Wireshark · Wireshark-dev: [Wireshark-dev] Wireshark GUI development and release guidelines

[Joe <1010wireshark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Please forgive the newbie but I am struggling to find some basic info on 
adding extensions to the Wireshark GUI.  I see a lot of info on 
Dissectors but almost nothing on extending the GUI menu options.  My 
company has developed a product that can extend Wiresharks's filtering 
capabilities and I would like to develop an "add-on" that allows control 
of it directly from the Wireshark GUI through new menu options.  I am 
NOT looking to add a new Dissector.  I have found many examples of that 
as well as many references to GDK+.

After days of searching, I have been unable to find an example of 
someone else doing something similar to what I need. Or any GUI 
extensions for that matter. I am not only looking for programming 
examples, but also help understanding the process.

I cannot determine how it would be released if we did develop an 
extension.  Do I understand the following correctly?

A.An extension can only be added through the "patch" process?

B.It would be totally up to us to distribute instructions to patch, or 
distribute a fully compiled release of our own?

I am new to developing for Wireshark and was expecting a more formal 
add-on process.  Has anyone done something similar?

Thanks all!
Joe