Addin load/unload behavior

[achmidt]

Hello everyone!

I`m writting an addin for inventor 2014 and I`m not sure how to make addin to disapear from the ribbon when user unchecks the unload checkbox in addin manager? and vice versa to apper when user check the box?

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you,

Alex

[adam.nagy]

Hi Alex,

In the Activate method you add your Ribbon tabs/panels/buttons, in the Deactivate method you need to remove them:
http://adndevblog.typepad.com/manufacturing/2013/10/unload-net-addin-without-closing-inventor.html

Have a look at the SimpleAddIn sample project: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Inventor 2014\SDK\DeveloperTools\Samples\VB.NET\AddIns\SimpleAddIn

Cheers,

[achmidt]

Adam, 

thank you for your respond. I figured out how to unload the addin. I think I missed something and it doesn`t want to load back when I checking the box loaded/unloaded.

Below is the part of the code. Can you please look at it and point me into the right direction?

Public Module Globals
    Public m_inventorApplication As Inventor.Application
End Module

 Public Class StandardAddInServer
        Implements Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer

        ' Inventor application object.
        Private _buttonDef As ButtonDefinition
        Private panel As RibbonPanel
     
#Region "ApplicationAddInServer Members"

        Public Sub Activate(ByVal addInSiteObject As Inventor.ApplicationAddInSite, ByVal firstTime As Boolean) Implements Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer.Activate

            ' This method is called by Inventor when it loads the AddIn.
            ' The AddInSiteObject provides access to the Inventor Application object.
            ' The FirstTime flag indicates if the AddIn is loaded for the first time.

            ' Initialize AddIn members.
            m_inventorApplication = addInSiteObject.Application

            ' TODO:  Add ApplicationAddInServer.Activate implementation.
            ' e.g. event initialization, command creation etc.

            Dim clientId As String = "68aeeec3-0364-4ae5-a6ff-9e8dc99e0e13"

            Dim smallicon As stdole.IPictureDisp
            Dim largeicon As stdole.IPictureDisp

            'Convert icon
            smallicon = clsPictureConverter.ToIPictureDisp(My.Resources.tag_purple16x16)
            largeicon = clsPictureConverter.ToIPictureDisp(My.Resources.tag_purple_32x32)

            _buttonDef = m_inventorApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions.AddButtonDefinition( _
          "Add part", "id_TabVP", CommandTypesEnum.kQueryOnlyCmdType, clientId, "TParts", "TParts", _
           smallicon, largeicon, ButtonDisplayEnum.kDisplayTextInLearningMode)

            AddHandler _buttonDef.OnExecute, AddressOf OnExecute

            Try
                panel = m_inventorApplication.UserInterfaceManager.Ribbons("Assembly").RibbonTabs("id_TabAssemble").RibbonPanels("TParts")
            Catch ex As Exception
                panel = m_inventorApplication.UserInterfaceManager.Ribbons("Assembly").RibbonTabs("id_TabAssemble").RibbonPanels.Add( _
                   "TParts", "id_TabVP", clientId)
            End Try

            panel.CommandControls.AddButton(_buttonDef)

        End Sub

        ' unloads addin
        Public Sub Deactivate() Implements Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer.Deactivate

            Try
                'release objects
                If Not panel Is Nothing Then panel.Delete()

                Marshal.ReleaseComObject(m_inventorApplication)
                _buttonDef = Nothing
                m_inventorApplication = Nothing

                System.GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
                System.GC.Collect()

            Catch ex As Exception
                MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
            End Try

        End Sub

I also looked at the SimpleAddin - I see there are three Handlers : OnResetCommandBars, OnResetEnviroments and OnResetRibbonInterfaceI assume they don`t do anything with load/unload behavior, and need only if user resets the ribbons manually thru the Ribbon Appearance.


Thank you.

[adam.nagy]

Hi,

If your code errors out in the Activate method then your AddIn will not reach the "Loaded" status. I'm quite sure the problematic line is where you try to add _buttonDef because the second time around it already exists.

Two possible solutions:

a) Inside Activate method check for the existence of the "Add part" button definition and if it does just assign it to _buttonDef 

b) Inside Deactivate method delete _buttonDef

OnResetCommandBars, OnResetEnviroments and OnResetRibbonInterface are not related to load/unload.

Cheers,