FormIt for Windows
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  • Introduction
  • What's New
  • FormIt Capabilities
    • Multiple Clients
    • Conceptual Solid Modeling
    • Working with Data Formats
    • Languages
    • Collaboration
    • Presentation Graphics
    • FormIt + Autodesk Docs
    • FormIt + Dynamo
    • Solar + Energy Analysis
    • FormIt + Revit
    • FormIt + JavaScript for Plugins
  • FormIt Introduction
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Prerequisites and Installation
    • Setting Up the Project
    • Toolbars and Palettes
    • Navigating the Scene
  • FormIt Primer
    • Part I
      • 1.1 - Set the Location
      • 1.2 - Project Set Up with Images and Grid
      • 1.3 - 3D Sketch and Drag Face
      • 1.4 - Add Floors with Levels
      • 1.5 - Group Objects
      • 1.6 - Control Visibility with Layers
      • 1.7 - Paint with Materials
      • 1.8 - Create Columns with Array
      • 1.9 - Adding Details
      • 1.10 - Computational Groups with Dynamo
      • 1.11 - Import Models with Content Library
      • 1.12 - Visual Styles
      • 1.13 - Section Planes
      • 1.14 - Export Image
      • 1.15 - Working With Revit
    • Part II
      • 2.1 - Offset Line Tool
      • 2.2 - Advanced Modeling Tools: Shell and Cover
      • 2.3 Orthographic View Workflow
      • 2.4 - 3D Terrain Workflows
      • 2.5 - Plugins
      • 2.6 - Dynamo FormIt Nodes
      • 2.7 - Diagnostics Tools
      • 2.8 - Advanced Revit Workflows
      • 2.9 - Solar and Insight Energy Analysis
      • 2.10 - Collaboration Sessions
  • Tool Library
    • 3D Text
    • Align Camera With Face
    • Arc
    • Array
    • Array Along Path
    • AutoSave
    • Boolean Cut
    • Boolean Intersect
    • Boolean Join
    • Circle
    • Collaboration
    • Content Library
    • Copy Object
    • Cover, Sweep, Loft
    • Create Panorama
    • Curve + Surface Faceting
    • Delete, Edit, Move
    • Dynamo
    • Energy Analysis with Insight
    • Faces: Extrude, Cut and Offset
    • Faces: Flatten
    • Faces: Tilt and Facet/Smooth
    • Groups Tree
    • Groups
    • Import and Export Data
    • Layers
    • Levels and Area
    • Lines
    • Materials
    • Measure Angle
    • Measure
    • Meshes
    • Mirror
    • Model Statistics
    • Model Tree
    • Modifying Faces, Edges, and Points
    • Non-Uniform Scale
    • Offset Line
    • Orthographic Views
    • Orthographic and Perspective Camera
    • Placing Primitives
    • Place Vertex
    • Plugins
    • Polygon
    • Properties
    • Railing Along Path
    • Rectangle
    • Revit
    • Rotate Object
    • Scale Object
    • Scenes
    • Section Planes
    • Selection
    • Setting Location
    • Sun + Shadows
    • Shell
    • Snaps and Inferences
    • Solar Analysis
    • Spline
    • Storefront/Curtainwall Mullion System
    • Undo Manager
    • Visual Styles
    • Work Planes
    • World Axes
  • Plugins
    • Introduction to Plugins
    • How to Use Plugins
    • How to Develop Plugins
      • Your First Plugin
        • Plugin Playground
        • Launching the Sample Plugin
        • Adding Your Own Features
        • Saving Your Work to GitHub
        • Publishing Your Project
      • Advanced Development
        • Using an IDE
        • Cloning a Sample Plugin
        • Hosting a Plugin on a Local Server
        • Previewing a Plugin in the Plugin Manager
        • Setting Up FormIt for Development
        • Hosting a Plugin on GitHub
        • General Plugin Setup in the Manifest
        • Reloading for Local Changes
        • Client-Side vs Web-Side Engines
        • Debugging
        • Versioning
      • Additional Development Options
        • Creating an HTML Panel Plugin
        • Creating a Combined HTML Panel and Toolbar Plugin
        • Creating a Toolbar-Based Plugin
        • Testing a Combined HTML Panel and Toolbar Plugin
        • Creating an Add-In
        • Invoking Plugins and API from Dynamo
    • FormIt APIs
    • Examples
      • Generate String Lights
      • Manage Cameras Plugin
      • Properties Plus Plugin
      • 3D Context Creator
      • FormIt Plugin Community
  • Appendix
    • Keyboard Shortcuts
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  • View the Terminal in IDE
  • Set Up an HTTP Server
  • Start the Local Server
  • Develop for FormIt Web
  • Verify Your Server
Edit on GitHub
  1. Plugins
  2. How to Develop Plugins
  3. Advanced Development

Hosting a Plugin on a Local Server

PreviousCloning a Sample PluginNextPreviewing a Plugin in the Plugin Manager

Last updated 3 years ago

Before you can preview a cloned plugin in FormIt, you need to host it on a local server.

View the Terminal in IDE

You have the option of starting the server inside Visual Studio Code, instead of a separate terminal window. **** Before opening a terminal, make sure the right folder is opened in Visual Studio Code.

View > Terminal (or shortcut Ctrl + `)

Set Up an HTTP Server

If you encounter errors in the following steps, try restarting your computer to complete the NodeJS installation.

In the Command Prompt, enter the following to install npm's http-server globally (a one-time setup).

  • npm install http-server -g

Start the Local Server

Once the setup is complete, run the following command in the terminal to start your npm http-server:

  • http-server

Tip 1: In case of any issues with running the http-server (installed globally or locally), it may be helpful to run it directly via npx:

  • npx http-server

Tip 2: For Windows 10/11 users, if you encounter an error when running a script on your new machine, this may be due to the settings being disabled. To fix this:

  • Launch PowerShell script as an administrator

  • Enter: Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Develop for FormIt Web

To develop for FormIt Web, simply run the following command instead:

  • http-server --cors

Verify Your Server

You can verify your server by navigating to the following address in your web browser:

  • http://localhost:8080

You should see your project folder files in the browser window.

**If you use a different web server than npm, the default address/port might be different.

An HTTP server that works well is npm's .

First, you will need to download and install , if it's not already installed.

http-server
NodeJS