Add a New External Application (IExternalApplication) Using the RevitAddinWizard

We are going to talk something about another very fundamental and important class, in Revit API, External Application (IExternalApplication). We will see how the RevitAddinWizard makes class generation of the IExternalApplication easy and reliable.

The External Application item can be found from the Revit Addins category of the Visual C# Project Items. After the wizard has been filled in like:

 
 

A new external application (IExternalApplication) will be created and added to the current project accordingly:

#region Namespaces

using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Linq;
using System.Xml;
using System.Reflection;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.IO;

using Autodesk.Revit.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.Revit.Attributes;

using Autodesk.Revit.DB;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB.Events;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB.Architecture;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB.Structure;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB.Mechanical;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB.Electrical;
using Autodesk.Revit.DB.Plumbing;

using Autodesk.Revit.UI;
using Autodesk.Revit.UI.Selection;
using Autodesk.Revit.UI.Events;

using Autodesk.Revit.Collections;
using Autodesk.Revit.Exceptions;
using Autodesk.Revit.Utility;

using RvtApplication = Autodesk.Revit.ApplicationServices.Application;
using RvtDocument = Autodesk.Revit.DB.Document;

#endregion

namespace RevitAddinCS2
{
    [Transaction(TransactionMode.Automatic)]
    [Regeneration(RegenerationOption.Automatic)]
    public class ExtApp2 : IExternalApplication
    {
        #region Cached Variables

        public static UIControlledApplication _cachedUiCtrApp;
        
        #endregion

        #region IExternalApplication Members

        public Result OnStartup(UIControlledApplication uiApp)
        {
            _cachedUiCtrApp = uiApp;

            try
            {
               

                //TODO: add you code below.

                return Result.Succeeded;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show( ex.ToString() );
                return Result.Failed;
            }
        }

        public Result OnShutdown(UIControlledApplication uiApp)
        {
            try
            {

                //TODO: add you code below.

                return Result.Succeeded;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString());
                return Result.Failed;
            }
        }

        #endregion

        #region Local Methods
       
       

        #endregion
    }
}

It is nothing new but the point here is that the RevitAddinWizard will not only save time but also guarantee that a valid External Application (IExternalApplication) will be there with wanted options.

Links to some related articles:

Use RevitAddinWizard to Create IUpdater Derivatives of Revit API

Implement IFailuresPreprocessor of Revit API

Use RevitAddinWizard to Implement IFailuresPreprocessor of Revit API

Implement An IFailuresProcessor of Revit API

Use RevitAddinWizard to Implement IFailuresProcessor of Revit API

Command Availability And Revit Flavors/Categories of Revit API

Use RevitAddinWizard to Implement IExternalCommandavailability of Revit API

Implement ISelectionFilter of Revit API

Use RevitAddinWizard to Implement ISelectionFilter of Revit API