Code examples are standalone EXE-file programs that connect to PC Automation from the outside, as a separate process. They're available in 3 programming languages - Delphi, C# and VB - in the code-examples folder.

An EXE-file can be placed and run anywhere, as long as PC Automation is installed on the same computer.

Plugin templates compile into a DLL-file that runs in-process, inside PC Automation itself. Plugin templates are available in Delphi and C#, also in the code-examples folder. The C# plugin template compiles under .NET Core and includes a modal-window sample. Step-by-step instructions for building your own plugin are in HowToCreateAPlugin (C#) and HowToCreateAPluginDelphi (Delphi), alongside each template.

A DLL-file only runs from within PC Automation, and has to be placed in PC Automation's root directory. A MIF-file has to be placed in that same root directory alongside it.

To install the MIF-file, start PC Automation and select "Modules..." from the file menu (click here to see where). Once installed, a new menu item appears in the Tools menu (see this picture).

A MIF-file is structured much like an .ini-file: it tells PC Automation where to find the attached DLL, and holds the menu text shown in the Tools menu and popup menu (in several languages), plus any parameters passed to the DLL. An example MIF-file is included in the code examples.

There's a major performance difference between the two: a DLL run from within PC Automation can be at least 100 times faster than the same code compiled to an EXE-file.