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>Chapter 1. Preface</TD
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><A
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>1.3. Structure of This Guide</A
></H1
><P
> To help you navigate through this guide, it is divided into several large
parts. Each part addresses a particular broad topic concerning <SPAN
CLASS="application"
>GStreamer</SPAN
>
plugin development. The parts of this guide are laid out in the following
order:
</P
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><UL
><LI
><P
> <A
HREF="part-building.html"
>Building a Filter</A
> -
Introduction to the structure of a plugin, using an example audio
filter for illustration.
</P
><P
> This part covers all the basic steps you generally need to perform to
build a plugin. The discussion begins by giving examples of generating
the basic structures with <A
HREF="chapter-building-boiler.html"
>Constructing the Boilerplate</A
>. Then
you will learn how to write the code to get a basic filter plugin
working: These steps include chapters on <A
HREF="chapter-building-types.html"
>Chapter 13</A
>, <A
HREF="chapter-building-pads.html"
>Chapter 4</A
>,
<A
HREF="chapter-building-chainfn.html"
>Chapter 5</A
>, and (WRITEME: building state).
</P
><P
> After you have finished the first steps, you will be able to create a
working plugin, but your new plugin might not have all the
functionality you need. To provide some standard functionality, you
will learn how to add more features to a new plugin. These features
are described in the chapters on
(WRITEME)
and <A
HREF="chapter-building-signals.html"
>Chapter 8</A
>. Finally, you will see in
(WRITEME)
how to write a short test
application to try out your new plugin.
</P
></LI
><LI
><P
> <A
HREF="part-advanced.html"
>Advanced Filter Concepts</A
> -
Information on advanced features of <SPAN
CLASS="application"
>GStreamer</SPAN
> plugin development.
</P
><P
> After learning about the basic steps, you should be able to create a
functional audio or video filter plugin with some nice features.
However, <SPAN
CLASS="application"
>GStreamer</SPAN
> offers more for plugin writers. This part of the
guide includes chapters on more advanced topics, such as <A
HREF="chapter-advanced-request.html"
>Chapter 14</A
>, . Since these features are more advanced,
the chapters can basically be read in any order, as you find that your
plugins require these features.
</P
></LI
><LI
><P
> <A
HREF="part-other.html"
>Other Element Types</A
> - Explanation
of writing other plugin types.
</P
><P
> Because the first two parts of the guide use an audio filter as an
example, the concepts introduced apply to filter plugins. But many of
the concepts apply equally to other plugin types, including sources,
sinks, and autopluggers. This part of the guide presents the issues
that arise when working on these more specialized plugin types. The
part includes chapters on <A
HREF="chapter-other-source.html"
>Writing a Source</A
>, <A
HREF="chapter-other-sink.html"
>Writing a Sink</A
>, and
<A
HREF="chapter-other-autoplugger.html"
>Writing an Autoplugger</A
>.
</P
></LI
><LI
><P
> <A
HREF="part-appendix.html"
>Appendices</A
> - Further
information for plugin developers.
</P
><P
> The appendices contain some information that stubbornly refuses to fit
cleanly in other sections of the guide. This information includes
(WRITEME) and
FIXME: organize better.
</P
></LI
></UL
><P
> The remainder of this introductory part of the guide presents a short
overview of the basic concepts involved in <SPAN
CLASS="application"
>GStreamer</SPAN
> plugin development.
Topics covered include <A
HREF="chapter-intro-basics.html#section-basics-elements"
>Elements and Plugins</A
>, <A
HREF="section-basics-pads.html"
>Pads</A
>, <A
HREF="section-basics-data.html"
>Data, Buffers and Events</A
> and
<A
HREF="section-basics-types.html"
>Types and Properties</A
>. If you are already familiar with
this information, you can use this short overview to refresh your memory,
or you can skip to <A
HREF="part-building.html"
>Building a Filter</A
>.
</P
><P
> As you can see, there a lot to learn, so let's get started!
</P
><P
></P
><UL
><LI
><P
> Creating compound and complex elements by extending from a GstBin.
This will allow you to create plugins that have other plugins embedded
in them.
</P
></LI
><LI
><P
> Adding new mime-types to the registry along with typedetect functions.
This will allow your plugin to operate on a completely new media type.
</P
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