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VSIX Manifest Designer

  • Article

Modifies a VSIX package manifest file, which sets the installation behavior for a Visual Studio extension.

The VSIX Manifest Designer maps to the underlying VSIX schema. Every element in the schema can be set by using a corresponding control in the designer. For more information about the schema, see VSIX Extension Schema 2.0 Reference.

To open the VSIX Manifest Designer, locate a source.extension.vsixmanifest file in Solution Explorer, and open the file. If the file does not contain valid XML, the manifest designer will not open.

Note

Source.extension.vsixmanifest is output to extension.vsixmanifest when the package is built.

The VSIX Manifest Designer contains four tabs that correspond to these top-level elements of the schema:

  • Metadata

  • Installation

  • Assets

  • Dependencies

The heading area contains the following controls.

  • Product Name
    Describes the extension name.

  • Product ID
    Specifies the unique identification information for this package.

  • Author
    Specifies the name of the author of the extension.

  • Version
    Specifies the version number of the extension.

The Metadata tab contains the following controls.

  • Description
    Provides a text description of the extension, to be displayed in Extension Manager.

  • Language
    Specifies the default language for the package, which corresponds to the textual data in the manifest. The Language attribute follows the common language runtime (CLR) locale code convention for resource assemblies, for example, en-us, en, fr-fr. By default, the value is neutral; this means that the package will run on any language version of Visual Studio.

  • License
    Specifies the text file that contains the user license, if one is present.

  • Icon
    Specifies the graphics file (.png, .bmp, .jpeg, .ico) that contains the icon to be displayed in Extension Manager, if an icon is present. The icon image must be 32x32 pixels or it will be resized to those dimensions. If no icon is specified, Extension Manager uses a default icon.

  • Preview Image
    Specifies the graphics file (.png, .bmp, .jpeg, .ico) that contains the preview image to be displayed in Extension Manager, if a preview image is present. The preview image must be 200x200 pixels. If no preview image is specified, Extension Manager uses a default image.

  • Tags
    Adds text tags to be used for search hints.

  • Release Notes
    Specifies a file (.txt, .rtf) that contains release notes. Also takes the URL of a website that displays the release notes.

  • Getting Started Guide
    Specifies a file (.txt, .rtf) that contains information about how to use the extension or the content in the VSIX package. This guide appears when the extension installation is complete. Also takes the URL of a website that displays the guide.

  • More Info URL
    Specifies the URL of a website that contains additional information about the product.

The Install Targets tab contains the following controls.

  • Type of install
    Lists Visual Studio Extension and Extension SDK as target installation types. The options differ, depending on the type that you choose.

  • Visual Studio Extension
    Lists the InstallationTarget elements that describe how the package can be installed and into which Visual Studio products this extension can be installed. Each product is identified separately by name and a version or version range. Products can be added to the list, modified, and deleted. The name and the version of a product correspond to the Id and Version attributes of the associated InstallationTarget element.

    Version Range is [10.0 – 11.0] and uses the following notation:

    • ] – maximum version inclusive

    • ( - minimum version inclusive

    • ) – maximum version exclusive

    • Single version # - minimum supported version with unbounded maximum version

  • Extension SDK
    Specifies a global installation that isn't scoped to a specific product and version. Target Platform Identifier is the platform, such as "Windows," that you're targeting. Target Platform Version is the version, such as 8.0, of your target platform. SDK Name and SDK Version are the name and the version number of the SDK, respectively.

  • This VSIX is installed for all users (requires elevation on install) check box
    If this check box is selected, this extension is installed for all users; otherwise, it's installed only for the current user.

  • This VSIX is installed by Windows Installer check box
    If this check box is selected, this extension is installed by the Windows Installer (.msi file); otherwise, it's installed as a typical VSIX package (.vsix file).

The Assets tab contains the following controls.

  • List of assets
    Lists the Asset elements that describe the extension or content elements that this package surfaces. Each extension or content element is listed separately by source, type, and path. Extensions and content elements can be added to the list, modified, and deleted. The type and path of an extension or content element corresponds to the Type and Path attributes of the associated Asset element. The following types are known:

    • Microsoft.VisualStudio.Package

    • Microsoft.VisualStudio.MefComponent

    • Microsoft.VisualStudio.ToolboxControl

    • Microsoft.VisualStudio.Samples

    • Microsoft.VisualStudio.ProjectTemplate

    • Microsoft.VisualStudio.ItemTemplate

    • Microsoft.VisualStudio.Assembly

    • Microsoft.ExtensionSDK

    To add or edit an asset, you must specify the asset type, whether the asset is a project in the current solution or a file in the file system, and the name of the project. You can also specify the name of the folder in which to be embedded.

    You can also create your own types and give them unique names.

The Dependencies tab contains the following controls.

  • Name, Source, and Version Range
    Lists the Dependency elements of this package, which are other packages that this package depends on. If a dependency package is specified, it must be installed before this package is installed; otherwise, this package must install it.

    Dependency packages are specified by identifier, name, version range, source, and how the dependency is to be resolved. Each dependency package is listed separately by name, version, and source. Dependency packages can be added to the list, modified, and deleted.

    The identifier must match the ID attribute of the dependency package metadata. The source can be a project in the current solution, a currently installed extension, or a file. The How is dependency resolved setting can be the relative path of a nested package or the URL of the download location for the dependency. The ID, the version, and the resolution of the dependency package correspond to the Id, Version, and Location attributes of the associated Dependency element.

See Also

Concepts

VSIX Extension Schema 2.0 Reference

Other Resources

Visual Studio Extension Deployment

Anatomy of a VSIX Package