AddIn behaviour change in ArcMap 10.4

[DaveSunerton-Burl]

Hi - I'm just trying to get something looked at by ESRI support :-s and it would be fantastic to get some other confirmation/denials on the issue I've found. It seems that any AddIn which contains folders (i.e. there is some kind of folder structure within the Install area of the add in file) will fail to load up in ArcMap 10.4. It's always been fine in previous versions, and I even noticed that the standard MapCenter AddIn hasn't got folders in since version 10.4 - and always has had up to 10.3.

Attached is an extremely minimal (68kb) AddIn/procedure to show the problem. If anyone developing AddIns and using/moving to ArcMap 10.4 could just try this out on your own AddIn for some extra confirmation I'd be extremely grateful. Just add a folder inside the "Install" bit of your AddIn (can be empty) and see if it fails after the next upgrade....

This happens with both Java and .NET addins.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

From the link here, for 10.4 Essential Python add-in concepts—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop folder structure is still in use

[DaveSunerton-Burl]

Have you actually tried it though? I haven't tried it with a Python addin, just with .NET and Java (which both fail if there are any folders within the Install folder).

[DaveSunerton-Burl]

I've not used Python before, but I just downloaded ESRI's wizard thing and built a skeleton Python AddIn. It suffers from the same problem. With subfolders inside the Install folder, the AddIn fails to load up (or show in any way) within ArcMap. Given that the Python documentation specifically mentions having subfolders for data etc. I'm thinking this is a bug rather than a change of behaviour.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

you should submit a bug report.  I don't use add-ins since I have no use for them in my workflow.  I prefer, and only need, conventional python toolboxes and tools.  Outside of that pure python and its brothers and sisters in the scipy stack

[DaveSunerton-Burl]

Yes, of course I have done that - I was just asking here if anyone else could confirm what I've found - you never know when something is machine-specific. Thank you for reminding me about Python though.

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

I know you are not asking about Python adding, but I just downloaded and tested my Python addin Python addin for data inventory and “broken-link” repair.  and tested it on a 10.4.1 machine that did not have it installed effort, and it worked without any issues.  I just tested the first tool, fgdb inventory.

if it makes a difference, this addin works in ArcCatalog, not ArcMap.

[DaveSunerton-Burl]

Thanks, I'll have a look to see if ArcCatalog manages to load up Java/.NET Addins correctly - I tried your Python one and it comes up fine in ArcCatalog on my machine too.

[DaveSunerton-Burl]

...interestingly though, if I open up the addin and add another folder within Install (alongside your scripts folder) and increase the version number, it fails to load. Something to do with folders that aren't referenced in the config.xml file maybe? I've still not heard back from ESRI so this is more information for them...

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Just addin a folder would not make a difference in a Python addin.  You would have to modify the config.xml and rerun the build to reflect the changes in the .addin file.  Then reinstalling while in Catalog wouldn't automatically update unless you either close/reopen, or use the "customize" option an refer to it be file name.  I have this written out a little better Tip: Python Addin - getting custom tools/toolbox to work - GPToolDialog

I personally really like the Python addins (which wont work in Pro, at least not as toolbars....toolbox should work) and don't work with the .net or Java addins, some due to preference but realistically because I feel much more comfortable with my Python skills than the others.....for whatever that's worth.