Manually Installing a Stand-Alone Workflow

Workflows are created from .NET “class library” projects. The library you get from building the project (that is, a file with a .dll extension) must be copied into the AutoCAD Map 3D Client bin directory. The associated .tbp file needs to be copied into that directory as well.

Workflows need to be associated with a particular workspace using the AutoCAD Map 3D Administrator, and are loaded when the workspace is loaded in the AutoCAD Map 3D Client.

To associate a workflow with a workspace:

1. Launch the AutoCAD Map 3D Administrator application.
2. Click WorkspaceOpen.
3. In the left pane, click the Workflows folder.
4. In the Workflow Administrator area, click Create.
5. In the Create Workflow dialog box, enter a name for the workspace and click Create.
   
6. In the Workflow Administrator area, type the description of the workflow and click a bitmap or icon file containing a 16 by 16 pixel image to represent the workflow in the client application. Select the client application(s) in which workflow is available.
7. Add code into the Script Code edit field, which calls the plugin when the user activates the workflow. The code consists of a single call to RunMethod within the Run subroutine. The first parameter is the filename of the workflow library, the second parameter is the namespace and class name of the workflow, and the third parameter is the name of the entry point method:

   Sub Run
       Me.RunMethod("Sample.dll", "Sample.MyWorkflowPlugIn", "MyWorkflowEntrypoint") 
   End Sub
   

   When you are done, click Validate to make sure the code is correct.

8. Click Save. The workflow has now been added to the workspace document and is listed in the document’s Workflow Explorer in the appropriate client application(s).