Using the Managed Package Framework to Implement a Project Type (C#)

The Managed Package Framework (MPF) provides C# classes you can use or inherit from to implement your own project types. The MPF implements many of the interfaces Visual Studio expects a project type to provide, leaving you free to concentrate on implementing the particulars of your project type.

Using the MPF Project Source Code

The Managed Package Framework for Projects (MPFProj) provides helper classes for creating and managing new project system. Unlike other classes in the MPF, the project classes are not included in the assemblies shipped with Visual Studio. Instead, the project classes are provided as source code at MPF for Projects - VisualStudio.

To add this project to your VSPackage solution, do the following:

1. Download the MPFProj files to MPFProjectDir.

2. In the MPFProjectDir\Dev10\Src\CSharp\ProjectBase.file, change the following block:

<!-- Provide a default value for $(ProjectBasePath) -->
  <PropertyGroup>
    <ProjectBasePath >MPFProjDir\Dev10\Src\CSharp</ProjectBasePath>
  </PropertyGroup>

1. Create a VSPackage project.

2. Unload the VSPackage project.

3. Edit the VSPackage .csproj file by adding the following block before the other <Import> blocks:

<Import Project="MPFProjectDir\Dev10\Src\CSharp\ProjectBase.files" />
  <PropertyGroup>
    <!--To specify a different registry root to register your package, uncomment the TargetRegistryRoot tag and specify a registry root in it.
    <TargetRegistryRoot></TargetRegistryRoot>-->
    <RegisterOutputPackage>true</RegisterOutputPackage>
    <RegisterWithCodebase>true</RegisterWithCodebase>
  </PropertyGroup>

1. Save the project.

2. Close and reopen the VSPackage solution.

3. Reopen the VSPackage project. You should see a new directory named ProjectBase.

4. Add the following reference to the VSPackage project:

   Microsoft.Build.Tasks.4.0

5. Build the project.

Hierarchy Classes

The following table summarizes the classes in the MPFProj that support project hierarchies. For more information, see Hierarchies and Selection.

Document-Handling Classes

The following table lists the classes in the MPF that support document handling. For more information, see Opening and Saving Project Items.

Configuration and Output Classes

The following table lists the classes in the MPF that let project types support multiple configurations, such as debug and release, and collections of project output. For more information, see Managing Configuration Options.

Automation-Support Classes

The following table lists the classes in the MPF that support automation so that users of your project type can write macros and add-ins.

Properties Classes

The following table lists the classes in the MPF that let project types add properties that users can browse and modify in a property browser.