstrating the state of its infill
• Search: Basic web search plug-in
• SkinClckEx: Tray clock with a build-in calendar

Toolbar plug-ins

• CPU95nt: basic resource monitor
• NoteBk: notebook replacement with tabbed interface