Visual Studio extensions for Windows SharePoint Services – 1.3

What is VSeWSS?

VSeWSS is a plugin to Visual Studio that adds a set of functionality which may help you in your daily tasks as a SharePoint developer. The plugin comes with a basic set of templates, and a great set of functionality which I’ll try to outline here.

Overview of the main functionality

Project Templates

• Team Site Definition
• Blank Site Definition
• List Definition
• Web Parts
• Empty project

Item Templates (which you can add to the project templates)

• List Definition (+ from Content Type)
• Content Type
• Field Control
• Web part
• Module
• Root File
• Event Receiver
• List Instance

SharePoint Solution Generator 1.3

A new version of the SharePoint Solution Generator is also being published along with this tool, which adds some functionality to it’s predecessor.

WSP View

WSP View is a functionality which helps you with the manifest and gives you a visual overview over the contents of the *.WSP file.

That being said, you don’t need to create those manual manifest.xml and .ddf files anymore (but then again, if you’re using the “sent-from-above” tool WSP Builderby my Danish MVP colleague – Carsten Keutmann – then you’re probably already free from that hassle!

Automatic deployment (on your dev-machine)

You can develop your stuff, and use the “click-once” deployment method to get your stuff hooked up on your local development environment with no hassle at all.

Bin / GAC deployment now an active choice

When you create e.g. a Web Part project, you’ll be presented with this nifty query:

Note: At the time of this release, the CAS permissions that are automatically presented and hooked up for your assembly are “a few standard ones” – it doens’t nessecarily mean that your application will work unless you add additional CAS statements. You’ll have to make sure of that yourself!

Basically, put all things in the bin folder if you can, and secure it with proper CAS!

Alternatives to VSeWSS

Of course, I’ll have to mention some of the alternatives to using VSeWSS as well, as all tools don't fit in every man's hand.

(These tools are deprecated. Links removed)

• WSP Builder
• SharePoint Installer
• SharePoint Manager
• STSDev
• Application Pool Manager

Summary

That’s a wrap for today, just a little peak at the 1.3 version of the VSeWSS for Visual Studio 2008.

Myself, I usually do things more controlled than letting this tool manipulate and create all the stuff – but for someone beginning SharePoint development and don’t have the time and/or need to know where all the configs and files should go – give it a shot, it’ll save you tons of time!

Have a good day,

Cheers,
Z