VS Content Installer Power Toys

The first release of the VS Content Installer Power Toys are now available. You will need a recent build of VS (I tested with the August CTP, but the July version may also work) to use these tools. Remember, they are still a beta build, so not everything will work as expected. But here is what is available:

Content Builder - easily create VSI files with an easy to user wizard interface
Content Uninstaller - remove content installed through the Content Installer
Code Library Installer - install libraries for use within the Add Reference dialog box
Debugger Visualizer Installer - install debugger visualizers (both in DLL and CS form)
Help Installer - install help topics which are automatically included into the MSDN help browser
Samples Installer - install samples
Snippet Directory Installer - an extension of the the snippets installer, but gives you a bit more control in how the files are installed

 

The content installer also has 4 starter kits (2 for C#, 2 for VB) to help you create your own custom installers. There is also a starter kit (in C#) that will help create plugins into the content builder to automatically upload content to content hosting web sites. Unfortunately, there are no content hosting web sites that support automatic upload yet, but I am working on that - I am currently working on a starter kit to create web sites that host VSI content, just run the starter kit template and you have a full web site that supports uploading, downloading, content rating, etc. More information on this in the next few weeks.

 

This MSI will also place IntelliSense XML files for programming the Content Installer, unfortunately, because of a recent change in VS, this may not work as it should. But you should be able to move the xml file yourself to the correct location.

 

I plan on making the source code available to these tools soon.

 

You can download the msi to install the power toys at https://www.gotdotnet.com/workspaces/workspace.aspx?id=6b1aceda-e613-4dac-beeb-0cd8ad8f2d41

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 12, 2005
    Do we need to sign up first?

    "This is a private workspace and you do not have the rights to view this page. Please apply to join to this workspace and wait for approval before trying to view this workspace."

  • Anonymous
    August 13, 2005
    ACK! You are right, I was wondering why everybody was trying to join when there is only a binary available right now. This should be fixed now.

  • Anonymous
    August 21, 2005
    Craig Skibo has the details

    ...

  • Anonymous
    September 04, 2005
    It appears that the content builder requires a version of Microsoft.VisualStudio.Zip.dll, Version 1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null. However, the version of the .dll included with the installer does not match that (Version 8.0.0.0) and throws an exception during the final step. Is that correct?

  • Anonymous
    September 28, 2005
    Hi there,
    When we press the Finish button at the end of the wizard we get this exception:
    System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Zip, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)
    File name: 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Zip, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'
    at ContentBuilder.Form1.OnFinish()
    at Microsoft.WizardFramework.WizardForm.OnFinishClicked(Object sender, EventArgs e)
    at Microsoft.WizardFramework.NavigationButtonBar.OnFinish(Object sender, EventArgs e)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

    Do you have a fix?

    Best Regards,
    Gustavo Guerra

  • Anonymous
    November 08, 2005
    The content installer is failing to install controls. I'm using VS2005 RTM.

    While my content installer is running, it opens the IDE and calls the command Tools.InstallCommunityControls. I get an error message that says:

    Command "Tools.InstallCommunityControls" is not valid.

    Should the content installer work with 2005 RTM?

    Thanks.
    - Jeffrey Liu

  • Anonymous
    November 11, 2005
    I got Tools.InstallCommunityControls to work. I uninstalled and reinstalled VS2005.

  • Anonymous
    August 09, 2007
    I can't load every template under every language...  Under C++, I load diferent and under C#, J# and VB diferent templates...  For example ASP.Web Service I can load only under C++ and not under other languages..  How can I reinstall templates, copy from one place to other.. And somehow fix it.    Thanks

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    June 18, 2009
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  • Anonymous
    February 18, 2010
    The comment has been removed