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ApplicationPackage Element Reference

Product Documentation
Intermediate
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Each PackageContents.xml file must contain an ApplicationPackage element. The ApplicationPackage element, in the form of XML attributes, contains general information about the plug-in. It also encapsulates other element types that help to define the contents of the plug-in.

An ApplicationPackage element can have any of the following attributes attached to it:

Attribute

Description

SchemaVersion

PackageContents.xml format version number. The value should always be 1.0 until a newer version of the schema is introduced.

AppVersion

Application version number. AutoCAD-based products use this value to determine if the installed version is the latest version. If an updated version is available, the user is informed and able to download and install the latest version. It is recommended to use an application version that includes major and minor values, such as “1.0.0.0”.

Author

Name of the plug-in author.

Name

Plug-in name.

A localized plug-in name can be specified by combining Name with a locale code. See Supported Locale Codes Reference for a full list of supported locale codes.

Description

Short description of the plug-in.

Localized descriptions can be specified by combining Description with a locale code. See Supported Locale Codes Reference for a full list of supported locale codes.

Icon

Icon for the plug-in; used in the installer and the Autodesk Exchange Apps website. The icon should be 32x32 pixels in size and support 32-bit (Truecolor) color depth. Recommend using a BMP or ICO file format.

NoteAll path specifiers are '/' and not '\', and paths are relative to the root .bundle folder.

HelpFile

Help file that explains how to use the plug-in and provides additional information about the plug-in.

It is recommended to create a How To section that explains how to use the plug-in. The file can be an ASCII text, a HTML document, or PDF file that contains the full documentation for the plug-in or contains a set of redirects to where the content might be located online.

Localized help files can be specified by combining Helpfile with a locale code. See Supported Locale Codes Reference for a full list of supported locale codes.

NoteAll path specifiers are '/' and not '\', and paths are relative to the root .bundle folder.

ProductCode

Unique GUID for the plug-in. A GUID must be generated for each unique plug-in, and is used for first run notifications and as the installer ID for Add/Remove Programs in Windows when installed from the Autodesk Exchange Apps website.

ProductCode should be updated if the AppVersion is changed. This is so upgrade installs work properly and a notification is displayed for the upgrade when loaded into an AutoCAD-based product.

On Windows, you can use the MSI installer ProductCode or generate a GUID using an application such as GuidGen.exe. There are also websites that allow you to generate a GUID.

UpgradeCode

Unique GUID for the plug-in that must never be changed. The GUID is used by the Autodesk Exchange Apps website to allow for upgrading from an old version to a newer version of a plug-in without the need to uninstall the plug-in first.

NoteYou must increment AppVersion in order to allow for proper upgrading of a plug-in.

An ApplicationPackage element can contain, or encapsulate, the following elements:

  • CompanyDetails
  • Components

Related References

Related Concepts

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