PackageContents.xml Format Reference

The PackageContents.xml file contains information about the application package, including information about the developer that authored it.

The information contained in the file can be used to specify which AutoCAD-based products and releases the plug-in can be loaded into, their supported operating system, and how the application should be loaded, such as load on startup or when a command is invoked.

The following elements are used to define and describe the plug-in:

• ApplicationPackage
• CompanyDetails
• Components

PackageContents.xml for Download versus Local Deployment

How you plan to deploy your plug-in determines what should be in the PackageContents.xml file. You need to supply more information when providing a plug-in for download versus a local deployment. The following table explains which elements and attributes are required, optional, or recommended for the deployment you want to use.

	For Download from the Autodesk App Store Website	For Local Deployment	Supported Releases	Additional Comments
ApplicationPackage element			AutoCAD 2013-based products and later
SchemaVersion	Required	Required
AppVersion	Required	Required
Author	Required	Optional
Name	Required	Recommended
Description	Required	Recommended
Icon	Required	Recommended
Helpfile	Required	Recommended
ProductCode	Required	Required
UpgradeCode	Required	Optional
CompanyDetails element			AutoCAD 2013-based products and later
Name	Required	Optional
Phone	Optional	Optional
URL	Optional	Optional
Email	Required	Optional
RuntimeRequirements element – Required, if a Components element is present			AutoCAD 2013-based products and later
OS	Optional	Optional
Platform	Optional	Optional
SeriesMin	Optional	Optional
SeriesMax	Optional	Optional
SupportPath	Optional	Optional
ToolPalettePath	Optional	Optional
ComponentEntry element – Required, if a Components element is present			AutoCAD 2013-based products and later
AppName	Required	Required
AppDescription	Optional	Optional
AppType	Optional	Optional		Required to load an ARX file from a bundle into AutoCAD for Mac.
ModuleName	Required	Required
PerDocument	Optional	Optional
LoadReasons	Optional	Optional
Commands element			AutoCAD 2013-based products and later
GroupName	Required	Optional
Command element – Required, if a Commands element is present			AutoCAD 2013-based products and later
Global	Required	Required
Local	Required	Required
HelpTopic	Optional	Optional
StartupCommand	Optional	Optional
AssemblyMapping element – Optional, but is required if an AssemblyMappings element is present and it doesn't contain an AssemblyMappingFolder element			AutoCAD 2013-based products and later
Name	Optional	Optional
Path	Optional	Optional
AssemblyMappingFolder element – Optional, but is required if an AssemblyMappings element is present and it doesn't contain an AssemblyMapping element			AutoCAD 2022-based products
Path	Optional	Optional
RegistryEntry element – Required, if a RegistryEntries element is present			AutoCAD 2015-based products and later
Name	Optional	Optional
Value	Optional	Optional
Flags	Optional	Optional
SystemVariable element – Required, if a SystemVariables element is present			AutoCAD 2015-based products and later
Name	Optional	Optional
Value	Optional	Optional
PrimaryType	Optional	Optional
StorageType	Optional	Optional
Owner	Optional	Optional
Flags	Optional	Optional
EnvironmentVariable element – Required, if an EnvironmentVariables element is present			AutoCAD 2015-based products and later
Name	Optional	Optional
Value	Optional	Optional
Type	Optional	Optional
Flags	Optional	Optional
DependentBundle element – Required, if a DependentBundles element is present			AutoCAD 2022-based products and later
UpgradeCode	Optional	Optional
VersionMin	Optional	Optional
VersionMax	Optional	Optional