Development/Tutorials/Writing kontact plugins

Kontact plugins are KParts that get loaded at runtime. To integrate your KPart into kontact, you will need to have a .desktop file like this:

ls /home/kde-devel/kde/share/kde4/services/kontact/
akregatorplugin.desktop     knotesplugin.desktop
akregatorplugin3.2.desktop  korganizerplugin.desktop
journalplugin.desktop       newstickerplugin.desktop
kaddressbookplugin.desktop  plannerplugin.desktop
karmplugin.desktop          specialdatesplugin.desktop
kmailplugin.desktop         summaryplugin.desktop
kmobiletools.desktop        todoplugin.desktop
knodeplugin.desktop         weatherplugin.desktop

Writing a KPart

The following is what you do

• write a subclass mypart of KParts::Part
  • because setWidget is protected
  • use a Widget in it and use setWidget to get your widget into the KPart
• write a subclass mypartmainwindow of KParts::MainWindow
  • because createGUI is protected
• write main.cpp
  • use new mypart(mw) to get your part into your main window

Using your kPart

You can use konqueror to display your kpart: konqueror -> Settings -> Configure Konqueror -> Web browsing -> Plugins

See also

• http://pim.kde.org/development/tutorials/creatingplugins.php - tutorial for KDE 3
• http://api.kde.org/4.x-api/kdelibs-apidocs/kparts/html/classKParts_1_1MainWindow.html - the mainwindow where you display your kpart in