Deploying Domain-Specific Language Solutions

You can deploy a domain-specific language by creating and distributing Windows Installer (.msi) files that language users can then install on other computers. To deploy a domain-specific language, you must complete the following tasks:

• Create a release build of your domain-specific language. For more information, see How to: Set Debug and Release Configurations.

  Important Note:
  To avoid generating errors during code generation, you must build the project before you continue to the next step.

• Add a Domain-Specific Language Setup project to your solution.

• Build the setup project to create Windows Installer files. Windows Installer files are created in the output directory of the setup project, which will have a path that resembles ProjectDirectory\bin\Release. You should copy all files in that folder as part of deploying your domain-specific language.

Language users can use the Windows Installer files to install and uninstall your domain-specific language. After the files are installed, language users can add the model for your domain-specific language for Visual C# and Visual Basic projects only. You can modify the default behavior by editing the file InstallerDefinition.dslsetup. For more information, see Appendix B: DslSetup Schema Description.

In This Section

Walkthrough: Deploying a Domain-Specific Language

Describes how to deploy a domain-specific language.

Walkthrough: Adding a Domain-Specific Language Solution to an Isolated Shell

Describes how to add a domain-specific language solution to a Visual Studio isolated shell.

How to: Integrate F1 Help into a Domain-Specific Language

Describes how to add F1 help functionality into your domain-specific language deployment.

How to: Remove a Domain-Specific Language

Describes how to remove a domain-specific language that has already been deployed.

Troubleshooting Package Load Issues

Describes some steps you can take to diagnose and resolve package load issues.