Run and debug DLL

Preparation for execution

• Create a subfolder for each extension directly below the extension installation folder (hereinafter referred to as the storage folder).

  For more information on the folder where the extension is placed, see Development Guide> Distributing Extensions> Placement of Extension.

• Build the Visual Studio project.

• Copy the following set of files from the build output folder and source code folder to the storage folder and place them.

{NextDesignAppFolder}\extensions\helloworld\
    manifest.json ･･･ Manifest
    helloworld.dll ･･･ DLL file specified as the entry point
    helloworld.pdb ･･･ debug execution information file
    locale.en.json ･･･ Locale file for English  (in case of multilingual support)
    locale.ja.json ･･･ Locale file for Japanese (in case of multilingual support)
    resources\
        image.png ･･･ Image file of the UI button specified in the manifest extension point

attention

• Do not copy these files even if the following DLL is output to the build output folder. It will not work properly because it conflicts with a DLL of the same name in the Next Design installation folder.

  Not to be copied: NextDesign.Core.dll, NextDesign.Desktop.dll

Debug

• Specify "NextDesign.exe` in the Next Design installation folder in [Debug]> [Start behavior]> [Start external program] in the project properties.

• Run Debug> Start Debug in Visual Studio.

• When Next Design launches, it will read the manifests of all the extensions located in the given folders and add the ribbon tabs and buttons you have defined to your extension points according to the extension life cycle.

• When the extension is activated according to the extension life cycle, the breakpoint set in Visual Studio is also activated.

attention

• If you replace the extension while running Next Design, those changes will not be reflected.
  • All extensions are loaded when Next Design is started, and are not reloaded during Next Design.

important

• If the manifest definition is incorrect, the extension will not work.
  • If the manifest definition is incorrect, the manifest will be ignored and the ribbon element defined as an extension point will not be displayed either.
  • In rare cases, Next Design may not start due to a manifest error. In such a case, temporarily change the manifest file name to something other than manifest.json, then restart Next Design to check.