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The Frosty Toolsuite plugin system allows you to extend the editor and mod manager with custom functionality. Plugins can add asset editors, context menu actions, custom handlers, and more.

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What Can Plugins Do?

Plugins extend Frosty’s functionality by:
  • Custom Asset Editors - Create specialized editors for game asset types
  • Asset Definitions - Define how assets are displayed, imported, and exported
  • Context Menu Actions - Add right-click actions in the Data Explorer
  • Menu Extensions - Add custom menu items to the editor
  • Custom Handlers - Handle special processing for specific asset types
  • Execution Actions - Run code before/after mod execution
  • Type Editors - Provide custom UI for editing specific data types

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Plugin Architecture

Plugins are .NET assemblies (DLL files) placed in the Plugins/ directory. The PluginManager discovers and loads plugins at startup.

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Plugin Lifecycle

1

Discovery

The PluginManager scans the Plugins/ directory for DLL files at startup.
2

Loading

Assemblies are loaded and their attributes are read to determine what extensions they provide.
3

Startup Phase

Startup-level extensions are registered (profiles, type overrides, global type editors).
4

Initialization Phase

After a game profile is loaded, game-specific extensions are registered (asset definitions, editors, custom handlers).

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Load Types

Plugins have two load phases controlled by the PluginLoadType enum: Startup - Loaded before any game profile:
  • Profiles
  • Type overrides
  • Global type editors
  • Startup actions
Initialize - Loaded after profile selection:
  • Asset definitions
  • Custom handlers
  • Menu extensions
  • Tab extensions
  • Context menu extensions
  • Execution actions

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Plugin Manager Types

Plugins can target different parts of Frosty: 
public enum PluginManagerType
{
    Editor,      // Frosty Editor
    ModManager,  // Frosty Mod Manager
    Both         // Both applications
}
Most attributes accept a PluginManagerType parameter to control where the extension loads.

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Core Classes

From ~/workspace/source/FrostyPlugin/Plugin.cs:8: 
public class Plugin
{
    public string Author { get; }         // From PluginAuthorAttribute
    public Assembly Assembly { get; }     // The loaded plugin assembly
    public string Name { get; }           // From PluginDisplayNameAttribute
    public string Version { get; }        // From PluginVersionAttribute
    public PluginLoadStatus Status { get; }  // Load success/failure status
}

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Example Plugin Structure

A typical plugin project structure: 
MyPlugin/
├── Properties/
│   └── AssemblyInfo.cs          # Plugin metadata and registrations
├── MyAssetDefinition.cs         # Asset definition class
├── MyAssetEditor.cs             # Custom editor
└── MyPlugin.csproj

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Getting Started

Create a Plugin

Step-by-step guide to building your first plugin

Asset Editors

Learn to create custom asset editors

Custom Actions

Add context menu items and commands

Attributes Reference

Complete plugin attribute reference

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Plugin Discovery

From ~/workspace/source/FrostyPlugin/PluginManager.cs:139: 
foreach (string item in Directory.EnumerateFiles("Plugins", "*.dll", SearchOption.AllDirectories))
{
    FileInfo fileInfo = new FileInfo(item);
    m_plugins.Add(LoadPlugin(fileInfo.FullName, PluginLoadType.Startup));
}
The PluginManager recursively searches for all .dll files in the Plugins/ directory and its subdirectories.

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Profile Validation

Plugins can specify which game profiles they support using attributes: 
// Only load for Star Wars Battlefront II
[assembly: PluginValidForProfile((int)ProfileVersion.StarWarsBattlefrontII)]

// Don't load for Anthem
[assembly: PluginNotValidForProfile((int)ProfileVersion.Anthem)]
Without these attributes, plugins load for all profiles by default.

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Next Steps

Creating Your First Plugin

Follow the step-by-step guide to create a functional plugin with a custom asset editor

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