1. Building Add-ins for ArcGIS Desktop in .NET
July 26, 2012
Building Add-ins for ArcGIS Desktop in .NET
Russell Louks and Steve Van Esch

2. ArcGIS Desktop Add-Ins
A better way to customize and extend
ArcGIS Desktop applications.
Easier to build
Easy to share
More secure
C#, VB.NET, Java, and Python

3. Add-In Types supported at ArcGIS 10.1
Buttons
Dockable Windows
Tools
Application Extensions
Combo Boxes
Editor Extensions
Multi-Items
Editor Construction Tools
Menus
SOE (Server)
Context Menus
Toolbars
Tool Palettes

4. Supported Development Environments
Visual Studio 2010
Visual Basic 2010 Express Edition
Visual C# Express Edition
Eclipse IDE for Java Developers
.NET 3.5, .NET 4.0

5. New at ArcGIS 10.1 IDE and Authoring Improvements
Extended Help Capabilities
CHM, WEB help, PDF, etc.
New Types
Editor Construction Tools
Sever Object Extensions (SOEs)
Python Add-Ins

6. Add-In File Anatomy AddIn File XML Metadata Resources (zipped folder)
Assemblies/JARs/PYDs
AddIn File
(zipped folder)
.*.esriAddIn

7. Anatomy – Resources & Localization

8. Anatomy - Declarative Aspects
<DockableWindows>
<DockableWindow id="ESRI_Example_DockableWindow"
class="ExampleDockableWindowClass"
caption="Example Dockable Window">
<InitialPlacement
height="300" width="300"
state="pinned" position="right"
neighbor="esriArcMapUI.TOCDockableWindow" />
</DockableWindow>
</DockableWindows>
<AddIn language="CLR"
library="ESRI.ArcGIS.SchemaGenerationWizard.dll"
namespace="CaseUI.SchemaGenerationWizard">
<ArcCatalog>
<Commands>
<Button id="SchemaGenerationWizard_SchemaGenerationWizard"
class="SchemaGenerationWizard"
tip="Use the Schema Generation Wizard..."
message="Schema Generation Wizard"
caption="Schema Generation Wizard"
category="CASE Tools"
image="Images\SchemaGenerationWizard.png" />
</Commands>
</ArcCatalog>
</AddIn>
<ESRI.Configuration xmlns=
xmlns:xsi="
<Name>CASE Tools</Name>
<AddInID>{f390c49d-a7a9-4b9f-a627-20f1ee3d5ca6}</AddInID>
<Description>Case Tools</Description>
<Version>1.0</Version>
<Image>Images\CaseTools.png</Image>
<Author>ESRI</Author>
<Company>ESRI</Company>
<Date>04/23/2010</Date>
<Targets>
<Target name="Desktop" version="10.0" />
</Targets> ID
Images
Target
Category
Author
Toolbars content
Version
Menu content
Company
Docking state
Website
Docking position
Descriptions
Tooltips
Captions
Help

9. Anatomy - Programmatic Aspect
Add-In Behavior coded using
Visual Studio / Eclipse wizards and templates
Base classes for each Add-In type
Full ArcObjects API + programming environment (.NET/Java)
public class SimpleButton : Button {
protected override void OnClick()
MessageBox.Show("Hello World"); }

10. Anatomy - Classic (managed) COM Button comparison

11. Add-In File Discovery & Sharing
Internet
Add-In files are automatically discovered in well known local folders and incorporated into the Desktop applications at runtime.
Folders are per user and per ArcGIS version
Under Windows Vista & Windows 7:
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\ArcGIS\AddIns\Desktop10.1
Under Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\ArcGIS\AddIns\Desktop10.1

12. Add-In File Discovery & Sharing
Administered network shares
Simplifies Updates
Intranet

13. Managing Add-Ins - Installation Utility
Double-click “Install”
Customize - Add From File
XCOPY

14. Add-In Versioning Policy
Backward compatibility within a major version
ArcGIS 10.1 can consume 10.0 Add-Ins
ArcGIS 10.0 cannot consume 10.1 Add-Ins

15. Managing Add-Ins – Add-In Manager Dialog
Shows detailed information on all installed Add-Ins
Mine vs. Shared
Deleting Add-Ins

16. Managing Add-Ins – Sharing & Security
Custom search folders
Security Settings

17. Managing Add-Ins - Additional Security Settings
Admin Controls
Esri Only
Load from administrator folders only
Admin security level lock

18. Managing Add-Ins Demo

19. Digitally Signing Add-Ins
IETF/WC3 XML-DSig standard (within OPC archive)
Trust
Source Traceability
Tampering
ESRISignAddin Utility

20. Moving to Add-Ins Porting guidelines Do not rely on:
internal static SampleExt _me;
public SampleExt() { _me = this; }
internal static SampleExt Me {
get
UID id = ThisAddIn.IDs.SampleExt.ToUID();
ArcMap.Application.FindExtensionByCLSID(id);
return _me; }
public void Foo()
Moving to Add-Ins
// Finding the extension... Add-In style.
protected override void OnClick() {
// Call custom method..
SampleExt.Me.Foo(); }
// Finding the extension... COM style.
protected override void OnClick() {
// Find the custom COM interface..
IApplication app = this.Hook as IApplication;
ICustExt ext = app.FindExtensionByName("ACME.SampleExt")
as ICustExt;
// Call custom method..
ext.Foo(); }
Porting guidelines
.html#/How_to_migrate_from_COM_components_to_add_ins/ z
Do not rely on:
COM Components requiring registration
Assemblies requiring registration in the GAC
Pre-existing dependencies
Public API exposure
IDispatch for external access
Most business logic should not need to be changed

21. Authoring an Add-In Demo

22. Questions

23. External Links WC3 XML Digital Signatures
ArcGIS Desktop Add-Ins
esktop/ w
WC3 XML Digital Signatures
ISO/IEC :2008 Open Packaging Conventions
ITU X.509 Certificates
ISO Language Codes