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I cannot find any documentation, if VSTO AddIns are supported by SDK-style projects.

I already installed and used h. van brakels project2015to2017.migrate2019.tool. The resulting project files are usual class libraries and no more Powerpoint AddIns. Thus for example the projects cannot be startet anymore from the IDE for debugging.

The BootStrapperpackage and the ProjectExtension have not been transfered to the new file format. Additionally ProjectTypeGuids were not transfered. Maybe this marked the project as a VSTO Addin in the old style project files.

I'm frustrated I cannot find any statement if the SDK-style project files does support (and in this case how?) or does not support (and in this case why?) vsto addin projects! And furthermore, why does nobody dare to state/write that. It would make things clear and I don't have to waste my time searching for it ...

Thanks for your help, Karl

Kalle
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3 Answers3

2

To my knowledge, a VSTO project file cannot be converted to the newer SDK format. This is mostly because of the ProjectTypeGuids.

In order to properly convert a project file to the newer SDK format, there should be an SDK for the ProjectTypeGuids.

To my knowledge there is no VSTO SDK to use in the header of your project file.

[Edit]

MSBuild 15.0 introduced the concept of the "project SDK", which simplifies using software development kits that require properties and targets to be imported.

The information from the above link indicates that Project SDKs are the preferred successor to the "standard" MSBuild props and targets.

[Edit 2]

Have you considered the newer web based Add-In?

RobV8R
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    Thank you for your answer. And yes, we considered a web based Add-In. But the support for Powerpoint has been neglected compared to Excel or Word for example. But there seems to be some progress now, a PowerPoint JavaScript Api Preview appeared in the MS documentation. Starting a new App the decision is obvious but it is not so easy to migrate a 10 years grown Api to a new technology, also if your customers are used to work in a usual way. We will work in a two way solution to take part from the new technolgies. But this implies that you have to develop in two worlds. – Kalle Jan 13 '21 at 07:37
0

Yes, it is possible to use sdk style project files with VSTO.

Explicitly import the Sdk.props and Sdk.targets files and import the Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.targets file after the Sdk.targets file at the end.

Here is a sample .csproj file for an Excel document-level project:

<Project>
    <Import Project="Sdk.props" Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk" />
    <PropertyGroup>
        <TargetFramework>net48</TargetFramework>
        <Version>1.0.0</Version>
        <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup>
        <VisualStudioVersion Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == ''">17.0</VisualStudioVersion>
        <VSToolsPath Condition="'$(VSToolsPath)' == ''">$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)</VSToolsPath>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup>
        <AssemblySearchPaths>$(AssemblySearchPaths);{GAC};$(VSToolsPath)\..\..\..\..\Common7\IDE\ReferenceAssemblies\v4.0</AssemblySearchPaths>
        <SolutionID>617d3c65-847f-4686-98de-dc8f19428505</SolutionID>
        <VSTO_HostDocumentName>MyDocument.xlsx</VSTO_HostDocumentName>
        <DefineConstants>VSTO40</DefineConstants>
        <OfficeApplication>Excel</OfficeApplication>
        <BootstrapperEnabled>true</BootstrapperEnabled>
        <BootstrapperComponentsLocation>HomeSite</BootstrapperComponentsLocation>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup>
        <SignManifests>true</SignManifests>
        <ManifestKeyFile>MyDocument_TemporaryKey.pfx</ManifestKeyFile>
        <ManifestCertificateThumbprint>9A4030C742EF4F638078B084ECC76C118367C6BA</ManifestCertificateThumbprint>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <ItemGroup>
        <BootstrapperPackage Include="Microsoft.VSTORuntime.4.0">
            <Visible>False</Visible>
            <ProductName>Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime %28x86 and x64%29</ProductName>
            <Install>true</Install>
        </BootstrapperPackage>
    </ItemGroup>
    <ItemGroup>
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel">
            <EmbedInteropTypes>true</EmbedInteropTypes>
        </Reference>
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Office.Tools.v4.0.Framework" />
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime" />
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Office.Tools" />
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Office.Tools.Common" />
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Office.Tools.Excel" />
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Office.Tools.Common.v4.0.Utilities" />
        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Office.Tools.Excel.v4.0.Utilities" />
    </ItemGroup>
    <ItemGroup>
      <None Update="MyDocument.xlsx">
        <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
      </None>
    </ItemGroup>
    <Import Project="Sdk.targets" Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk" />
    <Import Project="$(VSToolsPath)\OfficeTools\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.targets" Condition="'$(VSToolsPath)' != ''" />
    <ProjectExtensions>
        <VisualStudio>
            <FlavorProperties GUID="{BAA0C2D2-18E2-41B9-852F-F413020CAA33}">
                <ProjectProperties HostName="MyDocument.xlsx" HostPackage="{3F2B7691-D1D1-402F-9370-2704A737CF60}" OfficeVersion="15.0" VstxVersion="4.0" ApplicationType="XLS" Language="CS" TemplatesPath="VSTOTemplates" DebugInfoExeName="C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE" DebugInfoCommandLine="/x &quot;[$OUTPUT]MyDocument.xlsx&quot;" />
                <Host Name="Excel Document" Path=".\MyDocument.xlsx" GeneratedCodeNamespace="MyDocument">
                    <HostItem Name="ThisWorkbook" Code="ThisWorkbook.cs" CanonicalName="ThisWorkbook" Blueprint="ThisWorkbook.Designer.xml" GeneratedCode="ThisWorkbook.Designer.cs" />
                    <HostItem Name="Sheet1" Code="MyDoc.cs" CanonicalName="Sheet1" DisplayName="MyDoc" Blueprint="MyDoc.Designer.xml" GeneratedCode="MyDoc.Designer.cs" />
                </Host>
            </FlavorProperties>
        </VisualStudio>
    </ProjectExtensions>
</Project>
lauxjpn
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It seems like you're having some trouble with VSTO AddIns and SDK-style projects. Let me break it down for you in simple terms.

So, VSTO AddIns are like special tools that you can add to programs like PowerPoint to make them do extra things. They're created using a certain type of project called VSTO projects. Now, there's a new style of projects called SDK-style projects that are different from the old style projects.

In this text, the person is saying that they can't find any information on whether SDK-style projects support VSTO AddIns or not. They mention that they used a tool called "h. van brakels project2015to2017.migrate2019.tool" to convert their project files from the old style to the new style. However, after the conversion, the project files turned into regular class libraries instead of Powerpoint AddIns. This means that they can't run the projects directly from the IDE for debugging anymore.

The person is frustrated because they don't know if the new SDK-style project files actually support VSTO AddIns or not, and they don't understand why nobody clearly states whether it's possible or not. They feel like they're wasting their time searching for answers.

I hope that clarifies things for you! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Anshumaan Mohanty
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