Can I run an addin from an external api driven app?

[greg.mort]

I am creating addins that I would like to run without needing a user to click a button, I would like to have a separate EXE app that executes the add ins similar to how iLogic commands can be triggered from .net

iLogicAutomation.Runrule(assy.InventorDocument, "ruleName");

is that possible?

[bradeneuropeArthur]

For my understanding:

You want to run a command form the add in, right?

If the add in is correctly created you can run also commands form external and getting the Inventor object.

[Michael.Navara]

This is possible, but it is little bit tricky. The best way (IMHO) is to implement your own API and expose it thru Automation property of the AddIn.

Then you can get the AddIn by its ID and then get Automation property, re-type value to your known API type and then you can call any method exposed by this object.

NOTE: Re-type is not necessary (but recommended) when you call methods by late binding (VB.NET) 

EDIT:

Here is minimalistic example of custom API implementation

namespace MyAddInWithApi
{
  [Guid("GUID-OF-YOUR-ADDIN-HERE")]
  public class MyAddInServerWithApi : Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer
  {
      private Application inventor;
      private MyAddInApi myAddInApi;
  
      public void Activate(ApplicationAddInSite AddInSiteObject, bool FirstTime)
      {
          inventor = AddInSiteObject.Application;
          myAddInApi = new MyAddInApi(inventor);
      }
  
      public void Deactivate()
      {
          myAddInApi = null;
      }
  
      public void ExecuteCommand(int CommandID)
      {
          //OBSOLETE, DO NOTHING
      }
  
      /// <summary>
      /// Gets the IUnknown of the object implemented inside the AddIn that supports AddIn-specific API.
      /// </summary>
      public object Automation
      {
          get
          {
              return myAddInApi;
          }
      }
  
  }
  
  public class MyAddInApi
  {
      private readonly Application inventor;
  
      public MyAddInApi(Application inventor)
      {
          this.inventor = inventor;
      }
  
      public void SetApplicationCaption(string caption)
      {
          inventor.Caption = caption;
      }
  }
}

Here is example of custom API call

namespace MyExternalApp
{
  ...
  void CallMyApiMethodExample()
  {
      var myAddInServerWithApi = inventor.ApplicationAddIns.ItemById["{GUID-OF-YOUR-ADDIN-HERE}"];
      var myAddInApi = myAddInServerWithApi.Automation as MyAddInApi;
      myAddInApi.SetApplicationCaption("It works :-)");
  }
  ...
}

[greg.mort]

Yes run a command that lives within the add in. But run it from an external .exe 

[bradeneuropeArthur]

If you know the CommandName then it is possible.

thisapplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions.Item("COMMAND NAME").Execute