I have a class derived from UnfoldTemplate that I am attempting to utilize in a '.vstemplate' file. The class resides in a seperate assembly from the GAT, the assembly is strong named and references no assemblies other than what is required for type resolution of UnfoldTemplate. All attempts to register the GAT report the following exception:

An exception occurred during the Install phase.
Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.RecipeFrameworkException: Unexpected error loading template file name MySolution.vstemplate. Make sure that the template is well formed and try again.
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio.Templates.TemplateMetaData.ReadTemplate()

// Exception stack trace omitted for brevity

The inner exception System.ArgumentException was thrown with the following error message: The template does not have the correct WizardExtension data..
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio.Templates.TemplateMetaData.ReadTemplate()

I've used the ReflectionHelper class located in the Microsoft.Practices.Common assembly to verify that the Type can be loaded based on the following XML fragment:

<Assembly>MyRecipeFramework, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=9fab3f7fbe0827fd</Assembly>
<FullClassName>MyRecipeFramework.Templates.UnfoldTemplate</FullClassName>

I am at a loss as to what could preventing the GAT from successfully registering. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you reflector the Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio.Templates.TemplateMetaData.ReadTemplate() method, you will find near the bottom that all we're doing is verifying that we can load the type, and that the type can be assigned to UnfoldTemplate.

Verify that that is the case with your assembly (i.e. it's deployed to IDE\PublicAssemblies folder) and it should work.

If you reflector the Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio.Templates.TemplateMetaData.ReadTemplate() method, you will find near the bottom that all we're doing is verifying that we can load the type, and that the type can be assigned to UnfoldTemplate.

Verify that that is the case with your assembly (i.e. it's deployed to IDE\PublicAssemblies folder) and it should work.

Daniel,
Using Reflector, I examined the code in the ReadTemplate method and verified the issue with the following trimmed down code:

string assemblyName = "MyRecipeFramework.Templates.UnfoldTemplate, MyRecipeFramework, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=9fab3f7fbe0827fd";
Type type = ReflectionHelper.LoadType(assemblyName);
if (typeof(UnfoldTemplate).IsAssignableFrom(type))
{
Console.WriteLine("It's there dude");
}

This code writes the helpful message everytime so again I'm left to ponder: 'what the heck is going on here?'. I did try your suggestion about the PublicAssemblies folder, and I know Visual Studio 'finds' it because I attempted to delete it and received a 'file in use' exception.

I have the same problem..any solution.?

My class derive from UnfoldTemplate and it`s in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\PublicAssemblies folder.

this is the code in the template:

<WizardExtension>
<Assembly>CustomWizards, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=1d971450e3c8ea08</Assembly>
<FullClassName>CustomWizards.CustomUnfoldTemplate</FullClassName>
</WizardExtension>

Thanks.
N.S.

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System Computer Analyst