Cannot Load External Tools - No 'External Tools' button on Add-Ins ribbon

[paul.vesey]

The external tools button does not show up on my fresh install of Revit 2015.  Screenshot attached.  Any ideas?  

I have read throught the forums, and most of the issues are associated resolved are associated with the Add-Ins Manager not working.  In my case, I don't even get to see the addins manager.  Addins folders are located at C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Revit 2015\AddIns

thanks

[jeremytammik]

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your query.

The external tools menu never shows up at all unless you have some external commands installed and loaded.

A fresh Revit installation has no external commands installed.

That would explain what you are seeing.

In order to install an external command, you copy an add-in manifest with a filename extension *.addin to a specific folder on your file system. It points to a .NET assembly implementing the add-in external command, Revis scans the folder, encountes the add-in manifest and loads the file.

All of this is described in more detail in the Revit programming 'getting started' material:

http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/about-the-author.html#2

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Jeremy

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

I've the same problem and I did everything just like the model and the external tool don't show up on the ribbon. 

using System;

using Autodesk.Revit.UI;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB;

namespace HelloWord1
[Autodesk.Revit.Attributes.Transaction(Autodesk.Revit.Attributes.TransactionMode.Automatic)]
public class Class1 : IExternalCommand
{
public Autodesk.Revit.UI.Result Execute( ExternalCommandData revit, ref string message,ElementSet elements)
{
TaskDialog.Show("revit", "Hello Word");
return Autodesk.Revit.UI.Result.Succeeded;
}
}

 Then I write a notepad:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?>
<RevitAddIns>
<AddIn Type="Command">
<Assembly>C:\Users\Tiago\Documents\REVIT API\HelloWord1\HelloWord1\bin\Debug\HelloWord1.dll</Assembly>
<AddInId>239BD853-36E4-461f-9171-C5ACEDA4E721</AddInId>
<FullClassName>HelloWorld1.Class1</FullClassName>
<Text>HelloWorld1</Text>
<VendorId>ADSK</VendorId>
<VendorDescription>Autodesk, www.autodesk.com</VendorDescription>
</AddIn>
</RevitAddIns>

and put the addin file on the revit addin folder. 

[stever66]

If Revit fails to load an addin, it usually gives an error message.  So I don't think it is seeing your addin file.  Make sure your addin file has a .addin file type, and not a .txt on the end of the file name.

also, make sure it is in the correct folder.  Are there other addins in the same folder that are loading?

if so, it should load when revit is restarted.

also, what version of Windows and revit do you have?

[CTCDev]

Here's one problem:

C# Class --

namespace HelloWord1

Add-in File --

<FullClassName>HelloWorld1.Class1</FullClassName>

.

[jeremy_tammik]

Copy and Paste is your friend.

[Anonymous]

Hello Jeremy,

I am following the first DevTV video & I am trying to go through HelloWorld Add-in.
I have installed your 2018 Wizard tool and it worked well until I pressed "start" in visual studio. It started Revit but I could not locate "external tools" button or anything like that.

What am I missing?

Thanks,

Hadi

[jeremytammik]

Dear Hadi,

Thank you for your query.

The external tools menu never shows up at all unless you have some external commands successfully installed and loaded.

Probably something is going wrong with the wizard, so Revit is not seeing any add-in installed.

That would explain what you are seeing.

In order to install an external command, you copy an add-in manifest with a filename extension *.addin to a specific folder on your file system. It points to a .NET assembly implementing the add-in external command, Revit scans the folder, encounters the add-in manifest and loads the file.

All of this is described in more detail in the Revit programming 'getting started' material:

http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/about-the-author.html#2

If you are in a hurry and want to skip everything else, you can just check out the hello world walkthroughs in the developer guide:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2019/ENU/?guid=Revit_API_Revit_API_Developers_Guide_Introduction_G...

I would suggest installing an add-in by hand first to understand what is going on under the hood before trying to make use of the wizards.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Jeremy

[Anonymous]

Hi Jeremy,

Thank you for the help. I started trying your suggestion and meantime figured out what was my problem.
I had to run Visual Studio "as administrator" so that it can copy to add-in folder.
I should have known better.

Thanks,

Hadi

[Anonymous]

Hi there!

I have the same problem and I'm still unable to solve it, although I tried all instructions ...

I installed Revit 2020 and Visual Studio 2019 and I follow the instructions here:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2020/ENU/?guid=Revit_API_Revit_API_Developers_Guide_Introduction_G...

the addins directory in my computer seems to be :

D:\Program Files\Autodesk\Revit 2020\AddIns

so, I put the manifest file there, but I can't see External Tools in add-in tab, 

I'm really frustrated:-( , Can anybody help ? 

[Anonymous]

Hey,
Were you able to solve the problem?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

yes, it is solved! I used to put the manifest in a wrong path, the correct path is :"C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2020"

[davescottmay]

Same problem using Revit 2022 - after following the "My First Revit Plug-In" video no External Tools button visible. First, the folder for AddIns, Revit 2022, appears different from the video - C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Revit_2022\Revit 2022\AddIns\... there are several subfolders that contain .addin files (AutoLoader, Keynote, RouteAnalysis, etc.)

Tried many variations for locating the manifest file starting with \AddIns folder then placing the manifest in several subfolders that also contained .addin files - no luck. Finally moved the manifest and project files together into \AddIns rebuilding the project & changing the manifest path. Restarted Revit but still failed to add the missing button. Confirmed the path statement in the manifest is correct using copy/paste from manifest to explorer. Finally loaded Navisworks based on another recommendation - didn't work. My AddIn ribbon contains eTransmit, Revit DB Link and Convert RFA to Formit. Appreciate some assistance. 

[davescottmay]

Looks like my issue was placing the manifest in the folders under ProgramFiles instead of ProgramData

[jeremy_tammik]

Sounds like that is your problem right there. 

Please try to use the proper location:

C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2022

If you have any further doubts or questions, please refer to the official developer guide documentation:

https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2022/ENU/?guid=Revit_API_Revit_API_Developers_Guide_Introduction_...

[jeremy_tammik]

Typical example of a computer doing what you tell it to, and not what you want, or mean.

[souldragoon]

Ok I have an addition..... Mine only worked when I removed it from the program files folder even though it was in both locations (Data and files). I hope this saves someone the hour it took me to figure out. This tool is irreplaceable for plugin dev.