Answer
Q) Where can I download the xxxx plugin
A) In many cases, format plugins are created and distributed by third-parties (i.e. not Safe Software). Because of this we are unable to supply these applications to you. Check out http://www.safe.com/solutions/for-applications/ to find more information about the plugin you are interested in.
Safe Software does create some plugins; for example, GDF. We are currently moving to the model where all plugins are installed with the basic FME software, then activated by special license. This way you don't have to download or install anything special. For more information on obtaining a Safe plugin contact your sales account manager directly (if you know who this is) or email sales@safe.com - the telephone number for the sales department is (+1) 604-501-9985 x 287
The exception to this scheme is VPF format, for which the plugin is too large to package with the general product. If you require the VPF plugin let us know and we'll upload a special build of FME to our web site.
This move might cause problems for users with prmsec.db style licenses (from FME2004 we moved to CRC licenses) in that upgrading to FME2005 may cause plug-ins such as GDF to be ignored. If you think this is happening to you contact
Support or request a CRC style license from codes@safe.com
Q) Where do I install a plugin?
A) In many cases, Safe plugins are installed with the basic FME software, then activated by special license.
However, when a plugin does require installation it is usually just a DLL file that you simply drop into the FME installation directory.
Q) I've just updated FME and my plugin no longer works. What can I do
A) Generally each new build of FME requires a new build of the plugins to go with it.
In many cases, Safe's plugins are installed with the basic FME software, then activated by special license. This way you won't have problems when upgrading your software.
If you do have problems then you should obtain a new version of the plugin from whoever supplied the original version.
Q) My plugin causes the error "The Java DLL 'jvm.dll' could not be located" - what is wrong
A) This problem usually occurs for users developing their own plugin.
If their plugin is implemented using the Java pluginbuilder API, it means that the Java virtual machine is not installed in a way that FME can load it. On Windows the user should ensure that their PATH environment variable includes the directory which contains the "JVM.DLL" file. On Solaris or Linux, LD_LIBRARY_PATH must include the directory containing the file "libjvm.so" (such as "/usr/java/jre/lib/sparc"). On AIX, the LIBPATH environment variable is used to locate both "libjava.a" and "libjvm.a", and may therefore have to contain two directories, as in: "/usr/java14/jre/bin:/usr/java14/jre/bin/classic".
If the user's plugin is implemented with the C++ API, the Java part of the error is not the true problem. What is happening for this message to come up is that we are unable to actually load the plugin DLL. It is failing in the loadlibrary call.
Our first suggestion is that you double check that the plugin DLL (and anything it depends on) are in the path or in the FME home directory. You can check the dependencies with a Windows tool called dependencywalker: find this tool at
www.dependencywalker.com.
Another option to help debug this is that you write a small C++ program that does the following...
handle = LoadLibrary(libraryName);
where libraryName is your DLL. Try making such a program and then running it from within the FME install directory where you'll have placed your DLLs. What happens may point to the issue.
This sort of problem would happen were you to install a new version of FME alongside an old version and managed to run one build of FME whilst pointing to the home directory of another.
Check the version of FME that the log file reports; it should say something like...
Feature Manipulation Engine Version 2004ICE (Build 1314)
FME Professional (node locked)
Permanent License.
...and then check the log file to see what is reported for FME_HOME. It should be something like...
FME Configuration: FME_HOME is `C:\Program Files\FME ICE 1314\'
If the FME_HOME folder is not the location of the version you expect to be running then this is where the problem is. You should set FME_HOME to get everything to work OK.
Another potential reason is that you have a licensing problem. Check that your license is compatible with the plugin you are trying to use.
If all of this fails to help add the command...
FME_DEBUG BADNEWS FME_STACK_TRACE
...to give extra information in the log file and send it to the Safe support team.
Make sure you include your serial number in the body of the e-mail in this format: Serial Number: xxx....
Generally we don't provide support for third-party plugins, but we may be able to help.