---
title: Exploring the PackageContents.xml and AutoCAD plugin structure
description: "# Motivation `PackageContents.xml` is the meta file for AutoCAD/Civil 3D plugin, that tells AutoCAD how to auto-load your plugin. If you can `Netload` your plugin DLL, but can’t get AutoCAD to autoload it, then most likely you don’t set up…"
url: "https://civilwhiz.com/docs/exploring-the-packagecontents-xml-and-autocad-plugin-structure/"
updated: "2025-12-26"
category: API
---

# Exploring the PackageContents.xml and AutoCAD plugin structure

# Motivation

`PackageContents.xml` is the meta file for AutoCAD/Civil 3D plugin, that tells AutoCAD how to auto-load your plugin.

If you can `Netload` your plugin DLL, but can’t get AutoCAD to autoload it, then most likely you don’t set up this `xml` file correctly.

# The plugin setup

First, your plugin folder must end with `.bundle`, and Autodesk will scan the following folders to load all the plugins inside `.bundle` folder.

- `C:\Program Files\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins`
- `C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins`
- `%AppData%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins`

Inside the `.bundle` folder there will be a `PackageContents.xml` file. As noted before, this is the file that will determine whether auto-load is successful.

# Sample of a XML file

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ApplicationPackage
    SchemaVersion="1.0"
    AppVersion="1.0"
    Author="Genieko Sdn Bhd."
    ProductCode="{F7E8A1D5-6B9C-43F0-82C4-0A9D2B6E5C8F}"
	UpgradeCode="[Add Unique Plug-in GUID Here]"
    Name=".Genabler"
>

  <CompanyDetails
    Name="Genieko Sdn Bhd."
    Phone="Genabler"
    PhoneEsp="Genabler"
    Url="civilwhiz.com"
    UrlEsp="civilwhiz.com"
  />

 <!-- https://www.cadforum.cz/en/products.asp?prod=Civil+3D -->
  <Components>
      <RuntimeRequirements Platform="Civil3D"  OS="Win64" SeriesMin="R25.1"/>
    <ComponentEntry
      AppName="Genabler"
      ModuleName="./Contents/GenablerPlugin.dll"
    />

  </Components>
</ApplicationPackage>
```

# So what’s important?

From what we can tell, what is important is the `<Components>` section.

**Especially the `AppName` field. You have to ensure that the `AppName` is unique among all plugins. If it clashes with another plugin, then one of them may not be loaded at all.**

The fields in `<ApplicationPackage>`, on the other hand, aren’t important at all. You can leave `ProductCode`, `UpgradeCode` and even `Name` unchanged. AutoCAD doesn’t seem to care whether they are unique or not among the plugins.

  [![](https://civilwhiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/someoneme.jpg)](https://civilwhiz.com/author/civilwhiz/)[Ngu Soon Hui](https://civilwhiz.com/author/civilwhiz/)

My passion is in [sharing knowledge](/about/) — Civil 3D or otherwise– with the world.

I’m also the [benevolent dictator for life](https://mes100.com/about-ngu-soon-hui/) at MES Innovation Sdn Bhd.