What's the ThingPackage in metadata.xml ?

[seanccc]

Hi, 

I'm writing a Java extension and editing the metadata.xml,  but I don't understand what the term ThingPackage stands for .  

According to the XML structure , the ThingTemplate must refer to ThingPackage which defines the name of the classname, while ThingShape can define classname directly.  

What's the relationship among ThingPackage, ThingTemplate ,ThingShape and Thing ? 

<ThingPackages>
  <ThingPackage className="" description="" name=""/>
</ThingPackages>
<ThingTemplates>
  <ThingTemplate aspect.isEditableExtensionObject="false"
    description=""
    name="" thingPackage=""/>
</ThingTemplates>
<ThingShapes>
  <ThingShape aspect.isEditableExtensionObject="false" className="" description="" name=""/>
</ThingShape

Regards,

Sean

[SachinSharma]

Please refer following post for your query,

What is ThingPackage

Updating metadata.xml

[seanccc]

@SachinSharma ,

The 1st link What is ThingPackage  points to this post itself ,  could you update the link ? 

Thanks,

Sean

[SachinSharma]

My mistake, I have updated the post with correct link.

[seanccc]

@SachinSharma ,

So ThingPackage means Script handler ?  it's hard to link it with the term "Package".  Sorry I checked the post but still don't get it.   

And ThingPackage is not visible/necessary when creating a ThingTemplate in ThingWorx composer,  why the configuration becomes visible/necessary when creating ThingTemplate from extension ?  

Regards,

Sean

[SachinSharma]

@seanccc 

I found some more information around ThingPackage in ThingWorx Extension Development Guide,

Each Java-based thing template must have two entries in the metadata.xml
file:
• A <ThingPackage> element under the
<Entities><ThingPackages> element, which specifies the class name
of the thing template
• A <ThingTemplate> element under the
<Entities><ThingTemplates> element, which refers to the name of
the thing package.

Regards,

Sachin

[seanccc]

@SachinSharma ,

The guide just tell me to follow the guide but it doesn't tell me what the term "ThingPackage" stands for .   It's fine to follow it but I still has the question and cannot understand it .

Regards,

Sean