Extending the Elvis 6 functionality with plug-ins

Plug-ins are one of the ways of extending the functionality of Elvis. They make it possible to schedule regularly occurring tasks in Elvis Server, or add buttons, menus or panels to the Pro client and/or the Brand portal.

Plug-in types

Various types of plug-ins exist:

• Schedule plug-ins are automated server tasks that require no user interaction. They are typically used to:
• Integrate external systems in Elvis Server
• Import assets (including from other DAM systems)
• Export assets
• Move or delete assets based on metadata values

For more information, see Scheduling tasks in Elvis 6 with Schedule plug-ins.

• Action plug-ins are used for adding custom menus and buttons to the Pro client and/or Brand portal with which windows or tabs can be opened that contain specific features or integrations. Examples of using them include:
• Converting images or videos to a different format
• Creating approval workflows
• Searching external sources
• Printing assets on a contact sheet

For more information, see Adding custom functionality to Elvis 6 by using Action plug-ins.

• Panel plug-ins add functionality to the Pro client in the form of a panel. After selecting one or more assets, specific information about these assets is shown in the panel or a specific action can be applied to the assets from within the panel. Use Panel plug-ins to:
• Display additional information such as from an external PIM system
• Display reporting or analytics data about various ways in which assets are used
• Apply a pre-defined set of metadata values, such as copyright information

For more information, see Adding custom functionality to the Pro client of Elvis 6 by using Panel plug-ins.

• API plug-ins make it possible to route API requests through Elvis Server instead of directly to an API of an external service, thereby making it possible to use the security and authentication features of Elvis Server.

For more information, see Routing API requests through Elvis 6 using API plug-ins.

Sample plug-ins

To get you started, various sample plug-ins are provided with Elvis Server. These show typical use cases such as an upload portal, a Web CMS integration, contact sheets, reports, and more.

For more information, see Elvis 6 sample plug-ins.

Installing and managing plug-ins

For information about installing and managing plug-ins, see Installing and managing plug-ins in Elvis 6.

Plug-in overview

An overview of each available plug-in type and its status is available in the Management Console.

For more information, see Using the Management Console of Elvis 6.