Alibre Shapes Add-On

Alibre Shapes Add-On is an Alibre Design add-on that generates parametric steel profiles in the active part by running bundled Alibre Script generators.

This build ships as a demo and template. It includes one generator, Template.py, which builds a square hollow section (square steel tube) from standard hot-formed and cold-formed dimension tables. At load time the add-on scans Scripts\src\hss and turns each *.py file into a menu item, so you extend it by adding more generator scripts.

A C# assembly hosts IronPython and runs the generators against the Alibre API. The project targets .NET Framework 4.8.1 (net481), builds for x64, and references the AlibreAddOn and AlibreX assemblies from Alibre Design 29.0.0.29060.

Table Of Contents

• What Is Here
• Official Alibre Resources
• Requirements
• Quick Start
• Installation
• Usage
• Key Files
• Key Folders
• Notes
• License

What Is Here

• A C# Alibre add-on (AlibreAddOn.cs) that builds the alibre-shapes-addon menu and hosts an embedded IronPython script runner.
• One bundled generator, Template.py, that models a square hollow section with inner and outer corner fillets.
• Hot-formed and cold-formed dimension tables covering standard sizes from 20 mm to 400 mm.
• A setup script, alibre_setup.py, that binds the active part or assembly before each generator runs.
• Inno Setup and Advanced Installer configurations, with PowerShell and batch build scripts, for packaging the add-on.
• A GitHub Actions workflow (.github/workflows/build-installers.yml) for building the installers.

Official Alibre Resources

Alibre's official resources for API development and AI/LLM/agent workflows: https://www.alibre.com/api/

Requirements

• Alibre Design 29.0.0.29060 (x64). The build references AlibreAddOn.dll and AlibreX.dll from the Alibre Design install.
• .NET Framework 4.8.1 (the project targets net481) built for x64.
• IronPython 3.4.2 and IronPython.StdLib 3.4.2 (referenced via NuGet) to run the Alibre Script generators.
• For packaging: Inno Setup 6 or Advanced Installer.

Quick Start

To try the add-on without building, run the prebuilt installer:

source\alibre-shapes-addon-v2.0.exe

To build from source:

dotnet build source\alibre-shapes-addon.csproj -c Release -f net481

Then register the add-on with Alibre (see Installation), launch Alibre Design, open a Part, and pick a generator from the alibre-shapes-addon menu.

Installation

Build the project, then install with one of the provided installers:

1. Build the add-on:

   dotnet build source\alibre-shapes-addon.csproj -c Release -f net481

2. Build an installer (see documentation/INSTALLER-README.md for full details):
   • Inno Setup: run source\build-installer.ps1 (or source\build-installer.bat) to produce installer\alibre-shapes-addon-setup-v2.0.exe.
   • Advanced Installer: open source\alibre-shapes-addon.aip and build an MSI.
3. Run the installer as Administrator. It installs the add-on under %ProgramFiles%\Alibre Design\Addons\, registers alibre-shapes-addon.adc under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Alibre, LLC\Alibre Design\Addons, so Alibre discovers the add-on on startup.

Usage

1. Launch Alibre Design and open or create a Part.
2. Open the alibre-shapes-addon menu and select a generator. The bundled square section appears as Template (from Template.py).
3. The script builds the profile in the active part from the size, wall thickness, fillet radii, and length set in the script. Edit those values near the top of Scripts\src\hss\Template.py to change the geometry. HorC selects hot (0) or cold (1) formed tables, Size selects the section, the thickness index selects a table row, and Length sets the extrusion length in mm.

Key Files

File	Purpose
source/AlibreAddOn.cs	The add-on: registers the menu, hosts IronPython, and runs generators against the Alibre API.
source/Scripts/src/hss/Template.py	Bundled generator; builds a square hollow section from hot-formed and cold-formed dimension tables.
source/Scripts/src/hss/alibre_setup.py	Setup script run before each generator; binds the active part or assembly from the current session.
source/alibre-shapes-addon.csproj	.NET SDK project targeting net481 and x64; references AlibreAddOn and AlibreX; pulls IronPython from NuGet.
source/alibre-shapes-addon.sln	Visual Studio solution.
source/alibre-shapes-addon.adc	Alibre add-on manifest read at startup (assembly, menu text, identifier).
source/alibre-shapes-addon.iss	Inno Setup script for the EXE installer.
source/alibre-shapes-addon.aip	Advanced Installer project for the MSI installer.
source/build-installer.ps1	PowerShell script that builds the Inno Setup installer.
source/installer-config.json	Installer metadata: version, dependencies, registry path, and requirements.
source/alibre-shapes-addon-v2.0.exe	Prebuilt installer executable (v2.0).
documentation/INSTALLER-README.md	Installer build and packaging guide.

Key Folders

Folder	Purpose
source/	Add-on C# source, the .NET project and solution, installer scripts, and the disclaimer.
source/Scripts/src/hss/	Alibre Script generators and alibre_setup.py; add a new *.py here to create a menu item.
documentation/	Installer build guide.
reviews/	Dated code-review notes.
submodules/	Placeholder for vendored submodules (currently holds only a .gitkeep).
.github/	This README, contribution and issue/PR templates, and the installer build workflow.

Notes

• This build labels itself a demo. The About dialog and the .adc description both read "Demo", and the single bundled generator is named Template.
• ScriptRunner hard-codes the Alibre install path C:\Program Files\Alibre Design 29.0.0.29060. A different Alibre version or install location needs a code change.
• Generator parameters live in the script as literal values. There is no parameter dialog. Edit Template.py to change size, thickness, fillet radii, or length.
• The fillet step in Template.py targets specific edge names (Edge<6>, Edge<30>, and similar). When the modeled edges change, the script prints a warning and skips the fillets.
• installer-config.json sets the build configuration to Debug and registers under HKLM, so installation writes to Program Files and needs Administrator rights.
• The generators run under the add-on's embedded IronPython 3.4.2 engine, which loads the Alibre Script API from the Alibre Design install.

License

Per the bundled disclaimer (source/alibre.disclaimer.txt), the project uses the MIT License. See LICENSE.

Alibre, Alibre Design, and Alibre Script names and related materials belong to their respective owners.