1. A method for controlling a GUI display for a plug-in in an application supporting plug-ins, the method comprising: installing the plug-in in the application, including configuring the application with the location of at least one XML representation of at least one GUI object: receiving, at run time, in the application from the plug-in a request to display a GUI object, wherein the application has standards of appearance for the GUI display; responsive to the request, retrieving an XML representation of the GUI object that complies with the application's standards of appearance for the GUI display from the location; and displaying the GUI object in dependence upon the retrieved XML representation of the GUI object.