Configuring custom add-in paths

Important   Modifying the configuration file could lead to unexpected behavior in the application. Only when you are familiar with the process and risks involved with changing a configuration file, you should attempt to change it.

Custom paths to add-in directories can be specified in the <PluginSearchContext> section of the configuration file (*.exe.config located in the installation directory for the application). The path is assigned to the Location property inside an <add /> element. A complete statement defining a path to C:\Addins as the primary location would appear as:

<add Id="1" Location="Addins" />.

Any number of locations can be added to the configuration, and the application will attempt to read and load all add-ins from the paths specified in the configuration file, including those add-ins that are specified in the subfolders.

The rules for both properties are as follows:

Id  A unique value (integer) given to the statement.

Location  The path to the add-in directory. This value can be specified as a relative or absolute path. When specifying a relative path, the root is C:\Users\[user name]\Documents\[product name]\

Initial definition

By default, the application will first search the install directory for a Plugins folder, then will search the install directory for an Addins folder:

<PluginSearchContext>

<PluginSearchPaths>

<add Id="1" Location="Plugins" />

<add Id="2" Location="Addins" />

</PluginSearchPaths>

</PluginSearchContext>

Example modification

<PluginSearchContext>

<PluginSearchPaths>

<add Id="1" Location="C:\Users\Public\Documents\Plugins" />

<add Id="2" Location="Plugins" />

<add Id="3" Location="Addins" />

</PluginSearchPaths>

</PluginSearchContext>

Other components of the application can be configured outside of the UI as well, see Administrator configurations.

Besides these additional plugin search paths it is also possible to define the environment variable 'EARTH_ADDON_SEARCH_PATHS' to the additional search paths. This environment variable needs to be defined in the process of the user context and has to contain 1 or a ',' or ';' separated string of valid search paths.

For example: EARTH_ADDON_SEARCH_PATHS = C:\MySpecialAddins\