Testing add-ins on a developer machine


Summary
Add-ins created with the ArcGIS Explorer project templates are automatically deployed ready for testing on the developer machine when add-in projects are built.

About testing add-ins

Add-in projects created with the ArcGIS Explorer project templates include a number of MSBuild tasks. One of these tasks automatically deploys the add-in file created by the build, making it ready for immediate testing on the developer machine.
The deployment is reported in Visual Studio's Output window when the project is built. See the following screen shot:
 
If there are errors during the deployment process, the build's Output window reports information to diagnose the problem.
This deployment action copies the created add-in file to the add-in cache on the developer machine. Once copied, the add-in is loaded by ArcGIS Explorer the next time the application starts. At this point, buttons, dockable windows, or galleries in the add-in are available on the Add-Ins tab on the Ribbon.
See the following: