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How to: Import Settings By Using the Managed Package Framework

  • Article

The Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE) uses the classes that implement the IProfileManager interface and are registered to support a VSPackage implementation. This implementation is used to retrieve the state of a VSPackage.

Because the IDE instantiates the class that implements the IProfileManager interface to support the Visual Studio settings, the IProfileManager interface should be implemented in an independent class.

Notes

Do not implement IProfileManager on the class that implements Package.

To implement Settings Export

  1. Declare the class that implements the Visual Studio settings.

    Declare a class as implementing IProfileManager and provide it with a GUID.

    Notes

    Classes implementing the IProfileManager interface must also implement the IComponent interface, which can be done by deriving the class from the Component class.

    For example:

    [Guid("XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX")]
internal class MyPackageProfileManager : Component, IProfileManager 

  2. Ensure that the class that implements the settings retrieves state data from disk.

    This step is performed by implementing the LoadSettingsFromXml method.

    The exact information that is to be persisted and how that information will be obtained and marshaled from the VSPackage differs for each VSPackage.

    Regardless of the information that is to be persisted by the VSPackage, the class implementing IProfileManager must use the supplied IVsSettingsReader interface to retrieve data from the settings file.

    Typically, as in the example below, LoadSettingsFromXml also validates the retrieved data and updates the VSPackage's state.

    Dim mySvc As MyPackageService = TryCast(GetService(GetType(IVSMDMyPackage)), MyPackageService) 
If mySvc IsNot Nothing Then 
    Dim value As String 
    Dim myState As StateObject = mySvc.MyPackage.packageState 
    reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsShowDesc", value) 
    If value Is Nothing OrElse value = "" Then 
        reader.ReportError("Unable to Help Visibility Setting") 
    Else 
        myState.HelpVisible = Not value.Equals("0") 
    End If 
    reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsAlpha", value) 
    If value Is Nothing OrElse value = "" Then 
        reader.ReportError("Unable to Retrieve Sort Value") 
    Else 
        If Not value.Equals("0") Then 
            myState.SortState = SortState.Alphabetical 
        Else 
            myState.SortState = SortState.Categorized 
        End If 
    End If 
End If

    MyPackageService mySvc = GetService(typeof(IVSMDMyPackage)) as MyPackageService;
if (mySvc != null){
  string value;
  StateObject myState = mySvc.MyPackage.packageState;
  reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsShowDesc", out value);
  if (value == null || value == ""){
      reader.ReportError("Unable to Help Visibility Setting");
  }else{
      myState.HelpVisible = !value.Equals("0");
  }
  reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsAlpha", out value);
  if (value == null || value == ""){
      reader.ReportError("Unable to Retrieve Sort Value");
  }else{
    if (!value.Equals("0")){
      myState.SortState = SortState.Alphabetical;
    }else{
      myState.SortState = SortState.Categorized;
    }
  }
}

    Implementation details:

    • Report errors back to the user interactively through the IDE by using the ReportError method of the IVsSettingsReader interface:

      reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsAlpha", value) 
If value Is Nothing OrElse value = "" Then 
    reader.ReportError("Unable to Retrieve Sort Value") 
End If

        reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsAlpha", out value);
  if (value == null || value == ""){
      reader.ReportError("Unable to Retrieve Sort Value");
  }

    • Prior to actually retrieving stored settings, an implementation of the LoadSettingsFromXml method should use the ReadFileVersion method to verify that version of Visual Studio that exports the stored settings is supported.

      In the case of the example below, the implementation checks to see if settings were produced by a version of Visual Studio with a major version number of m_supportVer, and if not, signals an error.

      If pnMajor <> m_supportVer Then 
    reader.ReportError("Unsupported Version") 
End If

      if (pnMajor != m_supportVer){
  reader.ReportError("Unsupported Version");
}

    • The Visual Studio settings file supports random data access, so the order of read and writer settings operations is not important. In the example below, the order of writer operations in the implementation of the SaveSettingsToXml method is opposite of the read operations in the LoadSettingsFromXml method.

    • The value of the pszSettingName argument supplied to a method of the IVsSettingsWriter interface must uniquely identify each of data element saved within a settings category.

      Notes

      Names need to be unique only within the scope of the implementing class because the IDE uses the GUID of the class that implements the settings and the value of pszSettingName to identify each saved setting. If more than one IVsSettingsWriter method is called with the same value of pszSettingName, the original value is overwritten in the settings file.

  3. Ensure the coherence between VSPackage state and locally stored or cached settings.

    This step is normally performed during the implementation of the SaveSettingsToStorage method (as is seen in the example below). The details of this step are specific to a VSPackage and may involve obtaining the state of the VSPackage from automation, querying the VSPackage, and setting registry keys.

    Notes

    The LoadSettingsFromStorage method should retrieve the information saved by the SaveSettingsToStorage method when the LoadSettingsFromStorage method is called by the IDE during its initialization of the VSPackage that it supports.

    In the example below, the class providing settings support implements the SaveSettingsToStorage method to:

    • Obtain access to the VSPackage's updated state information.

      Dim mySvc As MyPackageService = TryCast(GetService(GetType(IVSMDMyPackage)), MyPackageService) 
Dim package As Package = TryCast(GetService(GetType(Package)), Package) 
Dim rootKey As RegistryKey = package.UserRegistryRoot

      MyPackageService mySvc = GetService(typeof(IVSMDMyPackage)) as MyPackageService;
Package package = GetService(typeof(Package)) as Package;
RegistryKey rootKey = package.UserRegistryRoot;

    • Use that information to update the VSPackage's registry settings.

      If mySvc.MyPackage.packageState IsNot Nothing Then 
    Using rootKey 
        Using pbrsKey As RegistryKey = rootKey.CreateSubKey(Me.[GetType]().Name) 
            Using pbrsKey 
                DirectCast(mySvc.MyPackage.packageState, IComPropertyBrowser).SaveState(pbrsKey) 
            End Using 
        End Using 
    End Using 
End If

      if (mySvc.MyPackage.packageState != null) {
  using (rootKey) {
    using(RegistryKey pbrsKey = rootKey.CreateSubKey(this.GetType().Name)) {
      using (pbrsKey) {
        ((IComPropertyBrowser)mySvc.MyPackage.packageState).SaveState(pbrsKey);
      }
    }
  }
}

    • Notes

      The division of labor between the LoadSettingsFromXml and the SaveSettingsToStorage methods is depends on the implementation and is somewhat arbitrary. For example, the implementation could be rewritten with an empty implementation of the LoadSettingsFromStorage method and all registry and state queries performed in the SaveSettingsToXml method.

  4. Register the class the implements the settings as providing support to a VSPackage.

    Apply an instance of ProvideProfileAttribute constructed by using the Type of the class that implements IProfileManager to the VSPackage's Package implementation.

    <ProvideProfile(GetType(MyPackageProfileManager), "CoreUI", "MyPackage", 1004, 1004, False)> _ 
<Guid("YYYYYYYY-YYYY-YYYY-YYYY-YYYYYYYYYYYY")> _ 
Class MyPackage 
    Inherits Package 
End Class

     [ProvideProfile(typeof(MyPackageProfileManager), "CoreUI", "MyPackage", 1004, 1004, false)]
[Guid("YYYYYYYY-YYYY-YYYY-YYYY-YYYYYYYYYYYY")]
class MyPackage: Package 

    In this case, the attribute informs the IDE that the MyPackageProfileManager class provides a settings implementation to the MyPackage class. The Custom Settings Point in the registry is created under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\<Version>\UserSettings\ CoreUI_MyPackage, where <Version> is the version of Visual Studio, for example 8.0.

    For more information, see Persisting Settings and ProvideProfileAttribute

Example

The following example implements IProfileManager on a class.

Imports System 
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices 
Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell 
Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Interop 
Imports Microsoft.Win32 
Imports myPackageNameSpace 
Namespace myProfileManagerNameSpace 
    
    
    <Guid("XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX")> _ 
    Friend Class MyPackageProfileManager 
        Inherits System.ComponentModel.Component 
        Implements IProfileManager 
        Friend Const m_supportVer As Integer = 8 
        Public Sub SaveSettingsToXml(ByVal writer As IVsSettingsWriter) 
            Dim mySvc As MyPackageService = TryCast(GetService(GetType(MyPackage)), MyPackageService) 
            If mySvc IsNot Nothing Then 
                ' Information is stored in a StateObject. 
                Dim myState As StateObject = mySvc.MyPackage.packageState 
                writer.WriteSettingString("PbrsAlpha", (If(myState.SortState = SortState.Alphabetical, "1", "0"))) 
                writer.WriteSettingString("PbrsShowDesc", (If(myState.HelpVisible, "1", "0"))) 
            End If 
        End Sub 
        
        Public Sub LoadSettingsFromXml(ByVal reader As IVsSettingsReader) 
            
            Dim pnMajor As Integer, pnMinor As Integer, pnBuild As Integer 
            ' First check if we are getting data from the correct major version. 
            reader.ReadVersion(pnMajor, pnMinor, pnBuild) 
            If pnMajor <> m_supportVer Then 
                reader.ReportError("Unsupported Version") 
            Else 
                Dim mySvc As MyPackageService = TryCast(GetService(GetType(IVSMDMyPackage)), MyPackageService) 
                If mySvc IsNot Nothing Then 
                    Dim value As String 
                    Dim myState As StateObject = mySvc.MyPackage.packageState 
                    reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsShowDesc", value) 
                    ' Not all values must be present. 
                    If value Is Nothing OrElse value = "" Then 
                        reader.ReportError("Unable to Help Visibility Setting") 
                    Else 
                        myState.HelpVisible = Not value.Equals("0") 
                    End If 
                    reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsAlpha", value) 
                    ' Not all values must be present. 
                    If value Is Nothing OrElse value = "" Then 
                        reader.ReportError("Unable to Retrieve Sort Value") 
                    Else 
                        If Not value.Equals("0") Then 
                            myState.SortState = SortState.Alphabetical 
                        Else 
                            myState.SortState = SortState.Categorized 
                        End If 
                    End If 
                End If 
            End If 
        End Sub 
        
        Public Sub SaveSettingsToStorage() 
            Dim mySvc As MyPackageService = TryCast(GetService(GetType(IVSMDMyPackage)), MyPackageService) 
            Dim package As Package = TryCast(GetService(GetType(Package)), Package) 
            Dim rootKey As RegistryKey = package.UserRegistryRoot 
            
            If mySvc.MyPackage.packageState IsNot Nothing Then 
                Using rootKey 
                    Using pbrsKey As RegistryKey = rootKey.CreateSubKey(Me.[GetType]().Name) 
                        Using pbrsKey 
                            DirectCast(mySvc.MyPackage.packageState, IComPropertyBrowser).SaveState(pbrsKey) 
                        End Using 
                    End Using 
                End Using 
            End If 
        End Sub 
        
        Public Sub LoadSettingsFromStorage() 
            Dim mySvc As MyPackageService = TryCast(GetService(GetType(IVSMDMyPackage)), MyPackageService) 
            Dim package As Package = TryCast(GetService(GetType(Package)), Package) 
            Dim rootKey As RegistryKey = package.UserRegistryRoot 
            Using rootKey 
                Dim pbrsKey As RegistryKey = rootKey.OpenSubKey(Me.[GetType]().Name) 
                If pbrsKey IsNot Nothing Then 
                    Using pbrsKey 
                        If mySvc.MyPackage.MakeCurrentSettingTheDefault() Then 
                            DirectCast(mySvc.MyPackage.packageState, IComPropertyBrowser).SaveState(pbrsKey) 
                        Else 
                            DirectCast(mySvc.MyPackage.packageState, IComPropertyBrowser).LoadState(pbrsKey) 
                        End If 
                    End Using 
                End If 
            End Using 
        End Sub 
    End Class 
End Namespace

namespace myProfileManagerNameSpace  {
  
  using System;
  using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
  using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell;
  using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Interop;
  using Microsoft.Win32;
  using myPackageNameSpace;
  
  
  [Guid("XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX")]
  internal class MyPackageProfileManager : System.ComponentModel.Component , IProfileManager {
    internal const int m_supportVer = 8;
    public void SaveSettingsToXml(IVsSettingsWriter writer) {
      MyPackageService mySvc = GetService(typeof(MyPackage)) as MyPackageService;
      if (mySvc != null) {
        // Information is stored in a StateObject.
        StateObject myState = mySvc.MyPackage.packageState;
        writer.WriteSettingString( 
                                  "PbrsAlpha", 
                                  (myState.SortState == SortState.Alphabetical ? "1" : "0"));
        writer.WriteSettingString( 
                                  "PbrsShowDesc", 
                                  (myState.HelpVisible ? "1" : "0"));
      }
    }
    
    public void LoadSettingsFromXml(IVsSettingsReader reader)
    {
      
      int pnMajor, pnMinor, pnBuild;
      // First check if we are getting data from the correct major version. 
      reader.ReadVersion(pnMajor, pnMinor, pnBuild);
      if (pnMajor != m_supportVer){
        reader.ReportError("Unsupported Version");
      }else{
        MyPackageService mySvc = GetService(typeof(IVSMDMyPackage)) as MyPackageService;
        if (mySvc != null){
          string value;
          StateObject myState = mySvc.MyPackage.packageState;
          reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsShowDesc", out value);
          // Not all values must be present.
          if (value == null || value == ""){
              reader.ReportError("Unable to Help Visibility Setting");
          }else{
            myState.HelpVisible = !value.Equals("0");
          }
          reader.ReadSettingString("PbrsAlpha", out value);
          // Not all values must be present.
          if (value == null || value == ""){
              reader.ReportError("Unable to Retrieve Sort Value");
          }else{
            if (!value.Equals("0")){
              myState.SortState = SortState.Alphabetical;
            }else{
              myState.SortState = SortState.Categorized;
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }

    public void SaveSettingsToStorage() {
      MyPackageService mySvc = GetService(typeof(IVSMDMyPackage)) as MyPackageService;
      Package package = GetService(typeof(Package)) as Package;
      RegistryKey rootKey = package.UserRegistryRoot;
      
      if (mySvc.MyPackage.packageState != null) {
        using (rootKey) {
          using(RegistryKey pbrsKey = rootKey.CreateSubKey(this.GetType().Name)) {
            using (pbrsKey) {
              ((IComPropertyBrowser)mySvc.MyPackage.packageState).SaveState(pbrsKey);
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
    
    public void LoadSettingsFromStorage() {
      MyPackageService mySvc = GetService(typeof(IVSMDMyPackage)) as MyPackageService;
      Package package = GetService(typeof(Package)) as Package;
      RegistryKey rootKey = package.UserRegistryRoot;
      using (rootKey) {
        RegistryKey pbrsKey = rootKey.OpenSubKey(this.GetType().Name);
        if (pbrsKey != null) {
          using (pbrsKey) {
            if (mySvc.MyPackage.MakeCurrentSettingTheDefault()){
              ((IComPropertyBrowser)mySvc.MyPackage.packageState).SaveState(pbrsKey);
            }else{
              ((IComPropertyBrowser)mySvc.MyPackage.packageState).LoadState(pbrsKey);
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

See Also

Tasks

How to: Export Settings By Using the Managed Package Framework

Reference

IProfileManager

IVsSettingsWriter

Concepts

Persisting Settings