The SDK Guide contain additional information about other methods of packaging and testing add-ons.
An add-on is like a workgroup within a workgroup. You can use them to organize your workgroups by keeping related files together, for example, a toolbar with its associated commands and button bitmaps. You can also package all files in an add-on directory into a single .xsiaddon file for easy distribution.
An add-on is simply a subdirectory of the Addons directory in the user or a workgroup location (although the Tree tab of the Plug-in Manager does not show the Addons directory, instead listing the add-ons directly under the user or workgroup location). In turn, the add-on directory contains subdirectories for Plug-ins, SPDLs, Toolbars, Views, and so on.
You can create add-on directories in your user location or any workgroup.
1. Open the Plug-in Manager, for example, by choosing File > Plug-in Manager.
2. Right-click over the User or a workgroup folder and choose New > Add-on Directory.
3. Enter a name and click OK. Only legal characters for file names are allowed.
The add-on and its subfolders are created at the specified location.
When you’re ready to distribute your add-on, you have two choices:
• If the add-on is for internal usage within your company, you can distribute the add-on by copying the entire directory to a shared workgroup location on the network. You can do this using an external file manager such as Windows Explorer.
• If the add-on is to be distributed to external users, who do not have access to the same network, then you use an .xsiaddon file.
An .xsiaddon file is single file that contains a compressed version of all the files of an Add-on location.
Before you package an add-on, make sure the add-on directory contains only the files and folders you want to distribute:
• Delete any temporary files and folders.
• Compile Release versions of any DLLS (not Debug versions).
Note that you can exclude directories when you create the add-on package. For example, if you keep any C++ source code in a separate folder, you can just exclude the folder from the package.
1. In the Plug-in Tree, right-click the add-on folder and choose Package Add-on.
2. In the Package Add-on Options dialog box, set the packaging options:
- Source is the location of the Add-on directory. The .xsiaddon file will contain everything under the source folder.
- Destination is where the .xsiaddon file will be created. You may want to add a version number to the file name, since .xsiaddon files do not support versioning.
- Directories to Exclude is a semi-colon (;) separated list of folders that you do not want to include in the .xsiaddon file.
- Author and Description are optional. Information entered here is saved in netview_MyTool.xml, and reused each time you repackage the add-on.
3. Click OK to generate the .xsiaddon file. If the file contains .dll files or other large content it may take a few minutes to generate the output file.
The .xsiaddon file is an XML file, so it is possible to view its contents and even make minor modifications, such as filling in the Usage or Platform information.
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The SDK Guide contain additional information about other methods of packaging and testing add-ons. |
The easiest way to install (and uninstall) an add-on is to use the Plug-in Manager.
To install an .xsiaddon
1. In the Plug-in Tree, right-click User Root or the first workgroup in the tree, and choose Install .xsiaddon.
If you want to install the add-on in a different workgroup, go to the Workgroup tab and move that workgroup to the top of the list. You can install add-ons only in the first workgroup.
2. In the Select Add-on File dialog, locate the .xsiaddon file you want to install, and click OK.
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• You can also install an add-on by dragging an .xsiaddon file to an Softimage viewport. This installs the add-on in the User location or the first workgroup, depending on the value in the DefaultDestination tag of the .xsiaddon. • The SDK Guide contain additional information about other methods of installing add-ons. |
To uninstall an .xsiaddon
• In the Plug-in Tree, right-click an add-on and choose Uninstall Add-on.
Autodesk Softimage v.7.5