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# Getting started with .NET API

The Maya .NET API is a system that allows developers to create plug-ins and extensions for Maya using Microsoft’s .NET technology. It includes the following features:

- A system for loading plug-in code from .NET assemblies
- .NET assemblies that plug-in writers can import to access the Maya SDK from .NET languages
- Services for embedding WPF/XAML windows into Maya’s QT system
- Examples written in C# for demonstrating the usage of the system

The Maya .NET API is similar to the Maya Python API in that it is generated from the Maya C++ API. Most classes in the .NET API have a corresponding class in the C++ API with the same name and with a similar interface (that is, a set of functions and classes).

C# classes are proxies for C++ classes.

The system provides the following advantages:

- Allow plug-in writers to accelerate their development of plug-ins by enabling the use of modern tools such as C# and .NET SDKs. The Maya SDK is provided in an idiomatic style for .NET programmers.
- Allow developers to better integrate their existing custom pipeline tools with Maya, and allow artists to have access to critical production tools inside of their content creation environment.
- Allow developers to re-use their existing investment in .NET code and WPF/XAML user interfaces by referencing their assemblies into their Maya plug-ins.

## Requirements

The .NET SDK is installed with Extension 2 for Maya 2013 and Maya 2014. The .NET bindings do not work with any other version of Maya (including Maya 2013). Only 64-bit versions are supported; 32-bit versions are not supported.

You must use .NET Framework 4. You must also use Microsoft Visual Studio version 2010 or above to compile the examples.

NoteIn this chapter, the path prefix <...> denotes your Maya 2013.5 / Maya 2014 install directory.

## .NET SDK Files

The Maya .NET SDK constitutes the following files:

- In the <...>\bin folder:
  - openmayacs.dll / openmayacpp.dll / swigfiles.dll – The .NET SDK class libraries
  - openmayacs.xml / openmayacpp.xml files - The Visual Studio XML documentation
- In the <...>\devkit\dotnet folder:
  - C# examples files, compiled through provided solutions: examples.sln and wpfexamples.sln.

## Visual Studio integrated documentation

In addition to using the Maya API C++ reference documentation, the Maya .NET API ships with Visual Studio integrated documentation generated from the C++ reference documentation. This enables:

- Tool tips
- Comments in the auto-generated code files when using go to definition (F12).
- Help in object browser