1.1. The lookup phase during XXE startup
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### 1.1. The lookup phase during XXE startup

During its startup:

1. XXE recursively scans the `addon/` subdirectory of XXE user preferences directory searching it for files containing add-ons.

   XXE user preferences directory is:

   - ``$HOME`/.xxe4/` on Linux.

   - ``$HOME`/Library/Application Support/XMLmind/XMLEditor4/` on the Mac.

   - ``%APPDATA%`\XMLmind\XMLEditor4\` on Windows 2000, XP, Vista.

     Example: `C:\Documents and Settings\john\Application Data\XMLmind\XMLEditor4\` on Windows 2000 and XP. `C:\Users\john\AppData\Roaming\XMLmind\XMLEditor4\` on Windows Vista.

     If you cannot see the "`Application Data`" directory using Microsoft Windows File Manager, turn on Tools>Folder Options>View>File and Folders>Show hidden files and folders.

   ### Tip

   This `addon/` subdirectory is recursively scanned by XXE at startup time. Therefore, feel free to organize it as you want.

2. If the `XXE_ADDON_PATH` variable is set to a non empty string, the content of this variable must be a list of directory names separated by character "`;`" (even on Unix). All the directories referenced in this list are recursively scanned by XXE.

   - File names and "`file://`" URLs are both supported. Windows example:

         C> set XXE_ADDON_PATH=C:\xxe\doc\configure\samples\example1;\
         file:///C:/xxe/doc/configure/samples/example2

   - If this path ends with "`;+`", the `addon/` subdirectory of XXE installation directory is also scanned at startup time. Otherwise, the default add-ons (XHTML configuration, DocBook configuration, etc) are ignored.

   - Form `@``absolute URL` is also supported.

     `Absolute URL` specifies the location of a text file containing a list of (generally relative) URLs to be scanned by XXE. The URLs in this list are separated by white space.

     Example, `sample_configs.list`:

         example1
         example1/example1.css
         example1/example1.dtd
         example1/example1.xml
         example1/example1.xxe
         example1/example1_catalog.xml
         example2
         example2/example2.css
         example2/example2.xml
         example2/example2.xsd
         example2/example2.xxe
         example2/example2_catalog.xml

     Unix example:

         $ export XXE_ADDON_PATH="@http://www.foo.com/xxe/sample_configs.list;+"

3. If the `XXE_ADDON_PATH` is not set or is set to an empty string or ends with "`;+`", XXE also recursively scans the `addon/` subdirectory of its installation directory searching it for files containing add-ons.

   ### Tip

   This `addon/` subdirectory is recursively scanned by XXE at startup time. Therefore, feel free to organize it as you want.

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