Updates of the dynamic plugin code.

Includes:

    - Cleanup of the plugin API, in particular generally changing
      const char* to std::string

    - Renaming environment variable BRO_PLUGINS to BRO_PLUGIN_PATH,
      defaulting to <prefix>/lib/bro/plugins

    - Reworking how dynamic plugins are searched and activated. See
      doc/devel/plugins.rst for details.

    - New @load-plugin directive to explicitly activate a plugin

    - Support for Darwin. (Linux untested right now)

    - The init-plugin updates come with support for "make test", "make
      sdist", and "make bdist" (see how-to).

    - Test updates.

Notes: The new hook mechanism, which allows plugins to hook into Bro's
core a well-defined points, is still essentially untested.

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -22,10 +22,11 @@ set(BRO_SCRIPT_SOURCE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts)
 get_filename_component(BRO_SCRIPT_INSTALL_PATH ${BRO_SCRIPT_INSTALL_PATH}
     ABSOLUTE)
 
-set(BRO_PLUGIN_INSTALL_PATH ${BRO_ROOT_DIR}/lib/bro/plugins)
+set(BRO_PLUGIN_INSTALL_PATH ${BRO_ROOT_DIR}/lib/bro/plugins CACHE STRING "Installation path for plugins" FORCE)
 set(BRO_MAGIC_INSTALL_PATH ${BRO_ROOT_DIR}/share/bro/magic)
 set(BRO_MAGIC_SOURCE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/magic/database)
 
+
 configure_file(bro-path-dev.in ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bro-path-dev)
 file(WRITE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bro-path-dev.sh
      "export BROPATH=`${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bro-path-dev`\n"

aux/bro-aux

@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 715937ad72d9158d8c3142f81ee7005601d75db8
+Subproject commit f89d870437dbbbb107fd29f1085aef070e3bf373

cmake

@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 6eb4cbfbc75f0bd13e247150b19932905a85e10c
+Subproject commit 763b6d2574294e62f116e167c564a6292206a655

config.h.in

@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
 #define HOST_ARCHITECTURE "@HOST_ARCHITECTURE@"
 
 /* String with extension of dynamic libraries (e.g., ".so") */
-#define SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX "@CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX@"
+#define DYNAMIC_PLUGIN_SUFFIX "@CMAKE_SHARED_MODULE_SUFFIX@"
 
 /* True if we're building outside of the main Bro source code tree. */
 #ifndef BRO_PLUGIN_INTERNAL_BUILD

src/BroDoc.cc

@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ static void WritePluginSectionHeading(FILE* f, const plugin::Plugin* p)
 		fprintf(f, "-");
 	fprintf(f, "\n\n");
 
-	fprintf(f, "%s\n\n", p->Description());
+	fprintf(f, "%s\n\n", p->Description().c_str());
 	}
 
 static void WriteAnalyzerComponent(FILE* f, const analyzer::Component* c)
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ static void WritePluginBifItems(FILE* f, const plugin::Plugin* p,
 		if ( o )
 			o->WriteReST(f);
 		else
-			reporter->Warning("No docs for ID: %s\n", it->GetID());
+			reporter->Warning("No docs for ID: %s\n", it->GetID().c_str());
 		}
 	}
 

src/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -389,6 +389,9 @@ install(TARGETS bro DESTINATION bin)
 set(BRO_EXE bro
     CACHE STRING "Bro executable binary" FORCE)
 
+set(BRO_EXE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bro
+    CACHE STRING "Path to Bro executable binary" FORCE)
+
 # Target to create all the autogenerated files.
 add_custom_target(generate_outputs_stage1)
 add_dependencies(generate_outputs_stage1 ${bro_ALL_GENERATED_OUTPUTS})

src/DebugLogger.cc

@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ void DebugLogger::Log(const plugin::Plugin& plugin, const char* fmt, ...)
 		return;
 
 	fprintf(file, "%17.06f/%17.06f [plugin %s] ",
-			network_time, current_time(true), plugin.Name());
+			network_time, current_time(true), plugin.Name().c_str());
 
 	va_list ap;
 	va_start(ap, fmt);

src/input.h

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ extern int brolex();
 extern char last_tok[128];
 
 extern void add_input_file(const char* file);
+extern void add_input_file_at_front(const char* file);
 
 // Adds the substrings (using the given delimiter) in a string to the
 // given namelist.

src/main.cc

@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ void usage()
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "    $BROPATH                       | file search path (%s)\n", bro_path().c_str());
 	fprintf(stderr, "    $BROMAGIC                      | libmagic mime magic database search path (%s)\n", bro_magic_path());
-	fprintf(stderr, "    $BRO_PLUGINS                   | plugin search path (%s)\n", bro_plugin_path());
+	fprintf(stderr, "    $BRO_PLUGIN_PATH               | plugin search path (%s)\n", bro_plugin_path());
 	fprintf(stderr, "    $BRO_PREFIXES                  | prefix list (%s)\n", bro_prefixes().c_str());
 	fprintf(stderr, "    $BRO_DNS_FAKE                  | disable DNS lookups (%s)\n", bro_dns_fake());
 	fprintf(stderr, "    $BRO_SEED_FILE                 | file to load seeds from (not set)\n");
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 	if ( ! bare_mode )
 		add_input_file("base/init-default.bro");
 
-	plugin_mgr->LoadPluginsFrom(bro_plugin_path());
+	plugin_mgr->SearchDynamicPlugins(bro_plugin_path());
 
 	if ( optind == argc &&
 	     read_files.length() == 0 && flow_files.length() == 0 &&
@@ -860,6 +860,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 	analyzer_mgr->InitPreScript();
 	file_mgr->InitPreScript();
 
+	if ( ! bare_mode )
+		plugin_mgr->ActivateAllDynamicPlugins();
+
 	if ( events_file )
 		event_player = new EventPlayer(events_file);
 
@@ -896,13 +899,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 	if ( reporter->Errors() > 0 )
 		exit(1);
 
+	plugin_mgr->InitPostScript();
+
 	if ( print_plugins )
 		{
 		show_plugins(print_plugins);
 		exit(1);
 		}
 
-	plugin_mgr->InitPostScript();
 	analyzer_mgr->InitPostScript();
 	file_mgr->InitPostScript();
 

src/plugin/Manager.cc

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // See the file "COPYING" in the main distribution directory for copyright.
 
 #include <sstream>
+#include <fstream>
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <glob.h>
 #include <dlfcn.h>
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@
 
 using namespace plugin;
 
+Plugin* Manager::current_plugin = 0;
 string Manager::current_dir;
 string Manager::current_sopath;
 
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@ Manager::~Manager()
 	delete [] hooks;
 	}
 
-void Manager::LoadPluginsFrom(const string& dir)
+void Manager::SearchDynamicPlugins(const std::string& dir)
 	{
 	assert(! init);
 
@@ -51,7 +53,7 @@ void Manager::LoadPluginsFrom(const string& dir)
 		std::string d;
 
 		while ( std::getline(s, d, ':') )
-			LoadPluginsFrom(d);
+			SearchDynamicPlugins(d);
 
 		return;
 		}
@@ -62,12 +64,34 @@ void Manager::LoadPluginsFrom(const string& dir)
 		return;
 		}
 
-	int rc = LoadPlugin(dir);
+	// Check if it's a plugin dirctory.
 
-	if ( rc >= 0 )
+	const std::string magic = dir + "/__bro_plugin__";
+
+	if ( is_file(magic) )
+		{
+		// It's a plugin, get it's name.
+		std::ifstream in(magic);
+
+		if ( in.fail() )
+			reporter->FatalError("cannot open plugin magic file %s", magic.c_str());
+
+		std::string name;
+		std::getline(in, name);
+		strstrip(name);
+
+		if ( name.empty() )
+			reporter->FatalError("empty plugin magic file %s", magic.c_str());
+
+		// Record it, so that we can later activate it.
+
+		dynamic_plugins.insert(std::make_pair(name, dir));
+
+		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "Found plugin %s in %s", name.c_str(), dir.c_str());
 		return;
+		}
 
-	DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "Searching directory %s recursively for plugins", dir.c_str());
+	// No plugin here, traverse subirectories.
 
 	DIR* d = opendir(dir.c_str());
 
@@ -98,22 +122,33 @@ void Manager::LoadPluginsFrom(const string& dir)
 			}
 
 		if ( st.st_mode & S_IFDIR )
-			LoadPluginsFrom(path);
+			SearchDynamicPlugins(path);
 		}
 	}
 
-int Manager::LoadPlugin(const std::string& dir)
+bool Manager::ActivateDynamicPluginInternal(const std::string& name)
 	{
-	assert(! init);
+	dynamic_plugin_map::iterator m = dynamic_plugins.find(name);
 
-	// Check if it's a plugin dirctory.
+	if ( m == dynamic_plugins.end() )
-	if ( ! is_file(dir + "/__bro_plugin__") )
+		{
-		return -1;
+		reporter->Error("plugin %s is not available", name.c_str());
+		return false;
+		}
 
-	DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "Loading plugin from %s", dir.c_str());
+	std::string dir = m->second + "/";
+
+	if ( dir.empty() )
+		{
+		// That's our marker that we have already activated this
+		// plugin. Silently ignore the new request.
+		return true;
+		}
+
+	DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "Activating plugin %s", name.c_str());
 
 	// Add the "scripts" and "bif" directories to BROPATH.
-	string scripts = dir + "/scripts";
+	std::string scripts = dir + "scripts";
 
 	if ( is_dir(scripts) )
 		{
@@ -121,44 +156,27 @@ int Manager::LoadPlugin(const std::string& dir)
 		add_to_bro_path(scripts);
 		}
 
-	string bif = dir + "/bif";
+	// Load {bif,scripts}/__load__.bro automatically.
 
-	if ( is_dir(bif) )
+	string init = dir + "lib/bif/__load__.bro";
-		{
-		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Adding %s to BROPATH", bif.c_str());
-		add_to_bro_path(bif);
-		}
-
-	// Load dylib/scripts/__load__.bro automatically.
-	string dyinit = dir + "/dylib/scripts/__load__.bro";
-
-	if ( is_file(dyinit) )
-		{
-		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Adding %s for loading", dyinit.c_str());
-		add_input_file(dyinit.c_str());
-		}
-
-	// Load scripts/__load__.bro automatically.
-	string init = scripts + "/__load__.bro";
 
 	if ( is_file(init) )
 		{
-		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Adding %s for loading", init.c_str());
+		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Loading %s", init.c_str());
-		add_input_file(init.c_str());
+		scripts_to_load.push_back(init);
 		}
 
-	// Load bif/__load__.bro automatically.
+	init = dir + "scripts/__load__.bro";
-	init = bif + "/__load__.bro";
 
 	if ( is_file(init) )
 		{
-		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Adding %s for loading", init.c_str());
+		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Loading %s", init.c_str());
-		add_input_file(init.c_str());
+		scripts_to_load.push_back(init);
 		}
 
 	// Load shared libraries.
 
-	string dypattern = dir + "/dylib/*." + HOST_ARCHITECTURE + SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX;
+	string dypattern = dir + "/lib/*." + HOST_ARCHITECTURE + DYNAMIC_PLUGIN_SUFFIX;
 
 	DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Searching for shared libraries %s", dypattern.c_str());
 
@@ -170,11 +188,10 @@ int Manager::LoadPlugin(const std::string& dir)
 			{
 			const char* path = gl.gl_pathv[i];
 
+			current_plugin = 0;
 			current_dir = dir;
 			current_sopath = path;
 			void* hdl = dlopen(path, RTLD_LAZY | RTLD_GLOBAL);
-			current_dir.clear();
-			current_sopath.clear();
 
 			if ( ! hdl )
 				{
@@ -182,6 +199,24 @@ int Manager::LoadPlugin(const std::string& dir)
 				reporter->FatalError("cannot load plugin library %s: %s", path, err ? err : "<unknown error>");
 				}
 
+			if ( ! current_plugin )
+				reporter->FatalError("load plugin library %s did not instantiate a plugin", path);
+
+			// We execute the pre-script initialization here; this in
+			// fact could be *during* script initialization if we got
+			// triggered via @load-plugin.
+			current_plugin->InitPreScript();
+
+			// Make sure the name the plugin reports is consistent with
+			// what we expect from its magic file.
+			if ( string(current_plugin->Name()) != name )
+				reporter->FatalError("inconsistent plugin name: %s vs %s",
+						     current_plugin->Name().c_str(), name.c_str());
+
+			current_dir.clear();
+			current_sopath.clear();
+			current_plugin = 0;
+
 			DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  Loaded %s", path);
 			}
 		}
@@ -189,10 +224,42 @@ int Manager::LoadPlugin(const std::string& dir)
 	else
 		{
 		DBG_LOG(DBG_PLUGINS, "  No shared library found");
-		return 1;
 		}
 
-	return 1;
+	// Mark this plugin as activated by clearing the path.
+	m->second.clear();
+
+	return true;
+	}
+
+bool Manager::ActivateDynamicPlugin(const std::string& name)
+	{
+	if ( ! ActivateDynamicPluginInternal(name) )
+		return false;
+
+	UpdateInputFiles();
+	return true;
+	}
+
+bool Manager::ActivateAllDynamicPlugins()
+	{
+	for ( dynamic_plugin_map::const_iterator i = dynamic_plugins.begin();
+	      i != dynamic_plugins.end(); i++ )
+		{
+		if ( ! ActivateDynamicPluginInternal(i->first) )
+			return false;
+		}
+
+	UpdateInputFiles();
+
+	return true;
+	}
+
+void Manager::UpdateInputFiles()
+	{
+	for ( file_list::const_reverse_iterator i = scripts_to_load.rbegin();
+	      i != scripts_to_load.rend(); i++ )
+		add_input_file_at_front((*i).c_str());
 	}
 
 static bool plugin_cmp(const Plugin* a, const Plugin* b)
@@ -205,11 +272,13 @@ bool Manager::RegisterPlugin(Plugin *plugin)
 	Manager::PluginsInternal()->push_back(plugin);
 
 	if ( current_dir.size() && current_sopath.size() )
+		// A dynamic plugin, record its location.
 		plugin->SetPluginLocation(current_dir.c_str(), current_sopath.c_str());
 
 	// Sort plugins by name to make sure we have a deterministic order.
 	PluginsInternal()->sort(plugin_cmp);
 
+	current_plugin = plugin;
 	return true;
 	}
 
@@ -220,7 +289,6 @@ void Manager::InitPreScript()
 	for ( plugin_list::iterator i = Manager::PluginsInternal()->begin(); i != Manager::PluginsInternal()->end(); i++ )
 		{
 		Plugin* plugin = *i;
-
 		plugin->InitPreScript();
 		}
 
@@ -333,7 +401,7 @@ void Manager::DisableHook(HookType hook, Plugin* plugin)
 		}
 	}
 
-int Manager::HookLoadFile(const char* file)
+int Manager::HookLoadFile(const string& file)
 	{
 	hook_list* l = hooks[HOOK_LOAD_FILE];
 

src/plugin/Manager.h

@@ -40,17 +40,41 @@ public:
 	virtual ~Manager();
 
 	/**
-	 * Loads all plugins dynamically from a set of directories. Multiple
+	 * Searches a set of directories for plugins. If a specificed
-	 * directories are split by ':'. If a directory does not contain a
+	 * directory does not contain a plugin itself, the method searches
-	 * plugin itself, the method searches for plugins recursively. For
+	 * for plugins recursively. For plugins found, the method makes them
-	 * plugins found, the method loads the plugin's shared library and
+	 * available for later activation via ActivatePlugin().
-	 * makes its scripts available to the interpreter.
 	 *
 	 * This must be called only before InitPluginsPreScript().
 	 *
-	 * @param dir The directory to search for plugins.
+	 * @param dir The directory to search for plugins. Multiple
+	 * directories are split by ':'.
 	 */
-	void LoadPluginsFrom(const std::string& dir);
+	void SearchDynamicPlugins(const std::string& dir);
+
+	/**
+	 * Activates a plugin that SearchPlugins() has previously discovered.
+	 * Activing a plugin involved loading its dynamic module, making its
+	 * bifs available, and adding its script paths to BROPATH.
+	 *
+	 * @param name The name of the plugin, as determined previously by
+	 * SearchPlugin().
+	 *
+	 * @return True if the plugin has been loaded successfully.
+	 *
+	 */
+	bool ActivateDynamicPlugin(const std::string& name);
+
+	/**
+	 * Activates all plugins that SearchPlugins() has previously
+	 * discovered. The effect is the same all calling \a
+	 * ActivePlugin(name) for every plugin.
+	 *
+	 * @return True if all plugins have been loaded successfully. If one
+	 * fail to load, the method stops there without loading any furthers
+	 * and returns false.
+	 */
+	bool ActivateAllDynamicPlugins();
 
 	/**
 	 * First-stage initializion of the manager. This is called early on
@@ -148,7 +172,7 @@ public:
 	 * successfully; 0 if a plugin took over the file but had trouble
 	 * loading it; and -1 if no plugin was interested in the file at all.
 	 */
-	virtual int HookLoadFile(const char* file);
+	virtual int HookLoadFile(const string& file);
 
 	/**
 	 * Hook that filters calls to a script function/event/hook.
@@ -196,40 +220,37 @@ public:
 	 */
 	static bool RegisterPlugin(Plugin* plugin);
 
-protected:
-	/**
-	 * Loads a plugin dynamically from a given directory. It loads the
-	 * plugin's shared library, and makes its scripts available to the
-	 * interpreter. Different from LoadPluginsFrom() this method does not
-	 * further descend the directory tree recursively to search for
-	 * plugins.
-	 *
-	 * This must be called only before InitPluginsPreScript()
-	 *
-	 * @param file The path to the plugin to load.
-	 *
-	 * @return 0 if there's a plugin in this directory, but there was a
-	 * problem loading it; -1 if there's no plugin at all in this
-	 * directory; 1 if there's a plugin in this directory and we loaded
-	 * it successfully.
-	 */
-	int LoadPlugin(const std::string& dir);
-
 private:
+	bool ActivateDynamicPluginInternal(const std::string& name);
+	void UpdateInputFiles();
+
+	 // All found dynamic plugins, mapping their names to base directory.
+	typedef std::map<std::string, std::string> dynamic_plugin_map;
+	dynamic_plugin_map dynamic_plugins;
+
+	// We buffer scripts to load temporarliy to get them to load in the
+	// right order.
+	typedef std::list<std::string> file_list;
+	file_list scripts_to_load;
+
+	bool init;
+
 	// A hook list keeps pairs of plugin and priority interested in a
 	// given hook.
 	typedef std::list<std::pair<int, Plugin*> > hook_list;
 
-	static plugin_list* PluginsInternal();
-
-	bool init;
-
 	// An array indexed by HookType. An entry is null if there's no hook
 	// of that type enabled.
 	hook_list** hooks;
 
+	static Plugin* current_plugin;
 	static string current_dir;
 	static string current_sopath;
+
+	// Returns a modifiable list of all plugins, both static and dynamic.
+	// This is a static method so that plugins can register themselves
+	// even before the manager exists.
+	static plugin_list* PluginsInternal();
 };
 
 template<class T>

src/plugin/Plugin.cc

@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@ const char* hook_name(HookType h)
 	return hook_names[int(h)];
 	}
 
-BifItem::BifItem(const char* arg_id, Type arg_type)
+BifItem::BifItem(const std::string& arg_id, Type arg_type)
 	{
-	id = copy_string(arg_id);
+	id = arg_id;
 	type = arg_type;
 	}
 
 BifItem::BifItem(const BifItem& other)
 	{
-	id = copy_string(other.id);
+	id = other.id;
 	type = other.type;
 	}
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ BifItem& BifItem::operator=(const BifItem& other)
 	{
 	if ( this != &other )
 		{
-		id = copy_string(other.id);
+		id = other.id;
 		type = other.type;
 		}
 
@@ -51,20 +51,19 @@ BifItem& BifItem::operator=(const BifItem& other)
 
 BifItem::~BifItem()
 	{
-	delete [] id;
 	}
 
 Plugin::Plugin()
 	{
-	name = copy_string("<NAME-NOT-SET>");
+	name = "<NAME-NOT-SET>";
-	description = copy_string("");
+	description = "";
 
 	// These will be reset by the BRO_PLUGIN_* macros.
 	version = -9999;
 	api_version = -9999;
 	dynamic = false;
-	base_dir = 0;
+	base_dir = "";
-	sopath = 0;
+	sopath = "";
 
 	Manager::RegisterPlugin(this);
 	}
@@ -72,33 +71,26 @@ Plugin::Plugin()
 Plugin::~Plugin()
 	{
 	Done();
-
-	delete [] name;
-	delete [] description;
-	delete [] base_dir;
-	delete [] sopath;
 	}
 
-const char* Plugin::Name() const
+const std::string& Plugin::Name() const
 	{
 	return name;
 	}
 
-void Plugin::SetName(const char* arg_name)
+void Plugin::SetName(const std::string& arg_name)
 	{
-	delete [] name;
+	name = arg_name;
-	name = copy_string(arg_name);
 	}
 
-const char* Plugin::Description() const
+const std::string& Plugin::Description() const
 	{
 	return description;
 	}
 
-void Plugin::SetDescription(const char* arg_description)
+void Plugin::SetDescription(const std::string& arg_description)
 	{
-	delete [] description;
+	description = arg_description;
-	description = copy_string(arg_description);
 	}
 
 int Plugin::Version() const
@@ -121,12 +113,12 @@ bool Plugin::DynamicPlugin() const
 	return dynamic;
 	}
 
-const char* Plugin::PluginDirectory() const
+const std::string& Plugin::PluginDirectory() const
 	{
 	return base_dir;
 	}
 
-const char* Plugin::PluginPath() const
+const std::string& Plugin::PluginPath() const
 	{
 	return sopath;
 	}
@@ -141,12 +133,10 @@ void Plugin::SetDynamicPlugin(bool arg_dynamic)
 	dynamic = arg_dynamic;
 	}
 
-void Plugin::SetPluginLocation(const char* arg_dir, const char* arg_sopath)
+void Plugin::SetPluginLocation(const std::string& arg_dir, const std::string& arg_sopath)
 	{
-	delete [] base_dir;
+	base_dir = arg_dir;
-	delete [] sopath;
+	sopath = arg_sopath;
-	base_dir = copy_string(arg_dir);
-	sopath = copy_string(arg_sopath);
 	}
 
 void Plugin::InitPreScript()
@@ -197,9 +187,9 @@ static bool component_cmp(const Component* a, const Component* b)
 	return a->Name() < b->Name();
 	}
 
-bool Plugin::LoadBroFile(const char* file)
+bool Plugin::LoadBroFile(const std::string& file)
 	{
-	::add_input_file(file);
+	::add_input_file(file.c_str());
 	return true;
 	}
 
@@ -208,7 +198,7 @@ void Plugin::__AddBifInitFunction(bif_init_func c)
 	bif_inits.push_back(c);
 	}
 
-void Plugin::AddBifItem(const char* name, BifItem::Type type)
+void Plugin::AddBifItem(const std::string& name, BifItem::Type type)
 	{
 	BifItem bi(name, (BifItem::Type)type);
 	bif_items.push_back(bi);
@@ -238,7 +228,7 @@ void Plugin::DisableHook(HookType hook)
 	plugin_mgr->DisableHook(hook, this);
 	}
 
-int Plugin::HookLoadFile(const char* file)
+int Plugin::HookLoadFile(const std::string& file)
 	{
 	return -1;
 	}
@@ -266,7 +256,7 @@ void Plugin::Describe(ODesc* d) const
 	d->Add("Plugin: ");
 	d->Add(name);
 
-	if ( description && *description )
+	if ( description.size() )
 		{
 		d->Add(" - ");
 		d->Add(description);

src/plugin/Plugin.h

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public:
 	 *
 	 * @param type The type of the item.
 	 */
-	BifItem(const char* id, Type type);
+	BifItem(const std::string& id, Type type);
 
 	/**
 	 * Copy constructor.
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public:
 	/**
 	 * Returns the script-level ID as passed into the constructor.
 	 */
-	const char* GetID() const	{ return id; }
+	const std::string& GetID() const	{ return id; }
 
 	/**
 	 * Returns the type as passed into the constructor.
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public:
 	Type GetType() const	{ return type; }
 
 private:
-	const char* id;
+	std::string id;
 	Type type;
 };
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ public:
 	typedef std::list<Component *> component_list;
 	typedef std::list<BifItem> bif_item_list;
 	typedef std::list<std::pair<HookType, int> > hook_list;
-	typedef std::list<std::pair<const char*, int> > bif_init_func_result;
+	typedef std::list<std::pair<std::string, int> > bif_init_func_result;
 	typedef void (*bif_init_func)(Plugin *);
 
 	/**
@@ -129,12 +129,12 @@ public:
 	/**
 	 * Returns the name of the plugin.
 	 */
-	const char* Name() const;
+	const std::string& Name() const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Returns a short textual description of the plugin, if provided.
 	 */
-	const char* Description() const;
+	const std::string& Description() const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Returns the version of the plugin. Version are only meaningful for
@@ -152,13 +152,13 @@ public:
 	 * For dynamic plugins, returns the base directory from which it was
 	 * loaded. For static plugins, returns null.
 	 **/
-	const char* PluginDirectory() const;
+	const std::string& PluginDirectory() const;
 
 	/**
 	 * For dynamic plugins, returns the full path to the shared library
 	 * from which it was loaded. For static plugins, returns null.
 	 **/
-	const char* PluginPath() const;
+	const std::string& PluginPath() const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Returns the internal API version that this plugin relies on. Only
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ public:
 	 *
 	 * @param type The item's type.
 	 */
-	void AddBifItem(const char* name, BifItem::Type type);
+	void AddBifItem(const std::string& name, BifItem::Type type);
 
 	/**
 	 * Adds a file to the list of files that Bro loads at startup. This
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ public:
 	 * @return True if successful (which however may only mean
 	 * "successfully queued").
 	 */
-	bool LoadBroFile(const char* file);
+	bool LoadBroFile(const std::string& file);
 
 	/**
 	 * Internal function adding an entry point for registering
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ protected:
 	 * printed an error message); and -1 if the plugin wasn't interested
 	 * in the file at all.
 	 */
-	virtual int HookLoadFile(const char* file);
+	virtual int HookLoadFile(const std::string& file);
 
 	/**
 	 * Hook into executing a script-level function/event/hook. Whenever
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ protected:
 	 *
 	 * @param name The name. Makes a copy internally.
 	 */
-	void SetName(const char* name);
+	void SetName(const std::string& name);
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the plugin's textual description.
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ protected:
 	 *
 	 * @param name The description. Makes a copy internally.
 	 */
-	void SetDescription(const char* descr);
+	void SetDescription(const std::string& descr);
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the plugin's version.
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ protected:
 	 * @param sopath The full path the shared library loaded. The
 	 * functions makes an internal copy of string.
 	 */
-	void SetPluginLocation(const char* dir, const char* sopath);
+	void SetPluginLocation(const std::string& dir, const std::string& sopath);
 
 private:
 	/**
@@ -465,10 +465,10 @@ private:
 
 	typedef std::list<bif_init_func> bif_init_func_list;
 
-	const char* name;
+	std::string name;
-	const char* description;
+	std::string description;
-	const char* base_dir;
+	std::string base_dir;
-	const char* sopath;
+	std::string sopath;
 	int version;
 	int api_version;
 	bool dynamic;

src/scan.l

@@ -407,6 +407,11 @@ when	return TOK_WHEN;
 		                new_sig_file);
 	}
 
+@load-plugin{WS}{ID} {
+	const char* plugin = skip_whitespace(yytext + 12);
+    plugin_mgr->ActivateDynamicPlugin(plugin);
+}
+
 @unload{WS}{FILE}	{
 	// Skip "@unload".
 	const char* new_file = skip_whitespace(yytext + 7);
@@ -829,6 +834,17 @@ void add_input_file(const char* file)
 		input_files.append(copy_string(file));
 	}
 
+void add_input_file_at_front(const char* file)
+	{
+	if ( ! file )
+		reporter->InternalError("empty filename");
+
+	if ( ! filename )
+		(void) load_files(file);
+	else
+        	input_files.insert(copy_string(file));
+	}
+
 void add_to_name_list(char* s, char delim, name_list& nl)
 	{
 	while ( s )

src/util.cc

@@ -664,6 +664,13 @@ string strreplace(const string& s, const string& o, const string& n)
 	return r;
 }
 
+std::string strstrip(std::string s)
+	{
+	s.erase(s.begin(), std::find_if(s.begin(), s.end(), std::not1(std::ptr_fun<int, int>(std::isspace))));
+	s.erase(std::find_if(s.rbegin(), s.rend(), std::not1(std::ptr_fun<int, int>(std::isspace))).base(), s.end());
+	return s;
+	}
+
 int hmac_key_set = 0;
 uint8 shared_hmac_md5_key[16];
 
@@ -942,7 +949,7 @@ const char* bro_magic_path()
 
 const char* bro_plugin_path()
 	{
-	const char* path = getenv("BRO_PLUGINS");
+	const char* path = getenv("BRO_PLUGIN_PATH");
 
 	if ( ! path )
 		path = BRO_PLUGIN_INSTALL_PATH;

src/util.h

@@ -155,6 +155,9 @@ bool is_file(const std::string& path);
 // Replaces all occurences of *o* in *s* with *n*.
 extern std::string strreplace(const std::string& s, const std::string& o, const std::string& n);
 
+// Remove all leading and trainling white space from string.
+extern std::string strstrip(std::string s);
+
 extern uint8 shared_hmac_md5_key[16];
 
 extern int hmac_key_set;

testing/btest/core/plugins/analyzer.bro

@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # @TEST-EXEC: ${DIST}/aux/bro-aux/plugin-support/init-plugin Demo Foo
 # @TEST-EXEC: cp -r %DIR/analyzer-plugin/* .
 # @TEST-EXEC: make BRO=${DIST}
-# @TEST-EXEC: BROPLUGINS=`pwd` bro -NN | awk '/^Plugin:.*Demo/ {p=1; print; next} /^Plugin:/{p=0} p==1{print}' >>output
+# @TEST-EXEC: BRO_PLUGIN_PATH=`pwd` bro -NN | awk '/^Plugin:.*Demo/ {p=1; print; next} /^Plugin:/{p=0} p==1{print}' >>output
 # @TEST-EXEC: echo === >>output
-# @TEST-EXEC: BROPLUGINS=`pwd` bro -r $TRACES/port4242.trace %INPUT >>output
+# @TEST-EXEC: BRO_PLUGIN_PATH=`pwd` bro -r $TRACES/port4242.trace %INPUT >>output
 # @TEST-EXEC: btest-diff output
 
 event foo_message(c: connection, data: string)

testing/btest/core/plugins/test-plugin.sh

@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 # @TEST-EXEC: ${DIST}/aux/bro-aux/plugin-support/init-plugin Demo Foo
 # @TEST-EXEC: bash %INPUT
 # @TEST-EXEC: make BRO=${DIST}
-# @TEST-EXEC: BROPLUGINS=`pwd` bro -NN | awk '/^Plugin:.*Demo/ {p=1; print; next} /^Plugin:/{p=0} p==1{print}' >>output
+# @TEST-EXEC: BRO_PLUGIN_PATH=`pwd` bro -NN | awk '/^Plugin:.*Demo/ {p=1; print; next} /^Plugin:/{p=0} p==1{print}' >>output
 # @TEST-EXEC: echo === >>output
-# @TEST-EXEC: BROPLUGINS=`pwd` bro -r $TRACES/empty.trace >>output
+# @TEST-EXEC: BRO_PLUGIN_PATH=`pwd` bro -r $TRACES/empty.trace >>output
 # @TEST-EXEC: echo === >>output
-# @TEST-EXEC: BROPLUGINS=`pwd` bro demo/foo -r $TRACES/empty.trace >>output
+# @TEST-EXEC: BRO_PLUGIN_PATH=`pwd` bro demo/foo -r $TRACES/empty.trace >>output
 # @TEST-EXEC: btest-diff output
 
 cat >scripts/__load__.bro <<EOF