Installing GISDK Applications

Add-ins or custom applications are installed when they are added to the add-ins.txt file. The file is in the Caliper subfolder of the shared application data folder. For Windows XP systems, this folder is typically located in:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\

For Vista and Windows 7, this folder is located in:

C:\ProgramData\

This file is normally managed by using the Tools>Setup Add-Ins command. The add-ins.txt file is a comma-separated text file containing one line for each installed GISDK application. The line contains the following four items of information:

Item	Contents
1	A string indicating the type of application: Dbox, Macro, or Interface (or just D, M, or I)
2	The name of the UI Database in which the resource is located
3	The actual name of the GISDK macro or dialog box that starts the add-in or custom application
4	A descriptive name that appears in the Add-In dialog box

If you are using folders to organize your add-ins or custom applications, there are two additional types of lines that define folders; each has two items of information:

Item	Contents
1	The letter F to start a folder or the letter E to end a folder
2	The name of the folder, if the first item is F, or null if the first item is E

You can modify the add-ins.txt file using any text editor. Here is a sample of what add-ins.txt might look like:

; Comments in the file have a semi-colon in column 1

; The first two add-ins are in the folder "My First Add-Ins"

F, My First Add-Ins

; The following add-in starts by running the

; "my first macro" macro

Macro,mymacros,my first macro,Try This Add-In

; The following add-in starts by running the

; "my first dbox" dialog box

Dbox,mydboxes,my first dbox,Try It! You'll Like It!

; This ends the folder "My First Add-Ins"

; The following item is a custom application with

; a startup macro named "Go"

Interface,myapp1,Go,Sales Information Center

; You can use M as an abbreviation for Macro,

; D as an abbreviation for Dbox,

; or I as an abbreviation for Interface.

M,mymacros,my second macro,Here's another Add-In Macro

D,mydboxes,my first dbox,Here's another Add-In Dialog Box

I,myapp2,Go,New Sales Information Center

In the Quick Start lessons, you used the Tools>Add Ins command to install the sample add-in and the sample custom application. That dialog box simply modifies the add-ins.txt file according to the settings you entered. You can also modify the add-ins.txt file using any text editor.

If your add-in or custom application will be used by multiple Maptitude users, the UI Database files must be read-only, or installation must be multi-user (using the Lock Manager).

For more information, see...

Installing and Running Add-Ins

Installing and Running Custom Applications