Creating a custom Extension

Click here to get the sample associated with this walkthrough.

In this topic

• Creating a project in Visual Studio
• Setting additional Extension properties
• Adding the Timer functionality
• Compiling the project
• Using the add-in in ArcGIS Explorer
• Debugging the add-in

Creating a project in Visual Studio

3. On the New Project dialog box, click the Visual C# or Visual Basic Projects node under the Project types pane, click the ArcGIS node, then click the Explorer node.
4. Click the ArcGIS Explorer Extension template under the Templates pane.
5. Name the project ExtensionWalkthrough, then click Browse to locate where you want to save the project. See the following screen shot: 
6. Click OK on the New Project dialog box to create the project. The New ArcGIS Explorer Extension Project dialog box appears where you can set additional properties for your extension.

Setting additional Extension properties

1. On the New ArcGIS Explorer Extension Project (Enter Project Settings) dialog box, the Name property is automatically added. In the Description, Group Caption (displays on the Add-Ins tab), and Publisher text boxes, type an appropriate name. See the following screen shot:
   
   
   
2. Click Next on the preceding dialog box. The second page (Enter Extension Settings) of the New ArcGIS Explorer Extension Project dialog box appears. See the following screen shot:
   
   
   
3. Type a caption, for example, ExtensionWalkthrough in the Caption text box. Although Extensions do not have a UI button component, you need the caption to use in the ArcGIS Explorer Add-Ins Manager dialog box. 
4. Click Finish.
   

Adding the Timer functionality

1. Double-click the Extension.cs class in the Solution Explorer to view the template code.
2. Insert the following code example:
   

class Extension: ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.Extension
{
    System.Timers.Timer _t = new System.Timers.Timer(60000);
    public override void OnStartup()
    {
        _t.Start();
        _t.Elapsed += new System.Timers.ElapsedEventHandler(_t_Elapsed);
    }
    void _t_Elapsed(object sender, System.Timers.ElapsedEventArgs e)
    {

        System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(
            "This message box is displayed every 60 seconds. If you would like to disable this extension, go to the ArcGIS Explorer Options, select the Resources tab, and Manage Add-Ins.");
    }
    public override void OnShutdown()
    {
        _t.Stop();
    }


}

Friend Class Extension
Inherits ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.Extension
Private _t As System.Timers.Timer = New System.Timers.Timer(60000)
Public Overrides Sub OnStartup()
_t.Start()
AddHandler _t.Elapsed, AddressOf _t_Elapsed
End Sub


Private Sub _t_Elapsed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Timers.ElapsedEventArgs)
    
    System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("This message box is displayed every 60 seconds. If you would like to disable" + _
                                         "this extension, go to the ArcGIS Explorer Options, select the Resources tab, and Manage Add-Ins.")
End Sub

Public Overrides Sub OnShutdown()
_t.Stop()
End Sub


End Class

Compiling the project 

1. Save your project.
2. Click the Build menu and click Build Solution.
3. If your project built correctly, a report states the build succeeded in the Output window at the bottom of the Visual Studio .NET integrated development environment (IDE).
   

• For Windows Vista and Windows 7—C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\ArcGIS Explorer\Addins.
• For Windows XP—C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\ESRI\ArcGIS Explorer\AddIns. 

Using the add-in in ArcGIS Explorer

1. Start ArcGIS Explorer.
2. The extension automatically runs behind the scene. You will not see the extension on the Add-Ins tab.

Debugging the add-in

See Also: