Award BIOS Editor 1.0 Plug-in SDK
=================================

This is the documentation outlining the SDK to create your own plug-ins for the
Award BIOS Editor.  The source code for the Wavedit plug-in is a good place to use
as a starting template, as the SDK documentation is pretty sparse right now.  :)

Note that this is the original 1.0 SDK API.  The next release of the Award BIOS
Editor will not use the _exact_ same API -- but it should be fairly similar.
Plug-ins which use the old API will need to be ported to the new API, and I will
try to make the transition easy.

You will need the following three files to build your plug-in:

	- awdbe_wavedit\types.h		Some basic typedefs used by the plug-in system
	- awdbedit\awdbe_exports.h	The main include necessary to access the API
	- awdbedit.lib			The library needed to link against to access the API

The awdbedit.lib library is automatically built along with the EXE when you compile the 
Award BIOS Editor sources.


The Award BIOS Editor API
-------------------------

The Award BIOS Editor is built around detection of component IDs within the BIOS image.
Each component is LZH compressed, and each component has a 16-bit ID.  Your plug-in can
either be designed to work on any ID (or a subset of IDs) whose data is recognizable,
or work directly on an ID (as its format is already pre-determined).  In cases where
the ID is unknown, your plug-in can register its type in the OnLoad() function by
iterating through the list of components and checking to see if any component's data
is recognized.

You will need to build an item list structure which tells the Editor what IDs your plug-in
supports.  Using the wavedit plug-in as an example:

awdbeItem waveditItemList[] = {
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4012, "Startup WAVE sound[0]",	0 },
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4013, "Startup WAVE sound[1]",	0 },
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4014, "Startup WAVE sound[2]",	0 },
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4015, "Startup WAVE sound[3]",	0 },
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4016, "Startup WAVE sound[4]",	0 },
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4017, "Startup WAVE sound[5]",	0 },
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4018, "Startup WAVE sound[6]",	0 },
	{ 0, AWDBE_ITEM,	0x4019, "Startup WAVE sound[7]",	0 }
};

This item list structure is defined as such:

typedef struct
{
	ulong		 hash;		// the unique 32-bit hash value of this item

	ulong		 flags;		// any of the AWDBE_* flags below
	ushort		 biosTypeID;	// the 16-bit type ID of the component to be recognized
	char		*itemName;	// a descriptive name of this item
	ulong		 userData;	// any 32-bit user storable data
} awdbeItem;

The item list's "hash" value is used internally by the Editor.  Initialize it to 0.

The "flags" value allows a combination of values in order to determine how the "itemName"
description is shown in the tree view.  If the value is simply AWDBE_ITEM, the description
is shown in the root of the tree.  If you wish to create a subfolder to insert items, create
an item with a AWDBE_SUBMENU flag.  Note that the "biosTypeID" is not used in this instance.
To insert items under the subfolder, use the AWDBE_SUBITEM flag.  If you wish to make a
different folder, simply create another item with the AWDBE_SUBMENU flag, and subsequent
items with the AWDBE_SUBITEM flag.

If your plug-in adds support for a BIOS component ID that is includable and can be added
to a BIOS image, OR in the AWDBE_INCLUDABLE bit.  The wavedit plug-in does not use this
flag because it detects data in the already defined OEM ROM groups.  Including a WAVE sound
in a BIOS image that does not support WAVE playback on BIOS startup is not exactly useful,
hence the reason the AWDBE_INCLUDABLE bit is not used.

The "biosTypeID" value is the 16-bit value used to identify which BIOS component should be
handled by your plug-in.

The "itemName" member is any description you wish to use to describe that particular item,
and the "userData" value is any 32-bit value which you may use for your internal data.


The API function list
---------------------

	void awdbeAddToItemList(ulong pluginID, awdbeItem *itemList, int itemCount);
	
This function inserts your item list into the Award BIOS Editor's internal item table.
Pass it the plug-in ID which was given to your plug-in on initialization, as well as
a pointer to the item list and the count of items.  This function may be called more
than once, if you wish to register multiple sets of items -- however, items which
have already been registered should not be added again.


	fileEntry *awdbeSearchForID(ulong pluginID, ushort ID);
	
This function searches for a particular type ID inside the currently loaded BIOS.  If
it is found, the returned fileEntry pointer points to a valid entry, otherwise it
returns NULL.


	void awdbeUpdateSelf(ulong pluginID);
	
This function tells the Editor to call your internal update function to commit changes
to the data.  This is used in the wavedit plugin when the "Play" button is pressed,
because the controls in the dialog may have been changed.  For example, if the sample
rate control's data is changed from 22050 to 44100, and the "Play" button is pressed,
this function is called to write back the modified controls data to memory, and then
the WAVE is played.  If this function is not called, pressing the "Play" button will
only play the sample at 22050 because the data has not been updated.

	
	void awdbeRefreshSelf(ulong pluginID);
	
This function tells the Editor to call your internal refresh function to update your
controls with new data.  This function is useful when one control's data has changed
which can affect the data of another control.


	void awdbeGetDialogSize(ulong pluginID, SIZE *sz);
	
This function returns the size of your client dialog in window units.


	void awdbeResizeDialog(ulong pluginID, SIZE sz);
	
This function tells the Editor to resize your dialog to the specified window units.
The built-ins plugin uses this in the EPA and fullscreen bitmap viewer to ensure that
the entire bitmap can be shown on screen.

	
	void awdbeSetModified(ulong pluginID);
	
This function sets the modified flag in the Editor, causing a '*' mark to appear next
to the filename in the title bar.


	int awdbeDoPopup(HINSTANCE hinst, LPSTR resid, int xp, int yp);
	
This function creates a popup window which follows the same design as the drop-down
menus in the Editor.  Pass it the instance handle of your plugin, the resource ID of
a menu resource, and the x and y offsets (within your client dialog), and the return
value will be the item which the user has selected, or 0 if the menu was closed (ie:
the user clicked outside the menu area).


	awdbeBIOSVersion awdbeGetBIOSVersion(ulong pluginID);
	
This function returns the version of the currently loaded BIOS image.  This can be any
of "awdbeBIOSVerUnknown" (an unknown version), "awdbeBIOSVer451PG" (v4.51PG), 
"awdbeBIOSVer600PG" (v6.00PG), or "awdbeBIOSVer60" (Phoenix-type v6.0).


Registering your plug-in
------------------------

Upon startup, the Award BIOS Editor scans the current and all subdirectories looking
for any DLLs.  If a DLL is found, a pointer to the "awdbeRegisterPlugin" function is
checked for.  If that function exists, the Editor assumes your plug-in is valid, and
calls this function to get a list of pointers to functions which will be called by
the Editor.  Your "awdbeRegisterPlugin" function should simply return a pointer to an
"awdbeFuncTable" filled out with the functions used in your code.  DllMain() is not
used by the Award BIOS Editor.


The function table
------------------

Your plug-in must support 10 different functions which will be called by the Editor.
Note that the functions in the function table *must* point to a valid function, even
if your plug-in does not plan to use that particular function.  In other words, you
cannot specify NULL for a function pointer.  Simply create a function which does
nothing and returns immediately.

A typical function table should look like the following:  (Note, I'm using the Wavedit
plug-in as an example)

awdbeFuncTable waveditTable = {
	waveditDescription,
	waveditAboutBox,

	waveditInit,
	waveditOnLoad,
	waveditDetect,
	
	waveditCreateDialog,
	waveditUpdateDialog,
	waveditRefreshDialog,
	waveditOnDestroyDialog,

	waveditOnResizeDialog
};


The description function
------------------------

	char *waveditDescription(void);
	
This function should simply return a small string describing your plug-in.  This
string is also used in the Help->About Plugins menu.


The about box function
----------------------

	void waveditAboutBox(HWND parentWnd);
	
This function is called when the user wants to view your about box.  The parentWnd
handle is a handle to a window you can use as a parent window.


The init function
-----------------

	void waveditInit(ulong pluginID);
	
This function is called when your plug-in is to be initialized.  The pluginID parameter
is a unique ID which is used to identify your plug-in.  It is also required when
calling any of the API functions.

Your init function will usually call the awdbeAddToItemList() API function.  See above
for a description on this function.


The onLoad function
-------------------

	void waveditOnLoad(fileEntry *fe, int count);

This function is called when a BIOS image is loaded.  The fileEntry pointer is an array
of fileEntry structures, each which represent a single component within the BIOS.
"count" specifies the total number of components within the image.

Typically you will use this function to update your item table based on any content or
data found in a particular component.


The detect function
-------------------

	bool waveditDetect(fileEntry *fe);
	
This function is called after the BIOS image is loaded.  Each component in the BIOS is
checked through this detect function, and each plug-in is called until one returns TRUE.
If no plug-in responds with TRUE, then the component is shown under the "Unknown Items"
group in the tree view.

If your plug-in understands the data or format type of this particular component, then
return TRUE.  Otherwise, return FALSE.


The create dialog function
--------------------------

	HWND waveditCreateDialog(awdbeItem *item, fileEntry *fe, HWND parentWnd, RECT *rc);
	
This function is called when the user has clicked on an item in the tree that your plug-in
has responded TRUE to in the detection phase.  When this function is called, your plug-in
needs to create a dialog that will be shown in the right pane, and return a handle to it.

For reference purposes, the "item" parameter is a pointer to the item clicked on in the tree,
"fe" is a pointer to the fileEntry component, "parentWnd" is a handle to a valid parent
window, and "rc" is the rectangle (in screen coordinates) at which your dialog will be
created.


The update dialog function
--------------------------

	bool waveditUpdateDialog(awdbeItem *item, fileEntry *fe, HWND dialogWnd);
	
The update dialog function is called when the Award BIOS Editor is requesting your plug-in
to modify the current components' data with any controls that may have changed in your
dialog.

When this function is called, you will need to make any changes to the data pointer passed
through the "fe" structure.  If any data has been changed, return TRUE so that the Award
BIOS Editor knows that data has been changed (a '*' mark will appear next to the filename
in the title bar to indicate this).  If no data has changed, return FALSE.


The refresh dialog function
---------------------------

	void waveditRefreshDialog(awdbeItem *item, fileEntry *fe, HWND dialogWnd);
	
The refresh dialog function is called when the Award BIOS Editor is requesting your plug-in
to refresh the current dialogs' data with the data stored in the component.  This function
is typically only called when the user "swaps out" component data with a new file.

If any changes have been made to your controls' data, discard it and refresh the data in
the controls with the new data.


The onDestroy dialog function
-----------------------------

	void waveditOnDestroyDialog(awdbeItem *item, HWND dialogWnd);

This function is called when your dialog is to be destroyed.  It is your plug-in's job to
call DeleteWindow() on the main dialog, and cleanup any child windows that may have been
created.


The onResize dialog function
----------------------------

	void waveditOnResizeDialog(awdbeItem *item, HWND dialogWnd, RECT *rc);

This function is called when the main application is being resized, or the splitter bar
is being moved.  The rectangle "rc" is given as a size, such that the left and top
components are 0 and the right and bottom components represent the new size of the dialog.


For more help
-------------

I understand this documentation is a bit lacking, but hopefully I've covered the main points
enough to get you started.  Using this along with the sample wavedit source, you should be
able to build a plug-in for the Award BIOS Editor.

If there is something you don't understand, or need more help, please visit the Public Forums
at http://sourceforge.net/projects/awdbedit/ and post a message in the Plugin Developer 
Assistance forum.  I will be happy to help you out with any issues you may have.

If you do end up creating a plug-in for the Award BIOS Editor, please let me know!  If it's
useful, I can integrate it into our source tree so everyone can use it.

Good luck!