Scaffolding Revit Projects

Scaffolding Revit Projects

The Nice3point.Revit.Templates package provides dotnet new templates for Revit add-ins, solutions, benchmarks, and tests, already wired to Nice3point.Revit.Sdk. Choose the project topology before generating files. Choosing the wrong project shape causes either a monolithic add-in or a modular add-in without a host.

These rules apply to every generated project:

1. Template options define the project shape. Generate a fresh project with the needed options; do not add generated infrastructure by hand.
2. A Debug.RNN or Release.RNN configuration targets one Revit year. Replace NN with the final two digits of that year; for example, Debug.R27 targets Revit 2027.

When to use

• Starting a new Revit add-in, benchmark, or test project or solution.

Workflow

Step 1: Install the templates

dotnet new install Nice3point.Revit.Templates

Step 2: Select the template and its options

Match the required outcome to one reference and open only that reference.

• references/revit-addin-solution.md — Load when: a repository needs a standard layout, default root files, ModularPipelines build, MSI installer, App Store bundle, tests, or CI.
• references/revit-addin.md — Load when: a small self-contained add-in needs one project that owns its manifest, entry point, UI.
• references/revit-addin-application.md — Load when: creating the manifest-owning host for a modular add-in; use it with revit-addin-module.
• references/revit-addin-module.md — Load when: adding one modular feature, service, or WPF MVVM area to an application host.
• references/revit-benchmark.md — Load when: measuring Revit API code with BenchmarkDotNet inside Revit.
• references/revit-tunit.md — Load when: creating a TUnit test project that runs inside Revit.

Step 3: Generate the project or solution

dotnet new revit-addin-sln --name MyAddin

Pass only the options that change the default shape. For example, create a solution with an App Store bundle and tests:

dotnet new revit-addin-sln --name MyAddin --bundle --includeTests

For a modular solution, create the host and a module under source, then add the module reference to the host:

dotnet new revit-addin-application --name MyAddin
dotnet new revit-addin-module --name MyFeature
dotnet add MyAddin/MyAddin.csproj reference MyFeature/MyFeature.csproj

Step 4: Initialize the solution repository

For a solution, create add-in projects under source and make an initial Git commit before running its build. ModularPipelines and GitVersion need repository history.

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

Step 5: Verify

Restore and build a declared Debug.RNN configuration. For a solution, run its ModularPipelines build from build.

dotnet build <ProjectPath> --configuration Debug.RNN
cd build
dotnet run

Validation

• The templates are installed via dotnet new install Nice3point.Revit.Templates.
• The chosen template and options match the intended topology and output.
• A modular add-in has an application host, modules referenced from that host, and entry points in the host.
• A solution has an initial Git commit before its build runs.
• The generated project builds for one declared Debug.RNN or Release.RNN configuration.

Common Pitfalls