I'm writing a Visual Studio 2015 extension that adds messages to the Error List window. It needs no new UI. My code runs correctly if used in a tool window or menu item, but adding UI just for this feels like a sloppy workaround to obtain an IServiceProvider.
How can my code run and obtain an IServiceProvider without adding any UI elements?
Your Package class is an IServiceProvider; you can just call its GetService method.
If you're in a MEF class, you can instead simply import SVsServiceProvider.
For more information, see my blog.
Related
I am building a Visual Studio extension (VSIX) with menu commands depending on the options for the extension. Its dynamic, what commands (how many) depends on the options.
I have a solution for it that uses the command-table, like: Dynamically add menu items
I would like to skip the command-table and build the menus totally programmatically, like: HOWTO: Package with commands created by code
The reason is to make it more dynamic. So if the user adds/changes/deletes in the options of the extension it would be handled dynamically (programmatically). On saving options the menu-command tree would be rebuildt. If I use a command-table I will have to add/delete nodes there to be able to solve it.
The thing I can not figure out is howto add the objects for "groups" and "menus" programmatically.
So I am out for the class/interface that has "AddGroup" or "AddMenu" as methods.
Is this at all possible or do I have to use the command-table? If it is possible I would appreciate links to code-examples for it.
Regards Hans
MVP Carlos Quintero has published sample code using IVsProfferCommmands3.AddNamedCommand that illustrates how to programmatically add menu items via the automation services (formerly utilized by the now discontinued add-in extensibility model).
https://github.com/visualstudioextensibility/VSX-Samples/tree/master/PackageCommandsCreatedByCode
While add-ins are no longer supported, the automation interfaces are still present. So you can use these, bearing in mind these menu items (aka commands) are temporary.
Also, the sample code here is a little outdated, using Package instead of AsyncPackage, and ProvideAutoLoad attributes. So you'll also want to read up on the following:
https://github.com/microsoft/VSSDK-Extensibility-Samples/tree/master/AsyncPackageMigration
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/visualstudio/updates-to-synchronous-autoload-of-extensions-in-visual-studio-2019/
Sincerely,
Using the crm 2011 sdk samples I've written a C# routine in Visual Studio to deactivate all active records in a custom entity. Now I'd like to wire this routine to a custom button on ribbon (figured that one out using RibbonDiffXml) However I'm unsure how to go about deploying. Am I creating a dll to register with the plugin registration tool? Any guidance would be appreciated!
As I see it, you have two options:
Rewrite your code to use the Organization Service from JavaScript. You can put the code completely inside the button this way. However, this requires manually constructing the SOAP calls to the API. The SDK has a walkthrough for this.
Include your code in a plugin, create a custom entity that you can register this plugin against, and create an instance of that entity from the JavaScript that will fire when clicking your ribbon button. This is detailed in an answer to a similar question.
Here are even more alternative solutions:
Create a workflow plugin and trigger that workflow (that runs async in the background). Triggered manually, on an event or from a javascript.
Create a javascript but use the REST API or even better, use the CrmRestKit to deal with the REST-part and keep your scripts clean and easy to read and maintain.
Create an ASP.NET page (or silverlight control) that displays a dialog that shows a progress bar while the process is running.
To get an overview for the CodeDom classes in .Net I tried to create a class diagramm using Visual Studio 2010 built-in class designer, but I did not find the way how I could feed the .Net built-in classes and types into it, the only I can get is to add my own classes from Class View window.
I also tried it with UML diagramms in VS2010, and I couldn't import the classes. I was looking for a similar option in MS Visio and though it does provide support for class diagramm I could not generate something there.
I found the AutoDiagrammer project on CodeProject webpage and tried to use it as a Reflector Add-In, but with no succcess either. I get only the message "Waiting for assembly" in the top of the add-in window and nothing happends.
I was able to generate a class diagram for the entire namespace by:
creating a new blank class diagram
opening View->Object Explorer
entering "codedom" and search
drag and droping the System.CodeDom namespace to the blank diagram
I hope this is what you meant.
I have a UserControl and I put some public Methods/Properties in there.
I would like to have that when the user of my UserControl types something and Intellisense opens, that he immediately sees my custom methods created in the UserControl, is that possible somehow by marking the methods/props with kind of attributes?
No, this is not something that can be easily done. Visual Studio will sort the methods/properties alphabetically.
To do what you want, you will need to:
Mark your methods/properties with a custom attribute
Write this custom attribute
Use VS automation to reflect over every type to find this attribute
Reorder the intellisense listing (not sure if this is even possible with VS VBA)
Can anyone suggest the best place to add solution or project events, such as ProjectAdded, to a Visual Studio add-in?
If I do this when the add-in connects then there's no solution loaded, so how can I tell when a solution has been loaded?
For example, if I write an event to handle project items being added, where should I attach this? The event would be fired by the project, and that in turn by the solution, so I can't attach the events when the add-in connects because there is no solution when the add-in connects.
On the other hand, if I add them in the Exec() event then I need to do checks such as whether the event has been attached already, and I'm sure there must be a neater way sometime between the connection events and the Exec() event.
You probably figured this out long ago, but anyway: You can setup your events from within OnConnection like shown below, this is a snippet of an Addin's Connect class (assuming you're using c#):
using System;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Resources;
using EnvDTE;
using EnvDTE80;
using Extensibility;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.CommandBars;
namespace MyAddin1
{
/// <summary>The object for implementing an Add-in.</summary>
/// <seealso class='IDTExtensibility2' />
public class Connect : IDTExtensibility2, IDTCommandTarget
{
private DTE2 _applicationObject;
private AddIn _addInInstance;
private SolutionEvents _solutionEvents;
public void OnConnection(object application, ext_ConnectMode connectMode,
object addInInst, ref Array custom)
{
_applicationObject = (DTE2)application;
_addInInstance = (AddIn)addInInst;
// check the value of connectMode here, depending on your scenario
if(connectMode == ...)
SetupEvents();
}
private void SetupEvents()
{
// this is important ...
_solutionEvents = _applicationObject.Events.SolutionEvents;
// wire up the events you need
_solutionEvents.Opened += new _dispSolutionEvents_OpenedEventHandler(_solutionEvents_Opened);
_solutionEvents.AfterClosing += new _dispSolutionEvents_AfterClosingEventHandler(_solutionEvents_AfterClosing);
_solutionEvents.ProjectAdded += new _dispSolutionEvents_ProjectAddedEventHandler(_solutionEvents_ProjectAdded);
}
// add procedures to handle the events here, plus any other
// handling you need, ie. OnDisconnection and friends
}
The main point is, to wire up the solution and project events you need, it's not important if a solution or project is already loaded. They're not attached to any particular solution or project, they're provided by the Visual Studio object model and are embedded within the EnvDTE namespace.
It wouldn't make much sense to do anything else anyway, since you can configure an addin to load when VS starts, and in this case there will never ever be any solutions/projects loaded.
There's a few catches though:
It's important that you keep a reference to the SolutionEvents class as a member variable within your connect class, otherwise the events will never fire, (see also here).
You need to make sure you check the connectMode parameter passed into OnConnection. This gets called multiple times with different parameters, and if you do it the wrong way you may get the event wired up multiple times, which definetly will be a problem. Also, usually any Addin IDE, like Menus and stuff, is set up from within OnConnection, so you may end up with duplicate menu items if you don't do it right.
Here's a few pointers, some of the code provided is VB code, in case you're looking for that:
HOWTO: Adding buttons, commandbars and toolbars to Visual Studio .NET from an add-in
HOWTO: Getting Project and ProjectItem events from a Visual Studio .NET add-in.
HOWTO: Add an event handler from a Visual Studio add-in
Finally, here's a list of articles, about 70% of them cover basic and advanced topics regarding addins:
Resources about Visual Studio .NET extensibility
Find the section entitled MZ-Tools Articles Series (about add-ins) and have a look at what's covered there.