To access the Plugins window, select from the main menu: Tools > Plugins
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 the tutorial below.
Installing Community Supplied Plugins
Step-by-Step
1
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:
- Rectangular Cut
- Rectangular Copy
- Rectangular Paste
- Rectangular Delete
- Rectangular Clear
- 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.
2
Open the Plugin Manager
In MPLAB® X IDE, from the main menu, select Tools > Plugins.
In the Plugins window, select the Downloads tab.
3
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.
4
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.
5
Follow Plugin Installer Prompts
The Plugin Installer wizard should launch automatically.
Click Next >
6
Accept the License Agreement
If you agree with the terms of the license, check the box next to "I accept the terms…".
Click Next >
7
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.
8
Installation Complete
Click Finish
9
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.
