Saving custom toolbar as an addin for portability

[JohnBonifas1]

..I want to save my custom toolbar as a .esriaddin file that I can then use anywhere, instead of just one machine. How do I do that?

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Your previous thread sstill doesn't specify what route you want to take Custom Addins...

So I only see python addins What is a Python add-in?—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

but I suspect this may not be what you want

there is a group, but it has little content or questions Python AddIns

so I suspect this a .net issue

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

As Dan mentioned, there is no need to start a second thread on geonet.

but you may want to also look thru Python Add-Ins – How to add built-in commands to your custom toolbar or menu | ArcGIS Blog

and download the Python addin wizard http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=5f3aefe77f6b4f61ad3e4c62f30bff3b#!

I would recommend Python, however adding do not yet work in ArcGIS Pro (unless something has changed recently) but should with ArcGIS Desktop 10.x and above (maybe 9.x too...can't remember off the top of my head).

however, the toolbox will work in Pro.  Make sure you store the scripts as relative paths, and although it my not be a simple double click to install an add in, a simple copy of the toolbox and scripts should work.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

From here Migrate your work to ArcGIS Pro—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS for Desktop

existing toolboxes, scripts and models will continue to work in Pro 1.2 but *.NET application level applications written for arcmap won't work in Pro

[JohnBonifas1]

Sorry...I was in a hurry. I'll be more specific:

• VBA, even though I could code it in my sleep, is history. ArcGIS 10.1+ no longer supports VBA, and Python is the hot language these days, that all scientists are using, so I need to learn python anyway.
• For analysis, I see that addins are not required; you just write your python code and add it to a model or toolbox. So that's what I'll do for that.
• The next couple of things I want to do does require an addin. Those two things are adding a custom toolbar globally to the ArcGIS Installation on a machine;  and, running a startup script that runs every time I start up ArcMap that sets certain options in the global ArcMap environment. Why do I want to do this? Because as a graduate student I'm constantly bouncing around between different machines. My virtual Windows system on my MacBook. The Windows machines in the CAPCOM at the Tempe Campus. The Windows machines at the Downtown campus. Remoting in to the terminal services servers at NAU in Flagstaff. I want a portable environment that I can initiate quickly after I've logged on to a public machine, instead of manually setting them and trying to remember them all before I start working on my data. Yes, I know that I can set a map document to store all my options, but there are certain options that I want to persist globally in the ArcGIS environment on that machine that will be set whenever I create a new map document.
• So, I figure I need to start by installing the ArcObjects SDK for ArcGIS 10.3+ on my laptop, for .NET and Java. But unfortunately, the ArcGIS website offers no way to direct download it; the pages just go round and round and round to Install ArcGIS Desktop. Is the ArcObjects SDK installation a part of the ArcGIS Desktop installation?
• I have the Python Addin Wizard, I will install it sometime in the next couple of weeks.

...Does that help?

John Bonifas

Masters in Geospatial Tech Candidate

Northern Arizona University

[DanPatterson_Retired]

re your points that I can address

• python definitely, but you should also start looking at the numpy, scipy, pandas stuff which is definitely in arcgis pro which uses python 3.4.  2.7 persists in arcmap 10.4 but get ready to move and become py-lingual during the transition. (look at other languages as well particularly if you are in a science/engineering discipline)
• r, matlab are still kicking around and used by many branches of the sciences/social sciences.  there are some interfaces to it within the arc* and python environment, but scipy covers more in the gis realm, at least in my area
• regular old toolboxes... nothing fancy...use the wizard, define the parameters and get on with it.  It should take you no more than 1/2 hour to turn a toolbox workflow into a tool in a toolbox, embed and distribute.  Check in Pro, I am finding some differences which arent due to 2.7/3.4 python differences
• for the cool stuff or if you need values list and want to stay inside the Arc environment then python toolboxes are nice. My workflow doesn't require them, but they have their place I suppose.. they just remind me of old school, programming the dialog to do stuff before you did stuff.
• develop your own interfaces outside of arcmap completely if it suits your area of study.  There are lots of interfaces for creating dialog interfaces, but to get stuff done, scripts and command line will suit most.
• Regarding your virtual environments, multiple platforms and the like... no help from me there.  I gave up decades ago trying to do the multiplatform, multilocation thing.  I simplified life... one location, one task, it keeps me focused.  I keep samples of data on my personal space on the university computers that I can access.  I don't work over networks for analysis since portable terrabyte drives are cheap and definitely faster than a network.
• I do disagree with your stance on the disadvantages of default projects especially with pro's aprx format, but that may be preference based

good luck, do what works for you and I hope others chime

[JohnBonifas1]

nk, you must not be a developer.  As a graduate student and a professional developer, traveling between multiple campuses, I have to be prepared to support multiple machines, multiple operating systems, the cloud, data centers, the web, whatever. In any language. The reason why I want to setup an esriaddin file for a global custom toolbar, like Ian Broad's fine Resources toolbar (GIS Resources Python Add-in for ArcMap – Ian Broad ), is that ASU roaming user profiles continually reset daily, so even if I come back to the same machine on the same campus the next day, I'll find my customization reset to the default. That can include geoprocessing environments, checked extensions (ASU has licensed them all), and the like.

I'll eventually get up to speed, but during the academic year, especially since this semester is my first graduate semester, my time for this stuff is extremely limited. However, this summer I'll be getting into it full force. I love R BTW

John Bonifas

Master of Geospatial Tech candidate

Northern Arizona University

John Bonifas - Master's in Geospatial Sciences Candidate | About.me

[DanPatterson_Retired]

ahhh makes sense... they don't touch our faculty profiles, student ones are a different story...