Addons allow you to add extra functionality to ILLiad, Ares, and Aeon. They are powerful tools that can perform a wide range of tasks such as:

Automating and customizing processes to streamline workflows
Adding search functionality in the Client for alternate resources (such as a catalog) in a web browser, through NCIP or Web API
Providing integration with offsite storage workflows and processes

Types of Addons

Atlas products support three types of addons:

Client Addons: Addons installed on local machines that run on the Client.
Server Addons: Addons stored in the database and installed via the Customization Manager that run on the System Manager.
Decision Support Pipeline (DSP) Addons: Server addons that work in conjunction with ILLiad’s DSP feature.

For a complete overview of these types of addons, see Types of Addons.

Downloading and Installing Addons

A list of the addons that are currently available for each product can be found in the Addon Directory. The installation process varies depending on the type of addon. Please use the links below to find the specific installation and configuration information for each type:

Creating Addons

The Addon Directory for each product includes addons that may be useful for your site, or you can write your own addons following the examples from the supplied addons. The addon scripting language is called LUA, and more information can be found at http://www.lua.org.

To guide your addon development, you can use the reference information found in the Addon Technical Details section of the documentation. A reference guide is also available specifically for developing DSP addons.

If you create an addon that you would like to share with your fellow Aeon, Ares, or ILLiad users, please see Submitting Addons for details on how to submit the addon for Atlas review.

Atlas and OCLC do not support default addons or user-created addons.

If you need assistance with using, troubleshooting, or writing addons, please contact Atlas Systems for a custom services quote.

Atlas reserves the right to modify or remove addons as needed and will attempt to notify the addon authors of modifications or removal when possible.

To facilitate continued addon devolvement, addon developers are encouraged to share their code in a repository (e.g. Github). This will allow others to more easily make modifications to the addon or for the repository to be transferred in the event the original addon author is unable to continue maintenance of the addon.