---
title: "Getting Started"
slug: "getting-started"
updated: 2020-04-16T21:24:09Z
published: 2020-04-16T21:24:09Z
canonical: "onpremises.webtrends.help/getting-started"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://onpremises.webtrends.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting Started

## How C Plug-Ins Work

The following steps describe how Webtrends Analytics and Visitor Data Mart use C plug-ins.

1. At defined points (tap points) in the analysis, Webtrends Analytics or the Event Database Loader calls the plug-in’s `xltTranslate`, `xltTranslateVisitorHit`, and `xltTranslateVisitorSession` functions. For more information about tap points, see “Analysis Tap Points,” below.
2. The plug-in receives an opaque pointer to the object (the log file record) on which it can perform translations.
3. The plug-in uses the `ResolveName` callback function to obtain the value of specific field(s) in the object.
4. The plug-in uses the `ApplyTranslation` callback function to modify the value of specific field(s) in the object.
5. The analysis workflow continues using the translated object.

The plug-in modifies each log file record after Webtrends Analytics or the Event Database Loader has parsed the record but before it is filtered and analyzed. If the plug-in is for log file data, Webtrends Analytics or the Event Database Loader uses the modified records during analysis. If the plug-in is for Webtrends Data Warehouse data, the plug-in modifies the log file records before they are loaded into the database.

## Creating C Plug-Ins

This section describes what you need to do to build a Webtrends C plug-in.

**To download the required header files:**

1. In the left pane of Administration, click **Install Components > Accessories**.
2. Click **Data Conduit Header Files**.

**To create a plug-in:**

1. Create a DLL using the C plug-in API discussed in this chapter. Your plug-in should reference the `translate.h` and `stringref.h` files.
2. Copy your plug-in `DLL` file in the Webtrends `installation directory\storage\component\plugin`.

## Including C Plug-Ins in Analysis

After you create your plug-in, you can enable it globally for all profiles or for individual profiles.

**To include a plug-in in a profile:**

1. Open the `WLP` file for the profile which is located in the Webtrends `installation directory/storage/config/wtm_wtx/datfiles/profiles/`. `WLP` files are saved according to the **Profile File Name** setting. You can determine which `WLP` file corresponds to your profile by editing the profile in Administration and viewing **Profile File Name** setting when you click **General**.
2. *If your plug-in is to be used with a Standard Analysis profile or a Visitor Data Mart profile*, add an entry to the `plugin` key in the `[profile]` section using the following syntax: `PlugIn=filename1.dll` where `filename1` is the name of your data plug-in file. Separate multiple entries with a comma.
3. *If your plug-in is to be used with a Basic Analysis profile*, add an entry to the `ftplugin` key in the `[profile]` section using the following syntax:

`FTPlugIn=filename1.dll`

When the profile is analyzed, the first data plug-in specified translates the records, followed by any other data plug-ins that are specified.

**To include the plug-in in all profiles:**

1. Open the `wtx_wtx.ini` file which is located in the Webtrends `installation directory\storage\config\wtm_wtx directory`.
2. *If your plug-in is to be used with Standard Analysis profiles or Visitor Data Mart profiles*, add an entry to the `plugin` key in the `[profile]` section using the following syntax:

`PlugIn=filename1.dll`

where `filename1` is the name of your data plug-in file. Separate mutliple entries with a comma.
3. *If your plug-in is to be used with Basic Analysis profiles*, add an entry to the `ftplugin` key in the `[profile]` section using the following syntax: `FTPlugIn=filename1.dll`