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Description |
WSPBuilder |
STSDev |
VSeWSS |
SPSource |
| Templates to create plumbing |
Ability to select a template to build plumbing for solutions e.g. features With receivers, workflow, infopath |
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| Templates with full integration with Visual Studio 2008 |
Much like WSPBuilder and VSeWSS with Visual Studio templates to provide plumbing for solutions |
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| 12 Hive structure |
Following the 12 Hive structure helps devs to understand where files are going and if understand SharePoint framework can learn tool easier |
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| Advanced Template configuration wizard |
STSDev's ability to configure the template before it is provisioned in Visual Studio reduces the amount of overall templates required but gives the flexibility of defining criteria such as the scope of the Feature |
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| Assembly Deployment option |
Ability to chose where the assemblies go e.g. GAC or web app bin |
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| Build Targets |
Ability to have different build targets to install, deploy, redeploy etc. |
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| Intellisense |
Ability to get intellisense within all SharePoint framework files |
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| Code snippets |
Ability for a range of code snippets when within SharePoint framework files |
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| Reverse Engineer |
Ability to reverse engineer objects in a SharePoint Site instance to Feature |
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| Integration with Dispose Checker |
Integrate into build to run dispose checker to catch issues early |
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| Allow for Visual Studio Project to have separation from tool |
The tools currently rely on executables to be called, would be great to remove dependency on the tool if required and just extend framework provided by SharePoint |
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| Separation of Solution Package creation and individual Features |
Ability to add new Features and framework elements to an existing Solution Package |
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| Solution Explorer integration |
Ability to be able to create new SharePoint framework plumbing in existing Project e.g. Workflow, InfoPath, Master Pages. Different context menus depending on what file you've right clicked on |
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| Source Control Friendly |
Make it so that Visual Studio Projects are source control friendly when generated |
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| Best Practice warnings |
As well as dispose issues, should warn on issues on enumerating through lists etc. maybe FXCop style? |
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| Build scripts |
Auto generate build scripts with environment parameterisation |
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| Target SharePoint build version |
With 2007 RTM, SP1, CUs it's important to target the correct builds. Current architecture prevents this and it's going to get worse with SharePoint vNext |
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WSP Importer
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Ability to take existing WSP package and convert to Visual Studio Project specific to the tool. Allow for code files to be reflected from dlls also for Event Receivers, Feature Receivers etc.
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Comments (14)
Feb 13, 2009
Brian Farnhill says:
I think that maybe there is scope for some integration between the tools on the ...I think that maybe there is scope for some integration between the tools on the desktop and this website. So if we have visual studio templates for things like features, site defintion templates, workflow, etc. Then we could include some links back to this site that would have some "hot-to" style things to help developers with getting started.
I think the DisposeCheck integration is a must - I don't know if we could integrate it into the build warnings and errors window of Visual Studio but that would be awesome.
I think that we could work on extending the way WSPBuilder adds features to a solution in Visual Studio. It comes up with a pop up that asks you for title, description and scope when you add a feature - maybe we could include more details in this window (maybe even turn it into a wizard so we have one "Feature template" that gathers a lot of data by asking the user appropriate questions and then generates the appropriate files).
And I love the build script generation idea - I have seen too many step by step manual deployment guides for SharePoint solutions, when a batch file with some variables at the top could be used to make the process much simplier for the server admins (who might not even be "SharePoint people") to deploy.
So if you pull all of this together into the one tool, I think we are talkin about a very powerful developer system. I'm keen to put in some time on this for sure!
May 13, 2009
Alex Angas says:
Absolutely this would be very powerful. I second wanting to help out as well. Is...Absolutely this would be very powerful. I second wanting to help out as well. Is there any chance of the tools merging?
Feb 17, 2009
Anonymous says:
Hey Jeremy, good stuff, I would love to see a tool that can do this stuff. I am ...Hey Jeremy, good stuff, I would love to see a tool that can do this stuff. I am confused a little from the check marks next to some of the tools. I am assuming these check marks are telling us whether the current tools take care of these items. My first confusion is with the check mark net to VSeWSS and the "12 Hive Structure". That doesn't really follow the 12 hive structure in my mind. Maybe we are thinking about two different things with that statement. The other one I am confused about is with WSPBuilder and the "Assembly Deployment Option". Depending on how you set your folder structure up in WSPBuilder, you can deploy to the GAC or the BIN. So, I am a little confused on this one too, maybe I am just not understanding the description enough.
Anyways, I seriously wish there was a tool that did all this stuff. I have never been a proponent of VSeWSS and I never knew why Microsoft didn't go down the route of WSPBuilder with the 12 hive structure. I think if Microsoft could use some lessons learned from the WSPBuilder product, they could have the resources available to make a powerful tool for us. Hopefully someone will see this post from you and make the changes eventually.
Thanks,
Greg
Feb 17, 2009
Jeremy Thake says:
@Greg thanks for your comments. I must admit I don't use WSPBuilder for my solut...@Greg thanks for your comments. I must admit I don't use WSPBuilder for my solutions currently, as I have used STSDev. I initial did the pros and cons page of each tool, but alwas wanted to write a wish list!
I have modified the two you mentioned above. I strongly encourage you (and everyone in the community) to grab a login and edit these pages yourself. Thanks again for your feedback.
Feb 17, 2009
Rich Finn says:
I spoke to some mebers the ms visual studio team a while ago about building the ...I spoke to some mebers the ms visual studio team a while ago about building the ideal sharepoint development tool, and I know they are working on it, but I have a feeling they may not be headed in a direction that would have developers looking at their tool and saying 'yes! thank you!'
I was asked the question 'if you were given unlimited resources, what would this ideal sp dev tool look like?' Was a pretty cool conversation, and was one of the catalysts for SPSource.
One of the driving factors behind this IDEal sharepoint environment inside ms is that they want to abstract the under-the-cover workings of the sharepoint application in such a way so that the 'developer' doesn't have to understand the 12Hive in order to build a robust custom sharepoint application. I was told 'you don't need to know the file structure of your production server to build and deploy an asp.net application, why whould you have to know it to build a sharepoint application?' They also really want to have visual studio designer support, as in 'design view' (who uses design view?)
In MY perfect IDE, we'd have something like SPD with code-behind support. But then, what about the ACTIONS files for custom workflow actions? Or custom RESX files? (a: Chris O'Brien seems to be on the right track to answer this one) Would we even need to do custom site definitions? How would we develop web parts? (a: more like ascx controls?) How about custom application (_layouts) pages? How would we deploy those?
These were alot of the questions I asked when talking the the vs team, and were questions I was trying to keep in mind when heading down the SPSource path.
-Rich
ps - i'm thinking rpc may help get the lists out
Feb 20, 2009
Jeremy Thake says:
I know, I know...I need to get onto the reverse engineering of SPList for SPSour...I know, I know...I need to get onto the reverse engineering of SPList for SPSource! I've been busy!
I'll start cracking onto it on the plane back to Perth. having a mosey at WSPBuilder source code too
Interesting comments about Microsoft team with regards to dev tools. Be interested to see what your wish list would include
...if you've got time ofcourse!
Feb 22, 2009
Anonymous says:
Post from Somasegar on whats planned for VS2010 http://bit.ly/tN8Bk\\Post from Somasegar on whats planned for VS2010
http://bit.ly/tN8Bk\\
Feb 24, 2009
Anonymous says:
how about the ability to reverse engineer the project and xml files need to crea...how about the ability to reverse engineer the project and xml files need to create and deploy content types, thier associated site columns and perhaps even instance of any list s which are used by site column lookups.
Recently i had to hand craft this and let me tell you.. it was a long, functrating and exceedingly boring task.
Feb 24, 2009
Jeremy Thake says:
You need to take a deeper look at SPSource, it's a great tool that currently doe...You need to take a deeper look at SPSource, it's a great tool that currently does content types, site columns and as soon as I get round to writing it (been promising it for a while) it'll reverse engineer the list template and list instances also.
by @RichFinn.
Check out Solution package development tool comparisons and also this webcast
Apr 07, 2009
Anonymous says:
Come on Jeremy, your community needs you. I think there would be many beers owed...Come on Jeremy, your community needs you. I think there would be many beers owed if you got SPSource working with list definitions.
Greetings also from Perth.
Apr 07, 2009
Jeremy Thake says:
LOL "Mr Anonymous"...reveal yourself! I've finished the SPSource, it's up on Co...LOL "Mr Anonymous"...reveal yourself!
I've finished the SPSource, it's up on CodePlex and tested. I am recording a web cast tonight and it'll be on the wiki tonight
Jan 05, 2010
Hynek Cihlar says:
Also, check-out Mossquito 2009.Also, check-out Mossquito 2009.
Apr 07, 2009
Anonymous says:
For VSeWSS, to creat the 12 Hive structure in VS.NET use this macro ht...For VSeWSS, to creat the 12 Hive structure in VS.NET use this macro http://www.syringe.net.nz/2009/03/11/CreatingTheStructureForASharePointThemeInVSeWSSV13.aspx.\\
Regards,
Ian http://www.wssdemo.com\\
May 21, 2009
Anonymous says:
hopefully VS2010 can be the ultimate toolhopefully VS2010 can be the ultimate tool