VSTA Q & A Blog

VSTA IDE Hangs Up when Stepping Into Code

2009-07-31T13:23:00Z

The VSTA IDE keeps hanging up while debugging when I try to step into code. Why is it doing this?

The IDE may be hanging because you have left PDB files in your application directory. Even if you are running the Release version, make sure that you have no PDB files in the same directory as your application.

Error loading VB add-ins - token count 0

2009-07-08T20:57:00Z

I have a problem with loading VB add-ins.

The method call:

ObjectModel::Collection<AddInToken^>^ addInToken = AddInStore::FindAddIn(IEntryPoint::typeid, AddInStoreExtensions::DefaultPipelinePath, FilePath, TypeName);

returns an empty collection when called on a dll created using VB. The FilePath parameter points to a dll, the TypeName is an "ApplicationAddIn.ThisApplication" string where an "ApplicationAddIn" is a RootNamespace of a

VB project, and "ThisApplication" is a class defined in a VB project. The ApplicationAddIn.ThisApplication type is a VS Object Browser in a VB Add-in project.

The C#-based projects works fine, using templates created at the same time. Can you help me with loading VB-based add-ins?

VB add-ins require the proxy to be registered in the VSTA pipeline as well as the GAC; C# add-ins can function without the proxy in the VSTA pipeline. So you should confirm that the proxy is registered in the VSTA pipeline (C:\Program

Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VSTA\Pipeline\AddInViews). The SDK samples register the proxy in the pipeline with the file InstallForVB.bat and a post build event which runs it. Once you have confirmed that the proxy is registered

you can rebuild the pipeline with the code below or through the command prompt.

InstallForVB.bat:

SET TARGET=%1

SET FrameworkDir=%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5

REM Copy the Proxy Assembly to AddInViews for VB and update Pipeline

copy %TARGET% "%CommonProgramFiles%\microsoft shared\VSTA\Pipeline\AddInViews\"

"%FrameworkDir%\AddInUtil" -PipelineRoot:"%CommonProgramFiles%\microsoft shared\VSTA\Pipeline" -Rebuild

Post build event:

call "$(ProjectDir)InstallForVB.bat" "$(TargetPath)"

Code to manually rebuild pipeline:

'CYA- run addinstore update for the pipeline and add-in location

'update the pipeline

Dim warnings() As String = AddInStore.Update(AddInStoreExtensions.DefaultPipelinePath)

If (warnings.Length > 0) Then

For Each warning As String In warnings

Console.WriteLine(warning)

End If

'update the add-in discovery folder

Dim warnings2() As String = AddInStore.UpdateAddIns(Path.Combine(System.Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments), "MyAppVB6"))

If (warnings2.Length > 0) Then

For Each warning As String In warnings2

Console.WriteLine(warning)

End If

Make sure the proxy dll is in the GAC and in the AddInViews folder (C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VSTA\Pipeline).

If the proxy dll is missing from the AddInViews folder, make sure your proxy mirrors the ShapeAppBasicCSharp sample's build events. You'll need to copy the InstalInGac.bat and InstallForVB.bat files and set up the build events like this:

call "$(ProjectDir)InstallInGac.bat" "$(TargetPath)"

call "$(ProjectDir)InstallForVB.bat" "$(TargetPath)"

The InstallForVB.bat copies the proxy dll to the pipeline folder and rebuilds the pipeline. I'm not sure what that has to do with VB but this is necessary for C# as well.

**Look in the output window during a build to see if these files have run successfully

Make sure your add-ins are setup so that there is one folder which contains a folder for each add-in, each add-in folder contains the add-in dll, and the add-in dll name matches the containing folder's name. To have your add-ins organize

their dll's like this automatically, use the InstallAddIn.js file and post build event (change the host name) from the ShapeApp sample add-ins.

**Changing the add-in name after creating it causes the parent folder name not to match the assembly.

If the above suggestions do not work here is a more exhaustive list from our forums:

1) Run the AddInStore update and re-build (shouldn't have to do both but better safe than sorry). You can do this programmatically by adding the lines below prior to the AddInStore.FindAddIn's line you sited above, make sure you update

the paths to the pipeline if needed.

AddInStore.Update("C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Microsoft Shared\\VSTA\\Pipeline");

AddInStore.Rebuild("C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Microsoft Shared\\VSTA\\Pipeline");

Still getting the error?

2) Use the AddInUtil to rebuild both the pipeline and the add-in root. Here are the commands from the VS Command Prompt to do this for ShapeApp (ignore the warning):

C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5>addinutil -PipelineRoot:"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VSTA\Pipeline" -Rebuild

Warning: Add-in Adapter Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.AddInAdapter,

Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.AddInAdapter.v9.0, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a defines a constructor that doesn't take one parameter. This constructor can't be used in the add-in model.

C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5>addinutil -AddInRoot:"C:\Documents and Settings\Melody\My Documents\ShapeAppCSharp\AppAddins" -Rebuild

Finished updating cache

Still getting the error?

3) Review or re-create the project template the add-in was based off of. Make sure everything is correct, including the add-in's dll is in the correct location, the add-in start up class matches StartUpClass variable of the

VstaRunTimeIntegration class, the add-in builds, and the add-in is looking at the most current version of the proxy.

Still getting the error?

4) If you are trying to write an add-in in VB, try doing it in CSharp 1st (make sure the VB add-in's dll is removed). This may work.

ShapeAppBasicMFC with Document Entry Point

2009-07-06T16:11:00Z

In this sample, Melody modified the proxy to include an entry point for the CDocDrawing class (the CDocDrawing class was also modified to include events which become disassociated with ProxyGen- see this blog for related info on this bug) and the HostItemProvider to expose the CDocDrawing type. Melody also created a template for document level add-ins and used the template to create a sample add-in, ShapeAppMFCDocAddIn1. Here is a link to the sample: ShapeAppBasicMFC with DocEP

To use this sample:

1) Remove the old proxy from the GAC by deleting or uninstalling C:\Windows\assembly\Proxy

2) Remove any VSTA v 1 add-in assemblies by deleting %MyDocuments%\ShapeAppMFC

3) Run the included setup file to register the host and updated templates (SetupShapeAppAdvancedMFC.js)

4) Build the ShapeAppAdvancedMFC.sln solution, this includes the document level sample add-in. This will register the updated proxy in the GAC and build the add-in assembly.

5) Run the sample and notice the message box and shape added from the document level add-in.

Here are the changes Melody made to add this functionality:

1) HostItemProvider

Unchanged code excluded

internal class HostItemProvider : IHostItemProvider

{

public HostItemProvider(ShapeApp.Proxy.Application application)

{

//SUMMIT- add drawing level HIP

//store the active drawing

this.drawing = application.ActiveDrawing;

}

public object GetHostObject(Type primaryType, string primaryCookie)

{

//Check if primaryType is supported.

else if (primaryType == typeof(ShapeApp.Proxy.CDrawingDoc))

{

//SUMMIT- add drawing level HIP

// update the drawing to ensure the current active drawing is returned

this.drawing = application.ActiveDrawing;

return this.drawing;

}

//SUMMIT- add drawing level HIP

//store the active drawing

private ShapeApp.Proxy.CDrawingDoc drawing;

}

2) Proxy and descriptor file

Descriptor file:

Proxy File:

public partial class CDrawingDocEntryPoint : global::Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.IExtendedEntryPoint

{/*entry point class code*/}

3) Template

AppAddIn.designer.xml:

hostitem:baseType="ShapeApp.Proxy.CDrawingDocEntryPoint"

misc changes to vstemplate file for updated project name and description

4) Add-in

No code changes required based on updated template, here is the code from the add-in

private void AppAddIn_Startup(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Document level add-in loaded");

this.Shapes.Add(this.Application.AvailableShapes[0].Clone());

}

Hang-ups during in-process debugging.

2009-06-22T17:48:00Z

Here is Microsoft’s workaround for the problem hang-ups during in-process debugging:

“The idea is that we want to wait for the type –registering threads to finish before we call addin.FinishInitialization.

What I did is to record the number of threads in the process before we activate add-in. After addin.Initialize (when the type-registering happens), I’ll track the thread number going up and down. When the thread number is exactly 1 + pre-addin-load number, I know the type registering is done. The workaround kicks in only during debugging. With the workaround, the problem goes away as I tried (note some time you may need to wait a while, as long as several seconds, for the break point to hit.)…”

private IEntryPoint LoadAddIn(string addInPath, string startUpClass, AddInProcess addInProcess)

{

try

{

//Start Workaround for AddIn_Startup debug hanging problem

// Used to keep track the type registering threads.

int threadCountBeforeLoadingAddIn = Process.GetCurrentProcess().Threads.Count;

// End Workaround

// Search for the AddIn at the given location and make sure that it has

// the same Startup class. Also make sure that we can load this Addin

// using the default VSTA pipeline. This function will return a token

// to the AddIn which can be later on used to actually load the AddIn.

Collection<AddInToken> addInToken = AddInStore.FindAddIn(typeof(IEntryPoint), AddInStoreExtensions.DefaultPipelinePath, addInPath, startUpClass);

// Assert the AddIn is valid.

System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(addInToken.Count >= 1);

// If the AddIn is not valid then return false.

if (addInToken.Count == 0)

return null;

IEntryPoint addIn = null;

// Using the Token returned above, load the AddIn. This will create an

// instance of AddIn EntryPoint class to activate the AddIn.

if (addInProcess == null)

{

// Load the AddIn in the same process as the host.

addIn = addInToken[0].Activate<IEntryPoint>(AddInSecurityLevel.FullTrust);

}

else

{

// Load the AddIn in external process.

addIn = addInToken[0].Activate<IEntryPoint>(addInProcess, AddInSecurityLevel.FullTrust);

}

// Initialize AddIn by calling into functions of the AddIn EntryPoint instance.

addIn.Initialize(this.serviceProvider);

//Start Workaround for AddIn_Startup debug hanging problem

// Make sure the type-registering thread is started.

int timesToTry = 50; // 5 seconds;

bool typeRegisteringThreadStarted = false;

while ((timesToTry--) > 0 && System.Diagnostics.Debugger.IsAttached)

{

int count = Process.GetCurrentProcess().Threads.Count;

if (count >= threadCountBeforeLoadingAddIn + 2)

{

typeRegisteringThreadStarted = true;

Debug.WriteLine("typeRegisteringThreadStartedt: true");

break;

}

Thread.Sleep(100);

}

//End Workaround

addIn.InitializeDataBindings();

//Start Workaround for AddIn_Startup debug hanging problem

timesToTry = 50;

while ((timesToTry--) > 0 && System.Diagnostics.Debugger.IsAttached)

{

// assume the addin startup does not create new threads.

int count = Process.GetCurrentProcess().Threads.Count;

if (count == threadCountBeforeLoadingAddIn + 1 && typeRegisteringThreadStarted)

{

break;

}

else if (count > threadCountBeforeLoadingAddIn + 1)

{

typeRegisteringThreadStarted = true;

}

Debug.WriteLine("thread count: " + count);

Thread.Sleep(100);

}

// End Workaround

addIn.FinishInitialization();

// Return the loaded AddIn.

return addIn;

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

// Do not let error of this AddIn affect others

System.Diagnostics.Trace.WriteLine(ex.ToString());

System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(false);

return null;

}

Building and deploying a product that uses PIAs.

2009-06-22T17:17:00Z

My program uses about a dozen PIAs with built with tlbimp and needs about half of them installed with gacutil. Is the following usage scenario correct?

1. My colleagues who build my product would only need to do the tlbimp steps in order to generate a build.

2. On our customer machines, we'd install the various PIA DLLs (built in #1) in the setup process and run gacutil to register them.

Correct on both counts.

ProxyGen has an inheritance issue with COM hosts.

2009-06-22T15:05:00Z

When working with a COM host, such as the ShapeAppMFC sample included in the SDK, ProxyGen creates descriptor and proxy files which do not expose events due to the inheritance structure. Three types are generated for a class: the classType, IClassType, and _IClassTypeEvents. The classType implements both IClassType and _IClassTypeEvents. IClassType is the type passed between the proxy and host; however, IClassType does not implement _IClassTypeEvents- therefore the events are not accessible to VSTA add-ins. How can I make them accessible?

With COM hosts, descriptor or proxy files must be manually modified to add the inheritance of the _IClassTypeEvents to the IClassType to expose events to VSTA add-ins.

(Also see this blog post)

Included in AutoProxyGen is a VSTA addin AutoProxyGen_ShapeAppMFC_InheritenceFix that can help you with this, or you can follow these steps:

1) Add the inheritance of the _IDrawingEvents to the IDrawing type in the proxy

Alternative: Use ProxyGen to create the descriptor file and add the inheritance of the _IDrawingEvents to the IDrawing type prior to using ProxyGen to create the proxy file.

2) Rebuild the sample host.

You can now hook into an event of the active drawing because the events are exposed through the IDrawing type.

Proxy file w/ inheritance added:

Alternative- descriptor file w/ inheritance added:

Sample add-in w/ events for drawing accessible:

Custom Editors in VSTA

2009-06-19T20:09:00Z

Would it be possible for me to create a Custom Editor using VSPackage and then use it with VSTA?

>> Would it be possible for me to create a Custom Editor using VSPackage

Yes.

>>and then use it with VSTA?

No.

However, you should be able to create ToolWindows in VSTA using an In-Process Host and 'CreateToolWindow' off the DTE.

Also, with VSTA, you could create a custom editor in a host application and use VSTA's DTE to generate (DOM or CodeModel), compile, and run VB or C# code hidden behind the host application or alongside it.

Language changes are not applied to the first run of VSTA

2009-06-19T19:51:00Z

After I installed VSTA and some language packs I changed the language by modifying “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VSTAHost\<hostid>\8.0\General\UILanguage.”

However, when I ran VSTA and it configured the environment for first time use, the language changed back to English. If I change the language again after this, subsequent runs of VSTA display the correct language. How can I make VSTA display the correct language at first run?

When you change the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VSTAHost\<hostid>\8.0\General\UILanguage”

also change “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VSTAHost\<hostid>\8.0\General\UILanguageFromSetup” to 0. This should fix the issue.

Read-Only IDE Window

2009-06-19T18:33:00Z

Is it possible to show users a VSTA IDE window but prevent them from editing the code?

It may be possible to do this by calling IVsTextBuffer.SetStateFlags() with BUFFERSTATEFLAGS.BSF_USER_READONLY.

If that doesn’t work, you could try creating a readonly line marker that encompasses the entire document. Do that by calling IVsTextLines.CreateLineMarker, with the MARKER_READONLY type. -- I think there’s an example of this in the IronPythonIntegration sample. If you search on CreateLineMarker, you should find an example of this.

You'll need to get these services via the DTE

This blog post may help.

Integrating custom help into VSTA

2009-06-19T18:16:00Z

I was wondering how to integrate custom help files into VSTA.

So far, pressing F1 shows some general help about VSTA, but nothing that will help my customers to write macros.

VSTA and Visual Studio use Microsoft Help 2.

HelpStudio Lite is the tool in the Visual Studio SDK that you use to author, integrate, and deploy Help content.

Here are some links to help you out (be sure to open the first two in Internet Explorer):

Integrating Help into the IDE

Help Authoring and Integration Guide

MS H2 Collection Tutorial

An introduction to the Help Integration Wizard

Visual Studio 2005 - Free Help 2.x Authoring

"Unrecoverable Error" in ProxyGen

2009-06-18T16:09:00Z

When I try to use ProxyGen to generate a descriptor file for ShapeAppCSharp.exe, it reports an unrecoverable error. No error code is given, but it reports that the exception has been thrown by a target of an invocation. I get the same error when I apply ProxyGen to a couple of my own projects - even a new "empty" windows form application. Here is a sample from the command window:

C:\Program Files\Visual Studio Tools for Applications 2.0 SDK\2008\Visual Studio Tools

For Applications\Tools\ProxyGen>proxygen.exe/l:"C:\ShapeAppSamples\

ShapeAppCSharp\core\bin\Debug\ShapeAppCSharp.exe"/o:"C:\ShapeAppSamples\

ShapeAppCSharp\Proxy\ShapeAppCSharpOM.xml" /f

An unrecoverable error was encountered during processing.

Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

This may have been caused by earlier errors.

ProxyGen.exe Information: 0 : Finished

I should add that ShapeAppCSharp.exe itself runs satisfactorily.

The error you were encountering was due to a lack of spaces between switches in the command. Specifically the "/l" and "/o" switches must each be preceded by a space. Also keep in mind that ProxyGen will not create a folder, so the "Proxy" folder must exist at C:\ShapeAppSamples\ShapeAppCSharp prior to running the command.

Here is the corrected command:

proxygen.exe /l:"C:\ShapeAppSamples\ShapeAppCSharp\core\bin\Debug\ShapeAppCSharp.exe" /o:"C:\ShapeAppSamples\ShapeAppCSharp\proxy\ShapeAppCSharpOM.xml" /f

The assembly will not install to the Global Assembly Cache.

2009-06-09T15:55:00Z

Here's how to troubleshoot when an assembly will not install to the GAC:

Q111094: INFO: Troubleshooting .NET Assembly Installation Issues

Problem: The assembly will not install to the Global Assembly Cache

A. Verify the following information for the assembly:

· The assembly must be strong named. Scroll down to the General Information on .NET Assemblies section under Additional Information for more information on what defines a strong-named assembly.

· The user running the installation must have administrative privileges to install and uninstall.

B. After verifying this information, use Gobal Assembly Cache Tool to install the assembly and verify that this works. Use gacutil /i MyAssembly.dll to install the assembly. Verify that the assembly was installed with the Assembly Cache Viewer.

C. If gacutil installs the file successfully, attempt the following:

1. Open a new Basic MSI project.

2. Add one feature and one component to that feature.

3. In the component's File view, add your assembly.

4. Right-click the assembly and select Set Key File.

5. Select the component and set its Destination property to [Global Assembly Cache].

6. Verify that the component's .NET Application File property is set to [GlobalAssemblyCache]\MyAssembly.dll.

7. Set the component's .NET Scan at Build property to Properties Only or Dependencies and Properties.

8. Build and run the release.

Proxygen won't run with a C++/CLI program.

2009-06-09T14:57:00Z

I can't use proxygen with a very simple C++/CLI program. After execute proxygen I always get the error:

ProxyGen.exe Error: 10030 : The following file is not a valid managed assembly:
(path to the executable)

What is the problem?

Proxygen cannot run with /clr c++/cli mixed mode .exe assemblies; it can, however, run with a .dll.

If you try to run it with an .exe it will throw an exception when loading the assembly with Assembly.LoadFile: System.IO.FileLoadException: “Attempt to load an unverifiable executable with fixups (IAT with more than 2 sections or a TLS section.)”

Multiple thread problem in VSTA

2009-06-08T12:31:00Z

Here is a question about VSTA multi threads. I have a function to create a new project file. It works fine when I just run the line of code in VSTA. But it failed when debugging. I looked into it and found no difference except for the executing thread.

When I run the macro, the main thread calls into the function, while a worker thread runs into it when I debug into it.

When I run the macro, it is executed by the main thread.

When I debug, it is executed by a worker thread.

I suspect this causes the function to fail. Any ideas?

Here is the exception I got:

Attempted to read or write protected memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt.

This change in behavior (Main thread vs. worker thread) occurs because System.AddIn’s AddInProcess is used to execute the add-in in an external process for out-of-process debugging. AddInProcess design uses an Inter-Process Communication channel, which causes the add-in to execute on an MTA thread. Add-in execution on a MTA thread causes problems with add-in UI -- the UI’s messaging must run on a STA thread.

If are debugging into MFCDocTEmplate::Open, that is very likely interacting with your host application’s UI thread. Please see the ShapeAppMacroRecording SDK sample’s approach to this problem. The sample takes pains to properly manage cross-thread UI interaction. Here’s one example of it from the sample – note the code section beginning with: if (form.InvokeRequired) // Make sure it's safe to be called on another thread.

public Drawing ActiveDrawing

{

get

{

Drawing activeDrawing = null;

if (form.InvokeRequired) // Make sure it's safe to be called on another thread.

{

form.Invoke(

(Action)(() =>

{

if (form.drawingsTabControl.SelectedTab != null)

activeDrawing = form.drawingsTabControl.SelectedTab.Tag as Drawing;

}));

}

else

{

if (form.drawingsTabControl.SelectedTab != null)

activeDrawing = form.drawingsTabControl.SelectedTab.Tag as Drawing;

}

return activeDrawing;

}

Change a proxy to make the methods within the host class accessible

2009-06-05T18:04:00Z

You can change a proxy to make the methods within the hostType class accessible by:

1) Remove the abstract keyword from the type declaration (drawback- add-ins will now be able to write code like “Application app = new Application();” instead of being forced to use factory methods).

2) Replace the “Not Implemented” with code to use.

3) Create a new instance of the updated hostType and call into it.

However, to call back into the host you need to use the RemoteObject.

In this example, the Application.NewDocument method was changed to display a message box instead of call into the remote object and create the new document on the host side:

[global::Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.HostTypeAttribute("ShapeAppCSharp, Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Samples.ShapeApp.Application")]

//public abstract partial class Application : global::System.MarshalByRefObject, global::System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window

public partial class Application : global::System.MarshalByRefObject, global::System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window

{

[global::Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.HostMemberAttribute("NewDocument", BindingFlags = global::System.Reflection.BindingFlags.Instance | global::System.Reflection.BindingFlags.Public | global::System.Reflection.BindingFlags.InvokeMethod)]

//[global::Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.HostMemberAttribute("NewDocument", BindingFlags = global::System.Reflection.BindingFlags.Instance | global::System.Reflection.BindingFlags.NonPublic | global::System.Reflection.BindingFlags.InvokeMethod)]

public virtual void NewDocument() {

System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("proxy ShapeApp.Application.NewDocument()");

throw new global::System.NotImplementedException();

}

[global::System.AddIn.Pipeline.AddInBaseAttribute(ActivatableAs = new global::System.Type[] { typeof(Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.IEntryPoint) })]

public partial class ApplicationEntryPoint : global::Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.IExtendedEntryPoint

{

public virtual void NewDocument()

{

//this.RemoteObject.NewDocument();

Samples.ShapeApp.Application newApp = new Application();

newApp.NewDocument();

}