topic Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's? in ArcGIS Pro SDK Questions

Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

RomanTrojan — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 14:20:29 GMT

My AddIn is referencing another own component. All DLL's are installed in one configured Add Ins folder. But Arc Pro crashes that way! I have found out working folder, but I suppose it must be more professional?
C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\ESRI\ArcGISPro\AssemblyCache\{GUID}

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

GKmieliauskas — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 11:57:42 GMT

Hi,

Your AddIn is zip file package which includes all referenced dlls. To add them automatically to zip in Visual Studio AddIn project dll reference properties set Copy to local property to True.

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

RomanTrojan — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 17:35:20 GMT

Thank you for reply but copying Add-In referenced DLL’s to configured Add-Ins folder causes Arc Pro to crash while invoke to run further referenced code as on Add-In itself.

I am searching for an appropriate folder to debug and deploy any (not ArcGIS) DLL’s which are referenced by a custom Pro Add-In. Following there are some scenarios to place further referenced DLL’s evaluated with actual version ArcGIS Pro 2.2.3. Actually I tend to use ArcGIS Pro Extensions folder.

Does not work (crash):

Add-In Manager configured Add-Ins folder e.g. D:\my disk\Pro\Test
Well known folder e.g. C:\Users\*\Documents\ArcGIS\AddIns\ArcGISPro

Works, but not appropriate:

Add-In working folder e.g. C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\ESRI\ArcGISPro\AssemblyCache\{GUID}
GAC folder C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL

Works, maybe appropriate?

ArcGIS Pro Extensions folder C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Extensions

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

GKmieliauskas — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 05:58:14 GMT

Hi Roman,

We have solution with 11 projects. Some of them have AddIns, some of them are helpers. All application works fine in folder C:\Program Files\xxxxxxxx.

At first you need to clean up all copies of referenced dll from disk. After that each reference of your additional library you need to set “Copy to local” to True.

Your library must be in the same solution as your AddIn.

Next thing you need to setup project dependencies using “Building dependencies- Project dependencies”. Check each library your AddIn uses. Now each time when you build your project, your additional libraries will be built too.

There is one problem with debugging. You can’t go from library to library and back, because your AddIn takes library not from your solution, but from AddIn zip file. So you can debug only StartUp project. Each time you change your additional library code, you need to go and rebuild your AddIns which uses additional library.

To check is your additional library is included to AddIn , rename xxxx.esriAddinX to xxxx.zip file and check its content with your archiving software or go to AddIns folder, locate folder where your AddIn dll is stored and check if your additional dll library is stored in the same folder.

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

RomanTrojan — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 08:51:45 GMT

Hi Gintautas,

Thank you for your extensive elucidations! I hope it helps some developers. For me there is no problem with additional libraries container because everything works at some special folders as described earlier. I am also aware to take care of actual version for debugging. My question has more .NET deploy nature on how to make configured Pro Add-Ins folder, well known folder or any other folder e.g. C:\Program Files\xxxxxxxx for not to crash ArcGIS Pro but to be known that way as C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Extensions does? I have .NET knowledge lack there and not unlimited time to search for the appropriate technique. My goal is to deploy package including additional libraries to Add-Ins folder as configured by ArcGIS Pro user without crash scenario.

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

RomanTrojan — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:22:45 GMT

I am back on this path again trying to present my dilemma more accurate and clearly.

The additional library DLL’s reference property “Copy to local” cannot be set to True because some of my assemblies are late binding and therefore not listed as references on my Add-In. It is an optional entrance to a smart system with core components which serves not only ArcPro but ArcMap commands or other containers like GeoPackage as well. Dependent on the calling mode some different libraries are linked at run-time based on System.Reflection.Assembly.Load/LoadFrom function. For this case I intend to use the ArcPro extensions folder C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Extensions\* (this works well) or invoke additional .NET configuration.

On the other hand, I dislike copying all the same libraries for each of many Add-Ins to theirs working folder C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\ESRI\ArcGISPro\AssemblyCache\{GUID} with “Copy to local” flag for current user and Add-In GUID.

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

GKmieliauskas — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 05:42:53 GMT

I think AddIns technology is not very friendly for 3rd party big developments. There is another one problem with developing AddIns on ArcGIS Pro. It is AddIns resources. There is only one way to specify your own resources as relative path from ArcGIS Pro installation folder. I think we need support from Esri what is better way to develop big extensions on ArcGIS Pro.

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

BartVan_Hoecke — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 10:42:39 GMT

You can also try to use the AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve ResolveEventHandler.

Each time ArcGIS Pro would try to resolve an assembly for your addin, it would be fired.Off course you'll need a way to identify if your loading a 'standard' ESRI library or own of your other third party dlls. Because for the first case you should let it go through the default logic. In the second case you could try to load it from a specific path.

This might get you started:

c# - Working with AppDomain.AssemblyResolve event - Stack Overflow

I think this implementation should happen at the very first 'addin' loading. In other words: where you implement the ArcGIS.Desktop.Framework.Contracts.Module.

HTH,

Bart

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

RomanTrojan — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 09:28:26 GMT

Yes, I guess my ArcPro AddIn referencing other DLLs (partly late binding) needs additional code to work on any folder specified by a user. It is another concept as I am familiar using ArcMap command. Thank you, Bart!

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

NareshNagandla — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 02:35:17 GMT

Hi guys, I am unable to deploy my solution in VM. its not giving me any error but my dockpane doesn't display anything. It just comes with blank.

In my development machine it all works fine only in VM where Arcgis pro was installed it is having this issues.

I have copied my thrid party dlls into the folder

C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin

I have also set “Copy to local” to True. in VS. I am unable to find where the issue could be. I have also added logging functionality and its not even coming to my logging code and I am not sure what I am missing.

Having dockpane as blank is something I am unable to debug. Can someone please help me on this??

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

RomanTrojan — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:23:12 GMT

Try to put all your components to the sub-folder of ArcPro extensions C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Extensions\[Test].
Another convenient approach may be found using GAC.
For deploy purposes I've preferred any configurable Add-In folder.

For thrid party or late binding dlls this may require to espouse the assemblies which were failed to load:

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += new ResolveEventHandler(MyResolveEventHandler);

private static System.Reflection.Assembly MyResolveEventHandler(object sender, ResolveEventArgs args)
{
   System.Reflection.AssemblyName MyAssemblyName = new System.Reflection.AssemblyName(args.Name);
   string AssemblyPath = [Add-In folder];
   string TargetPath = System.IO.Path.Combine(AssemblyPath, string.Format("{0}.dll", MyAssemblyName.Name));
MyAssemblyName.CodeBase = TargetPath; //This alone won't force the assembly to load from here!
   if (!System.IO.File.Exists(TargetPath))
   {
      // .NET is always searching for the satellite assemblies, even if they are not existing
      // The AssemblyResolve event is also firing for a lof of resource DLLs which are not existing
      return null;
   }
   // We have to use LoadFile here, otherwise we won't load a differing version, regardless of the codebase because only LoadFile will actually load a *new* assembly if it's at a different path
   // See: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/b61s44e8(v=vs.110).aspx
   return System.Reflection.Assembly.LoadFile(MyAssemblyName.CodeBase);
}

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

GKmieliauskas — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:40:04 GMT

Hi Naresh,

Try at first Esri sample with dockpane. If sample does not work on VM then write ticket to esri support.

Else check all libraries included in your dockpane xaml.

We all libraries which use more than one Add-in add to GAC, all Add-ins put to special folder defined in ArcGIS Pro Add-ins manager.

Re: Where to install AddIn referenced DLL's?

Wolf — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 15:15:02 GMT

I would suggest change the version number in your config.daml's AddInInfo tag. Use addin manager on your VM to verify that Pro is running the same addin version that works on your development machine.

I assume you don't have Visual Studio on your VM in which case you have to add logging code to locate the source of your problems. You said that not even your logging code is being executed? Is your logging code working if you add a log entry to the Module class? For example in the Current property? Make sure that your module's autoload property is set to 'false'. If that works (i.e. logging code in the Current property) i would suggest to add Roman's Assembly Resolve handler to output any errors in the late binding to your logger.

I have created an add-in that is using cefsharp.wpf which also uses late binding, without any problems. However, depending on the 3rd party package you might have to configure the 'load' environment properly. With cefsharp i had to add some code to configure the 'late binding load' environment for cefsharp. The problem is that you don't know how your 3rd party loads its required dll or resources.

I your post above you say:

Works, but not appropriate:
Add-In working folder e.g. C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\ESRI\ArcGISPro\AssemblyCache\{GUID}

Not knowing what your 3rd party library does, I would suggest that using the 'add-in working folder' is actually an 'appropriate' implementation. You can simply add all your 3rd party library dlls to your add-in project and make sure that the 3rd party dll's build action is set to 'Content' and 'Copy to Output' is set to Copy. Now build your add-in and start ArcGIS Pro. Once ArcGIS Pro starts it will update the "C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\ESRI\ArcGISPro\AssemblyCache\{GUID}" folder and unzip the addin file's content in this folder and you should now see you 3rd party dlls in that folder. It's possible that this will fix your problem, if it doesn't you can 'redirect' the assembly load path using Roman's code snippet.

Finally i would like to clarify that the following is Not appropriate:

Works, maybe appropriate?
ArcGIS Pro Extensions folder C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Extensions

As Gintautas mentions if you have multiple add-ins that use the same libraries you can add them to the GAC, however, that will complicate the installation/updating of add-ins because they have to be in sync with the GAC (and the setup required to install dlls and register with the GAC).