CODEWITHSUNDEEP
visual-studio-2015visual-studio-extensions
Casey Crookston
Casey Crookston

Reputation: 13955

Installing a Visual Studio Extension

I've just started using VS2015 and I'm having trouble doing something that should be simple... install the Side Waffle extension.

From their website I downloaded the .vsix file, templatepack.vsix. When I double click on it, I get an message, "The extension manifest is invalid."

So I went into Visual Studio 2015, went to Tools > Extensions and Updates, and found it under 'Online'. But the only option is to download it. There is no "Install" option.

I went back to the download folder, and on templatepack.vsix I did a right-click and open-with, then tried Microsoft Visual Studio Version Selector. Again I got the message "The extension manifest is invalid."

I tried just dragging the .vsix file into Visual Studio, but that just opened the file so I could edit it. It didn't install it.

I'm out of ideas.

Upvotes: 3

Views: 10289

Answers (2)

sky91
sky91

Reputation: 3170

I tried @Casey Crookston answer but it is not working on Visual Studio Enterprise 2017 (version 15.3.5)

This is my solution:

  1. Open Visual Studio.
  2. Go to Tool > Extensions and Updates > Choose Online > Search the file you want to install > Click Download. Screenshot of Extensions and Updates
  3. Close all Visual Studio instances.
  4. The installation should start immediately.

Upvotes: 2

Casey Crookston
Casey Crookston

Reputation: 13955

Ok, figured it out. Located here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\IDE

There is an app called: VSIXInstaller.exe

Right-clicked on the extension > Open-With > Choose Default Program > More Options > Scroll down to 'Look for another app on this PC' > navigate to the location of VSIXInstaller.exe and select it.

That did the trick.

Upvotes: 6

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