Wherever applications using Navisworks Controls or plug-ins are installed, there needs to be a valid installation of a Navisworks product. This includes vertical and OEM versions.

There are several ways to identify where Navisworks is installed but the recommended method is in fact a 2 step process. Firstly the registry key 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\Navisworks API Runtime' contains sub keys for each installation of a Navisworks Product, vertical or OEM installed on the system. In each of these keys there is a string value called 'Path' which identifies the install location for the product.

Applications using the Controls API and the Automation API do not have any extra installation requirements above those already discussed; the API has no restrictions on where applications using the Controls and Automation parts of the API must be installed. This is because all the API assemblies are in the GAC and will be resolved without anything extra having to be done. However, installation programs may want to check that a Navisworks product is installed, as otherwise applications won't run.

These are the most complicated but are still relatively simple. The steps need to be repeated for each plug-in.

1. Identify the plug-in's assembly filename.
2. Using the method described above, identify the Navisworks installation folder.
3. Locate the 'Plug-ins' subfolder.
4. Create a directory in the 'Plug-ins' directory with the same name, minus the '.dll' extension. For example, for an assembly 'Abc.Def.dll' create the folder with the name 'Abc.Def'.
5. Copy the assembly into this newly created folder.
6. Copy any dependencies of the assembly (except any generated by the Navisworks API) into the 'dependencies' folder, found in the location identified in step 2.
7. The plug-in installation is now complete!