Let’s make a small introduction first:
Visual studio provides three levels of extensibility:
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Macros
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Macros are not new and we know them from Office
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Add-ins
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This is the next level in the VSX hierarchy, it provides more powerful extensibility points and full control of the Visual Studio Automation Object model
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Packages
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This is the last level in the VSX hierarchy, it provides more power and flexibility than the Visual Studio Automation Object model
Packages:
Creating a VS Package is not a simple task and the beginning it was only for C++ experienced developers.
With the inclusion of the Manage Package Framework (MPF) developing a Vs Package got easier because MPF allows a VSX developer to extend VS using managed code.
But in my opinion a set of tools on top of the MPF were missing. A set of tools that provide a higher level of abstraction, guidance, best practices and code generation to support the creation on VSX assets, a set of tools that can make the learning curve really low and most important a set of tools that can boost your productivity.
VSSDK Assist to the rescue:
A couple of months ago I started on codeplex a project named VSIPFactory. This project was the beginning of this vision.
It then became VSSDK Assist and the current version provides an initial toolset of utilities that allow a VSX developer to:
Create:
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VS Package solution
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VS Package project
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VS Services
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VS Tool Windows
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VS Commands
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VS Tool Options Pages
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Subscribe to VS Events
Configure:
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VS Package
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VS about/splash screens
Deploy:
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Configure VS Package Load Key
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Create VS Package Deployment Information
Test:
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Create VS Package Load Key Report
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Test VS Package Load Key
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Test VS Splash Screen
Utility:
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Register VS Packages
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Unregister VS Packages
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Refresh VS Package Registration Information
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Launch VS on Experimental Hive
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Browse your VS Package
Of course this is only the beginning, future versions will cover more and more Visual Studio Extensibility points.
So go and download it J
Pablo