The difference between Add-In and Integration Package is still unclear and now with Visual Studio 2010 an extension manager appears along with the add-in manager.
What are the differences between the add-in manager and the extension manager?
Can an add-in be in both manager at the same time?
Add-ins implement an extensibility interface that was first created for Visual Studio.Net for customizing and automating the IDE. These add-ins are supported in Visual Studio 2002/2003/2005/2008/2010.
Extensions are MEF components and do not normally implement the Add-in interface. Visual Studio 2010 is the first version of Visual Studio to support MEF components.
Only Add-ins appear in the Add-in Manager. Only Extensions appear in the Extension Manager.
I don't know if an MEF extension could also be loaded by Visual Studio as an add-in, but there's really not much reason that to happen. An extension can use the add-in DTE interfaces without actually being loaded as an add-in.
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So I have an old Rhapsody addin (RhaspodyAddin.AddIn) that I can't convert to VSIX package file because its 3rd party.
Looking at the online docs: here it suggests that I need to add the addin in the addin manager. But the addin Manager is gone in msvs2017 (I am converting a project from MSVS2012 which does have addin manager).
It says that addins are deprecated since 2013.
So does anyone know what I need to do to use this older .addin style addin or if it is even possible anymore in MSVS2017?
AddIns are no longer supported in Visual Studio, you must ask the vender for a Vspackage based extension (using the .vsix file format)
I created my own Add-in with Visual Studio 2010. This Add-in is loaded at the startup of Visual Studio and it adds an entry in the Tools menu. The action of the Add-in is executing by clicking on its entry in the Tools menu.
The Add-in works well, but now I want to create an installer or something to deploy it on others computers.
I tried to create an MSI project, but I don't know where to copy the dll of the Add-in and how to register it in Visual Studio.
Then I tried to create a VSIX project, I managed to install the extension but my entry in the Tools menu is not visible/displayed.
Anyone knows a good way to deploy the Visual Studio ?
VSIX installers are used for deploying Visual Studio 2010 extensions. I'm not sure it works for add-ins. I would go with MSI. Here you will find a tutorial:
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/install/AddinCustomAction.aspx
How can I create a Visual Studio 2010 add-in with a user-interface? I want my add-in to have a window that can be pinned, just like the "Output", "Task list", "Error list" and all the other extensive windows in Visual Studio.
Where can I find documentation on add-ins with such user-interfaces to get me started? I can only find documentation on the actual coding.
Although there is some Microsoft documentation for writing add-ins, I recommend you start at Carlos Quintero's Resources about Visual Studio .NET extensibility. There are many how-to articles and links to a variety of documentation.
I figured out that what I needed was Visual Studio 2010 packages.
Fear not, these packages can be made in managed languages too (C# and Visual Basic). However, they require the Visual Studio 2010 SDK, which I didn't have installed.
It's very easy to make, and is done without hassle! Furthermore, it's cool, since the UI of the addins allow WPF!
When creating a new extension for visual studio, there are two project options: "Visual Studio Integration Package" and "Visual Studio Add-in". What is the difference between the two project types and when would you use one over the other?
Ok, you can find a full detailed comparison here (there are also links to the previous parts in the series).
But basically, add-ins were available as the VS extension type from the very first versions of the VS and built as the COM components. Later on, some limitations were discovered in that approach, so the new extensibility feature was created -- namely VS SDK package.
Probably, if you are building an extension for VS 2008+ you should target the VS SDK package as the newer technology. Another strong point of the VS package is better integration with the Visual Studio.
Whatever you do, add-ins are an
external thing for Visual Studio while
VSPackages are a completely integrated
part of the IDE.
You still might consider building an add-in, if
you need access to high-level extensibility API, as opposed to low-level fundamental API available from a VS package;
you develop in Visual Basic (templates for VS Package are available only in C# / Visual C++);
you want to automate a simple task / common scenario, then add-in will probably require less development effort.
Important point on Visual Studio Add-in vs Package, Add-ins are deprecated in VS 2013 and will not be available in VS "14"
Add-ins Deprecated in Visual Studio 2013
Visual Studio "14" CTP: add-ins are gone
"Official" guidance from How to: Create an Add-In is "Visual Studio add-ins are deprecated in Visual Studio 2013. You should upgrade your add-ins to VSPackage extensions...."
An integration package is something that can be chosen when you start a new project (like how you pick C# or VB).
See http://www.bitwisemag.com/copy/features/dev/visual_studio/vs2005_integration_1.html.
Add-ins work just like they would for MS Office applications. You can add your own custom buttons and menu items. Here is an example: http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/mgold/AddIns11292005015631AM/AddIns.aspx.
I want a complete list of AddOns/AddIns available for VS 2005 IDE
Dupe:
Useful Add-Ins or Plug-Ins for native Visual Studio developer
Recommended add-ons/plugins for Microsoft Visual Studio
What Visual Studio add-ins do you use?
Visual Studio add-on gallery?
And many others...there's no definitive list.