HOW TO

Restore RegisterAddin.exe file association for ArcGS Pro SDK Addins and Configurations

Last Published: January 30, 2025

Summary

This article addresses a potential issue with the file association for ArcGIS Pro SDK Addins and ArcGIS Pro SDK Configurations with RegisterAddin.exe being broken by the following patches:

  • 1.2.1 ArcGIS AllSource
  • 1.3.1 ArcGIS AllSource
  • 3.4.1: ArcGIS Pro
  • 3.3.3: ArcGIS Pro

This issue is related to BUG-000173823.

These patches move the RegisterAddin.exe from the C://ProgramData/EsriProCommon folder to the installation bin folder C://Program Files/ArcGIS/Pro/bin or C://Program Files/ArcGIS/AllSource/bin.  This issue is caused if both ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS AllSource are installed on the same machine and then one or the other is uninstalled.  The uninstall process removes the file association between RegisterAddin.exe and the addin .esriAddinX and configuration .proConfigX files. 

How can you tell if the file association has been lost?  Double-clicking on an ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS AllSource addin or ArcGIS Pro configuration file no longer invokes RegisterAddin.exe to perform the addin or configuration installation.  The RegisterAddin.exe icon no longer displays with the .esriAddinX or .proConfigX files in Windows File Explorer.  

Cause

Installing both ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Allsource and then uninstalling either one or the other of the products will remove the file association between RegisterAddin.exe and the addin .esriAddinX and configuration .proConfigX files. 

Procedure

Re-establish the file association between .esriAddinX and .proConfigX files with RegisterAddin.exe using the Windows Explorer context menu "Open with..." option.

  1. Right-click on either the .esriAddinX or the .proConfigX file to show the Windows Explorer context menu.
  2. Select Open with, as shown in the image below.
  3. Browse to the location of the RegisterAddin.exe on your machine to select it. (RegisterAddin.exe can be found in either of the product’s respective bin folders.)
  4. Ensure that you have checked the Always use this app to open <filename> checkbox to retain the association.
  5. Repeat this process to ensure that both the .esriAddinX and .proConfigX files are associated.

pop-up menu option to set file association

setting and persisting the file association

Article ID: 000034714

Software:
  • ArcGIS Pro

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