# Disco AD Compare Plugin — Architecture

## Build Environment Constraints
- **MSBuild**: `C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\MSBuild.exe` (v4.0 only)
- **C# version**: 5 — no interpolation, no `?.`, no auto-property init, no expression-bodied members
- **Target framework**: .NET 4.5
- **csproj ToolsVersion**: 4.0
- **No Visual Studio installed on build server**

## Assembly Reference Strategy
All references resolve from a single directory (`DiscoBinPath`, typically `C:\Program Files\Disco\WebApp\bin`). The build script uses a regex to rewrite all `<HintPath>` entries:
```
<HintPath>[^<]+\\([^\\<]+\.dll)</HintPath>  →  <HintPath>$DiscoBinPath\$1</HintPath>
```

## Plugin Packaging
1. Compile with MSBuild → `bin\Release\Disco.Plugins.ADCompare.dll`
2. Generate `manifest.json` (manual, no ManifestGenerator available)
3. Package DLL + PDB + manifest into `.zip`, rename to `.discoPlugin`
4. Import via Disco UI: Configuration → Plugins → Install Plugin

## Manifest Format
Must match `PluginManifest.cs` / `PluginFeatureManifest.cs` exactly:
- Top level: `Id`, `Name`, `Author`, `Url`, `Version`, `AssemblyPath`, `TypeName`, `ConfigurationHandlerTypeName`, `WebHandlerTypeName`, `Features[]`
- Each feature: `Id`, `Name`, `TypeName`, `PrimaryFeature` (bool), `CategoryTypeName` (string)
- UIExtension category: `Disco.Services.Plugins.Features.UIExtension.UIExtensionFeature``1`

## AD Comparison Logic
- `managedBy` returns a Distinguished Name (e.g. `CN=Sue Lesnjak,OU=Teachers,...`)
- Disco stores assigned users as `DOMAIN\username` (e.g. `CURRIC\09269037`)
- Comparison requires looking up the assigned user in AD to get their DN, then comparing DN-to-DN
- Devices without `DOMAIN\ComputerName` format (no backslash) are skipped to avoid API errors

## Plugin Installation Paths
- Installed: `C:\Disco\Plugins\Disco.Plugins.ADCompare\`
- Packages: `C:\Disco\PluginPackages\`
- Storage: `C:\Disco\PluginStorage\`

## Web Handler Routing
- Route pattern: `Plugin/{PluginId}/{PluginAction}` — action segment is **required**
- Dashboard: `/Plugin/Disco.Plugins.ADCompare/Run`
- Export: `/Plugin/Disco.Plugins.ADCompare/Export`
- Landing: `/Plugin/Disco.Plugins.ADCompare/Index`

## UIExtension Rendering (UNRESOLVED)
Features initialize successfully (confirmed in Disco logs). Manifest format matches working plugins. `Register()` is called in `Initialize()` override. However, panels don't render on device/user pages. Investigation needed — likely related to how `ExecuteAction` returns are consumed by Disco's Razor views, or possibly a model binding issue with `DeviceShowModel`/`UserShowModel`.