In keeping with our commitment to continually enhance the tools for extending .NET applications and deliver ongoing improvements to our customers through regular updates, we are excited to announce the release of AlterNET Extensibility Studio 3.0. Below, we’ll outline the key changes and new features in this release.
Installation improvements
Starting with version 3.0, AlterNET Extensibility Studio now supports side-by-side installations. This means you can have multiple versions, such as 3.0 and 2.0, installed and running on the same computer simultaneously. You can maintain separate sets of core libraries and tools, demo projects, Visual Studio extensions, and Visual Studio Toolbox control tabs, allowing for greater flexibility in your development environment.
To ensure this feature works correctly, we must use versioned assembly names, such as Alternet.Common.v3.dll, rather than generic names like Alternet.Common.dll. Without versioned names, Visual Studio will be unable to resolve project references to these assemblies properly, which could prevent their content from appearing correctly in the Visual Studio Toolbox at design time.
Please note that side-by-side installation is not supported for minor updates or service packs, as these will use the same versioned assembly names. For minor releases, the Upgrade installation mode will be used instead, ensuring that the latest version replaces the previous one.
To make it easier to migrate your projects from one version to another, we have introduced a Project Converter tool. This tool automatically updates the references in your project files, as well as the information in .licx and .xaml files, ensuring that your projects can be compiled with the latest version of Extensibility Studio.
The AlterNET Extensibility Studio installation user interface has been updated to reflect the AlterNET Software branding and is now optimized for better performance on high-resolution screens. It also provides the option to specify custom folders for installing core assemblies and demo projects, and allows you to activate your license at the end of the installation process.
Additionally, the installation now supports Modify and Repair modes, as well as Upgrade mode for minor releases.
Code Editor improvements
We have reworked the syntax highlighting and code completion engine for Roslyn-based C# and Visual Basic parsers. Instead of using our custom implementation, these features now rely on Microsoft’s Roslyn internal classification and code completion services, ensuring they function in the same way as in the Visual Studio Code Editor.
Some of these services are provided by additional libraries: Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.Features.dll, Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.Features.CSharp.dll, and Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.Features.VisualBasic.dll. These assemblies need to be added to your project for the Code Completion feature to work correctly
To simplify this, we’ve published the Alternet.ExtensibilityStudio.RoslynDependencies NuGet package on nuget.org. This package includes all the necessary assemblies for the Roslyn-based parsers to function properly. You can install it to your project using the following Package Manager Console command:
Install-Package Alternet.ExtensibilityStudio.RoslynDependencies or through Tools->NuGet Package Manager->Manage NuGet Packages for Solution.
Additionally, we’ve optimized the Roslyn-based parsing by passing incremental changes as the user types in the editor, allowing the underlying code analysis engine to process changes more efficiently.
Script Debugger improvements
We have reworked our expression evaluation engine to improve its functionality and readability. The engine now displays results in a clearer format, distinguishing between private, static, and public fields. It also properly handles and displays IList and IEnumerable types. Additionally, we’ve added the ability to cancel an expression evaluation if it takes too long to complete, enhancing the user experience.
For more specific feedback or inquiries, you can reach out to the AlterNET Software team directly at contact@alternetsoft.com