Softimage SDK Programmer's Guide > Customizing Softimage using the SDK > Building and Deploying Customizations > Add-on Packages >

# Using the Package Dialogs

The recommended way to package, edit, and install add-ons is through the Plug-in Tree. However, you can still use the Package Add-on, Edit Add-on, and Install Add-on dialogs to perform those tasks.

- Creating Add-on Packages

- Editing Add-on Packages

- Installing Add-ons

- Uninstalling Add-ons

## Creating Add-on Packages

The recommended way to create add-on packages is to use the Package Location feature.

### To package your add-on through the UI

1. Choose File Add-On Package Location. The Package Location Options window appears.

2. Click the file browser widget next to the Source text box to select the root folder of your add-on.

   Note

   You can only specify a folder contained inside your $user or $workgroup Addon folder.

3. Click the file browser widget next to the Destination text box to specify the filename of your add-on package.

4. Fill in any information you want to associate with this add-on, and click OK to close the window.

A message will appear in the log window of the script editor reporting on the success or failure:

    // INFO : looking for <userpath>\Addons\XYZ_IK\IKsolver.dll
    // INFO : looking for <userpath>\Addons\XYZ_IK\IKsolver.html
    // INFO : Packaging: <userpath>\Addons\XYZ_IK
    // INFO : Destination: <userpath>\XYZ_IK.xsiaddon
    // INFO : Packaging of 2 files complete (0.107 seconds)

## Editing Add-on Packages

The recommended way to edit an add-on package is to use the Package Location feature to repackage the modified Add-on directory.

Important

Before you can edit an add-on package you need to have all its elements on your machine. If you try to edit the package when you are missing its components, an error message appears and the missing components do not appear in your add-on package.

## Installing Add-ons

The workflow for installing and uninstalling add-ons is the same for single add-ons like toolbars or keyboard maps, as it is for more involved add-ons, such as a shader, with compiled library files, and a help file.

You can install add-on packages in the user, factory, or workgroup locations. To install an add-on, you need to select the .xsiaddon file from a file browser window.

Note

Since the workgroup path can actually contain several paths separated by semicolons (for example \bob\wkg1;\jill\wkg2;\lucie\wkg3), installing an add-on to the workgroup location installs it in the first available workgroup location (in this example, \bob\wkg1).

### To install your add-on

1. Choose Add-On Install from the File menu. The Install Add-On window appears.

   A | File type selection list
   B | Main selection box
   C | Browse button

2. Click the Browse button beside the Filename text box. A file browser appears.

3. Select the .xsiaddon file you want to install from the file browser. The package items appear in the main selection box on the Install Add-On window.

4. From the file Type selection list, click the kind of the file (for example, layout, preset, or library) you want to include in your installation. A list of files matching the type you selected appears in the main selection box.

5. You can click the check box to the left of each file to toggle between including and excluding it from the installation. By default, all files are checked.

   Note

   In some cases you cannot select or deselect individual items that are dependents of another item.

   You can also use the Select All button if you want to select every add-on file type available.

   Alternatively, use the Select None button to remove every add-on file from your selection.

6. Click Install. If the add-on manager detects items that already exist on your system, a message box pops up for each item asking if you want to overwrite it.

7. Click Yes to replace the existing item or No to skip it. When each item has either been successfully installed or skipped, the Install Add-On window closes.

   Tip

   The contents of the .xsiaddon file are installed to the factory, user, or workgroup folder, depending on what you specified in User Preferences Data Management Application Data Path.

   If Softimage cannot find a folder for presets in this location, the presets will be copied to the $user folder.

## Uninstalling Add-ons

To uninstall an add-on, you need to select an .xsiaddon file.

Note

You cannot uninstall the individual components of the add-on files. The entire .xsiaddon file and its components will be removed.

Important

If you uninstall an add-on containing a shader that was applied in the current scene, you must restart Softimage before continuing to avoid unpredictable behavior. You do not need to restart Softimage if the add-on you are uninstalling does not contain a shader plug-in.

### To uninstall your add-on

1. Choose Add-On UnInstall from the File menu. The UnInstalling Add-Ons window displays each add-on file separated into three columns: Name, Location, and File Path.

2. Select the file you want to uninstall. The current location (User Add-on, Factory Add-on, or Workgroup Add-on) of each add-on appears in the Location column, and the full path and filename appear under the File Path column.

   You can access the information saved with an add-on package by selecting the .xsiaddon file from the Name column and clicking Properties.

3. Click Uninstall to remove the add-on from Autodesk Softimage. A dialog box appears asking you to confirm the removal of the add-on package.

4. Click Yes to proceed with removing the add-on package. All files that were installed with the add-on disappear from the UnInstalling Add-Ons window and are removed from your machine.

5. When you have finished removing all the add-ons you want from your machine, click Done to close the window.