How to install a ArcGIS Pro configuration for all users?

Question

Hi,

In the ArcGIS Pro SDK documentation is mentioned, how you have to install a configuration.

I have some questions about this topic:

* The documentation says:"RegisterAddin.exe" validates the configuration and copies it to the configurations' well-known folder: C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\ArcGIS\AddIns\ArcGISPro\Configurations

What if I want to install the configuration not only for one user, but for all? Do I have to use a different folder? Do I have to execute the tool more than once?
* What if I want to script the installation process. Could I use this tool and work with parameters?
* If I want to uninstall a configuration, is it enough to delete the proConfigX file in the user folder?

Kind regards,

Max

UmaHarano · Answer

Technically speaking,  the Pro add-ins follow a “XCopy” deployment scheme. This means that developers (or installers, install programs, etc) can simply copy the add-in or configuration to the target folder “by hand” and it will “just work” – assuming that the well-known folder is known by Pro.

However, RegisterAddin.exe is useful in the following scenarios:

1. Building your add-in (and cleaning your add-in) – In visual studio, we defer to RegisterAddin which has all the logic required to determine the users default folder, extract the guid, make the subdirectory and so forth. The same logic is executed on clean – it removes the folder.

2. Double-click registration – this is handled through the file-type association. Developers can simply “double-click” the .addinx/.proconfigx and RegisterAddin will copy the add-in to its guided folder correctly.

3.Digitally Signed/Not signed – RegisterAddin alerts you to the presence (or not) of a signature. It gives you, the user, the opportunity to accept or not the installation of the add-in (because you do or do NOT trust the publisher)

4. EULA – if a distributor of the add-in includes a EULA then that is presented to the user.

Thanks

Uma

MaxGlas · Answer

Hi Uma,

thanks for your answer.

* I tried it with the local public folder as described in "UsePublicConfigurationFolders", worked for me. 
By the way: even with a german language (where parts of the path are translated):

* I tested a little bit with the RegisterAddin.exe. 
I couldn't see what the installation process was necessary for, because the extension was always used, no matter if I just copied it into the directory or if I executed RegisterAddin.exe additionally.
Where I could see a difference was during the uninstallation process: If the file was in the user directory, it was deleted. If it was in the public directory, it was preserved.
Can you tell me if and why the RegisterAddin.exe is needed?

Kind regards,

Max

UmaHarano · Answer

Hi Max,

1. The RegisterAddin.exe will install the configuration to the default well-known folder which is "C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\ArcGIS\AddIns\ArcGISPro\Configurations"  You can define additional well known folders using the registry.  Using this, you can define locations that are network paths, etc., accessible by multiple uses.

2. Yes, you can script the RegisterAddIn.exe.  Here are the command-line flags:

3. Simply deleting the ProConfigX file is sufficient to "uninstall" it.  If you are only using the default well-known folder, you could use the RegisterAddIn.exe with the "unregister" flag. For other well-known folders, you can simply delete the proconfigx file.

Thank you!

Uma