Visual Studio 2010: Displaying Assembly in “Add Reference” Dialog Box

When you add .net assemblies to the GAC, it is not true they will show in “Add reference” dialog in Visual Studio IDE.

I found http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306149 link which describe the steps that we want to follow.

But, it is not working for VS2010. To work with need to set following Reg Key path.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework\v4.0.30319\AssemblyFoldersEx\MyAssembly\

(Default)= “Assembly Folder path”

Visual Studio Add-Ins not showing in the “Tool” menu

For my developments, I am using VS 2005, VS 2008 and VS 2010 side  by side. I have developed couple of Add-ins (XML Add-Ins) for my own use to ease the development, one can be found in this blog.

Last week I installed DB2 connection tool kit( for testing purposes) which installed a VS Add-in (COM Add-in) too. I removed that product from my system, it also removing the Add-ins. My other Add-ins also gone from the “Tool” menu (This happened only to VS 2005 & 2008).

But in Add-In Manger I can see them,

What I did?

I found lots of tips from the Net. All are talking about Registry Entries and devenv command.

1. running

   devenv /setup
   

   
   
   
   
   failed.
   
   
2. 
   
   Changing
   
   

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\<version>\PreloadAddinStateManaged
    <MyAddIn Name> value
   

   
   
   value 2 to 1 failed.
   
3. running
   

   devenv.exe /resetaddin [Namespace].Class

   
   
   worked. This wont delete any Add-ins from the disk. You have to re-load them from the Add-ins Manger.

 

References

1. Visual Studio Forums
   
2. MZ-Tools