Create custom ribbon tab without Visual Studio

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to create a custom ribbon tab and button, without using Visual Studio? I can find XML examples showing how to create a .addin file, that references a .DLL file but I can't seem to locate any DLL files after building an application in the Revit macro manager. Does Revit create .DLL files after you build/compile C# code? If so, where are they located?

[TheRealChrisHildebran]

It is possible but i dont believe you can just take the compiled macro assemblies and refence them in an .addin file.

Ive attached a screenshot 'screenshot.png' which shows where the Macro Manager stores the sources code and asssemblies. 

Search for "Josh Lumleys 5 Secrets" and "Josh Lumleys 5 Blunders" presentations. Very helpful for understanding macros. 

Do you not want to use Visual Studio?

There is a free version that has some limitations but none that would prevent you from developing.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the information. It isn't that I don't "want" to use V$, but I don't have a license for it and I was under the impression that the free (community) version is not to be used in a commercial application. With that said, I was hoping that I could locate the compiled module/assembly DLL file after compiling it in Revit, and copy it to a given directory to be referenced in a .addin file.

I think I was partially able to get this to work because I was able to get Revit to load the .addin file, but it couldn't find the DLL file that I was linking to when the Revit loaded, so my menu button wouldn't load.