The \Source\ folder contains the Visual CADD API declarations in a VB file. The file should be copied to your project folder for inclusion in your VB.NET project. When used with the sample VB.NET projects, the VB file is already in the project folders and need not be copied.
The \Examples\ folder contains two sample VB.NET projects: API_Help_VB to build Visual CADD add-on tools as a VB.NET class library DLL and API_Help_VB2 to build a custom interface EXE using the Visual CADD DLL engine. The sample projects require Visual Studio 2015 through 2022 and .NET Framework 4.5.2. With minor changes, Visual Studio 2010 is also supported. Visual Studio 2022 Community is available as a free download from Microsoft. The source code can be ported to any other Basic compiler, as needed.
You may copy the project files and the corresponding folder structures to any local folder for development.
The output from the class library project for the add-on tools is directed to an \Addons\API_Help\ folder as a sibling to the Visual CADD \Programs\ folder, usually C:\Program Files (x86)\TriTools Partners\Visual CADD 9\Addons\API_Help or C:\Program Files\... on 32-bit Windows. The \Addons\ folders are locations Visual CADD automatically searches for executables and CmdExt.vcdef for add-on tools. Thus, the \Addons\API_Help\ folder is a convenient destination for compiled output for development, testing, and deployment.
The same \Addons\API_Help\ folder would normally contain a CmdExt.vcdef
with any custom commands required to run the custom add-on tools.
For example, a CmdExt.vcdef might include:
<Commands> <Command Name="HelloWorldB"> <Script>DllName;API_Help_VB.dll;DllFunName;API_Help_VB.HelloWorld.Run;DllRunNET;</Script> </Command> </Commands>