Alternatively, you can use Auto-Illustrator's built-in scripting language (known as xeoObjects) to create smaller plug-ins. xeoObjects are text files that can be edited in standard text editors. The language shares similarities with ASM, C and Lingo, and can be slightly obtuse and idiosyncratic at times aswell as being reasonably limited in it's processing abilities, but the advantages of writing a xeoObject plug-in is that it is far smaller in size (xeoObjects are just a few thousands bytes large, as they are just text files) and execute within the Auto-Illustrator environment - no need for an external executable file to be launched. xeoObject technology is also used by the Automation Tool. Take a look at the xeoObject Documentation for more details.