console plugin framework questions

[David Jencks <da...@yahoo.com>]

I'm looking at making the geronimo plugin and deployment support in  
the console into a console plugin so I have been looking at how the  
console plugin system works.  I'm confused by a couple of interfaces  
that look to me as if they are not useful and an apparent lack of a  
dependency.

AFAICT AdminConsoleExtension and PlutoAccessInterface are only used  
inside AdminConsoleExtensionGBean, which implements both interfaces.   
I don't understand how this can be useful.

Also, AdminConsoleExtensionGBean uses PortalContainerServicesGBean  
but looks it up in the kernel directly rather than having a  
dependency on it.  There are some notes in e.g. console-jetty plan  
that the AdminConsoleExtensionGBean doesn't work there but I have to  
wonder if this is a consequence of the web apps being starting in the  
wrong order and the lack of this dependency.

I also wonder if using the web container to start spring and pluto is  
really the best plan, as it leaves PortalContainerServicesGBean  
started but without its info for some time.

I plan to investigate what happens if I remove the interfaces and use  
a dependency.  I might look into alternate ways to start pluto.  Any  
advice from those who have navigated this before would be very welcome.

thanks
david jencks