UNIX-side plug-ins (Frame7, 8)

Question

Hi all;
Does anyone know where I can find documentation on using the apliclients file to install a UNIX-side plug-in (normal-mode Frame8). I can do 1 of two things inside apliclients:
Make the file identical for another plug-in and ours, but ours won't install ("Cannot initialize API client [OurPlugin].")
Eliminate the error message by declaring that our plug-in is an import filter.  But alas, I can't get plug-in's menu to install correctly on the menu bar.
The plug-in is not an import filter.  Instead, the plug-in maps XML to Frame tags inside a text inset (see http://www.design-reuse.com/articles/17309/ip-xact-adobe-framemaker-register-specification -system.html for something similar).  Double-click the inset and Frame calls a separate XML editor.
But setting this up as an import filter isn't working, so I'm trying to determine what options are available inside the apiclients file.  Getting any information at all on the apiclients file would also be helpful and yes, I've looked online and through the UNIX side help files.
The only other idea that comes to mind - for now - is to modify the plug-in so that it doesn't try to install a menu on the menu bar then roll-our-own menu to call functions from the plug-in.  Tho I'm not sure if that would work either.
BTW, this post is similar to post #315439, but that referred to PC Frame8 and now we're back UNIX side.  Michael, re 315439 I like your idea of using a table, but we need to get the inset read-only.  Thanks!
Any ideas will be much appreciated!
David Blyth (The UNIX and vi dinosaur)
Sr. Staff Technical Writer
QUALCOMM - standard disclaimers apply
Only 149,999,948 more years of Ruling The Earth to go

Answer 1

It is disappointing indeed, and perhaps a bit more explanation is required:
"Rosetta Mode" means that your Intel-based Mac is executing PowerPC-code instead of native Intel code. This requires that the processor has to look up every single instruction, translate it, and only then can execute it. This leads to significant performance loss. The mere fact that Apple has managed to get even somewhat (perhaps borderline) acceptable performance out of Rosetta is a testament to the ability of their engineers.
Our (cf/x) plug-ins currently are PPC-based only. Because of the nature of plug-ins (they are code that is literally plugged into the running code of the hosting application), a plug-in must always be written for the same processor as the host. iMovie can't simply cick into Rosetta and pop out of it randomly. Therefore you must run iMovie in Rosetta to run PPC-based plug-ins, or run it natively, but with non-native plug-ins disabled.
Which leaves the question why we don't have native plug-ins. The answer is that we dont have them yet as there were significant compiler issues. 'Were', as in 'past tense'. A few weeks ago we had a breakthrough, and are now busily upgrading and porting the PPC code to Universal. Progress is slow, as we need not only to bring the code to Universal, but also have to integrate and test lots of new technology. On two architectures simultaneously. But we are quite sure we'll get there eventually. As always, though, I recommend you do not base any decisions on what I or other people assert, but simply wait and see what gets delivered.
Cheers,
-ch
Please Note:
I work for cf/x, may profit from posting here, and took the liberty of shamelessly tooting our horn here.