With AutoCAD 2012 and now a good portion of 2013 Autodesk Products, such as Civil 3D, there is a need to allow users corporate wide to install custom applications for use. In the past advanced users could use APPLOAD to load their custom AutoLISP routines and NETLOAD to load their custom .NET (DotNET/DLLs) applications as needed. These methods are still in place, however, with the new Autodesk Exchange Store, Autodesk has implemented a new method that will require the CAD Director/Manager to implement additional changes to CUI files to allow users to use the new functionality. Or at a minimum, users need to learn which tab needs to be added to their Main CUIx file if they are not using the 'out of the box' version.
If you use the Autodesk Exchange Store with the 'out of the box' setup for 2013, you will see custom apps install smoothly with limited effort from the user automatically adding ribbon buttons on a 'Plug-ins' or Add-ins' tab that only appears if these apps are installed. When running the installation of an app from the Autodesk Exchange store, the app will typically install itself to this folder path:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins
Upon Startup (and even while currently running), AutoCAD/Civil 3D will automatically check this folder for custom apps. Apps installed in this folder will have a main folder name similar to this:
MYCUSTOMAPP.BUNDLE
This bundle folder contains the necessary file(s) to run the app, a help menu for the app, a partial CUIx file for the app, and the necessary image(s) to install custom icons. AutoCAD/Civil 3D will automatically add the partial CUIx file to your Main CUIx file and a new tab will appear on your ribbon. After installing, you should see something like this take place:
In the upper right a notification will appear telling you the app has been installed, from here you can also access the ReadMe Help file for that app (although you only have about 5 seconds to click this file from here during a session, it can be accessed from the actual button as well). The 'Plug-ins' tba will also appear with a button for running the app (of course as always there is a command for each app that can be typed in). The button provides a visual for the app and also access to the help file. Simply hover over the button and hit F1. The app's help file will appear. From here on the app can be used as needed, uninstalled, etc.
Corporate CUI Setup
From a corporate standpoint, some may wish to allow their users to have this functionality built in. The above functionality completely depends on where the workspaces are stored. The software can only automatically add in custom applications onto a 'Plug-ins' tab to the Main CUIx file. Thus if your company runs the workspaces from an Enterprise CUIx file, the software will not be able to modify the ribbon to add the 'Plug-ins' tab because the Enterprise CUIx is read only. So in my opinion, here is the best way to setup your CUIx files to allow for an Enterprise CUIx and auto installation of apps.
First, keep your Enterprise CUIx the way it is - with your corporate workspaces built in it. The image below shows how I have my Enterprise CUI file setup. Basically, this CUI was created from the 'Out of the Box' C3D.cuix file initially. This contains all of the originally parital CUI files and original workspaces. From here I added in a corporate ribbon and menu that were added to the workspaces. This allows me to ensure all users will get the ribbon and menu with corporate custom buttons and apps through the Enterprise CUIx file, and it cannot be modified. We also add in a corporate LISP routine for various functions here.
The Main CUIx file (I have called MAINUSERCUI) is shown in the next screen shot below. This CUIx can be edited by the user to allow them to setup their own workspace. This CUIx is literrally just a blank CUIx file created from scratch. The only items I include here is a intial workspace for the user and a specific tab for the Autodesk Exchange Store apps to auto-install. The intial workspace I have named 'MyCustomWorkspace', we'll get into what that includes in a minute. The Ribbon Tab named 'Plug-Ins' is very important. This does not have to be titled 'Plug-Ins', but must have an alias of "ID_ADDINSTAB" for apps to automatically install. Also, notice the partial CUIx file that is already added. This was not included on the intial install for the user, but was automatically added when installing an app from the Autodesk Exchange Store - this is why it will not work with an Enterprise CUIx file as the Enterprise cannot be modified to include another partial CUIx file.
The 'MyCustomWorkspace' settings are shown in the image below. Basically I have intially included tabs from the Enterprise CUIx file, Civil partial CUIx file to include the desired Civil 3D tabs (This is all but the Civil 3D Add-ins tab). Then I have also included the 'Plug-ins' tab from the Main CUIx file.
When switching workspaces, the user will see both workspaces from the Enterprise CUIx and the Main CUIx files as shown below. Auto installed plug-ins from the Autodesk Exchange Store will ONLY appear on the user's custom workspace(s) as selected in the above screen shot. Users will need to be informed that the Plug-ins tab on the Main CUIx must be added to any addtional workspaces they choose to setup.
I hope this helps clarify some of the unknowns for you as there are many apps coming to the Autodesk Exchange Store, providing additional functionality for the software. I have seen many great apps on the store and have found many uses for them. Some of my own apps can be found at my company website www.redtransitconsultants.com.
