Adrian Alonso

This new version of GAX is a must if you are thinking to develop Guidance Packages using VS Codename "Orcas" (previous version of GAX didn't work with the latest version of VS) and it will also provide some new features if your are developing with VS 2005.

A welcomed “fix” is the enhancement of the registration process. Now it's smarter about whether to install VB templates based on the presence of VB as a Visual Studio's product. This means that if your Guidance Package contains VB templates (.vstemplates for VB projects or items) you won't need to add conditional logic in your installer to avoid the registration failure when the package is being installed or registered.

The GAX installer is also improved to use WIX technology but the GAT installer project that is unfolded when you create a new Guidance Package using GAT is still the same VS Setup Project.

At last, the Experimental Hive registration is now a built-in feature in GAX allowing you to register your Guidance Packages in both Normal and Experimental hives.

So it seems that this CTP is a necessary and welcomed update for the runtime but not for the UX of developing Guidance Packages.

Here you have the links:

- Grigory Melnik's announcement
- GAX July 2007 CTP download
- GAT July 2007 CTP download

Labels: .Net, GAX/GAT, VS Extensibility

# posted by Adrian Alonso : 7:01 PM