VSTA v 2 host configuration
registry entries are similar to VSTA v 1’s- there are a few new entries and a
change in how they are organized.
Two of the most noticeable
differences are the “2.0” subkey and “VSTAVersion” entry. VSTA v 2 entries are stored in the “2.0”
subkey, which resides beneath the host subkey in the VSTAHostConfig hive. The VSTAVersion entry with a value of “9.0” is
a required entry; without it the vsta setup command will not work (see Note 1). In the VSTAHost hive, VSTA v 2 entries are
stored in the “9.0” subkey beneath the host subkey while VSTA v 1 entries are
stored in the “8.0” subkey. This setup
allows a host to be registered both under VSTA v 1 and VSTA v 2.
Other new entries for the
configuration hive include “UpgradeFrom” and “UpgradeHelper” which are used to
migrate existing VSTA v 1 add-ins, “HelpNamespace” which is used to register
custom help files, and “VSItemTemplatesLocation” which is similar to the “VSV#ProjectTemplateLocation”
entries.
As in VSTA v 1, the VSTAHost
hive must be deleted and regenerated with vsta setup to reflect most changes in
the VSTAHostConfig registry. To avoid
causing any problems with a host registered under both VSTA v 1 and VSTA v2,
delete the VSTAHost\<HostID>\9.0 subkey instead of the host’s key prior
to running setup.
In-Process Host Registry
Entries
Unlike VSTA v 1, where
In-Process Host (IPH) registry entries had to be added directly to the VSTAHost
hive, VSTA v 2 stores these entries in the VSTAHostConfig hive. To register an IPH, add the “VSTA” then
“InProcHost” subkeys beneath the “2.0” subkey beneath the host’s key in the
VSTAHostConfig hive. Then delete the
“9.0” key beneath the host’s key in the VSTAHost hive and run vsta setup.
Note
1: The “VSTAVersion” entry requires the
value “9.0”. If this entry with this
value is not found when vsta setup is run an error will occur. The error message will state that one or more
components cannot be found and the application needs to be re-installed. To avoid this message, register the host
using a value of “9.0” in the “VSTAVersion” registry entry.