Visual Studio Dependencies Manager

"Visual Studio Dependencies Manager" by DSLFactory is a powerful extension designed to streamline the management and sharing of binary dependencies within development teams. The latest version, 0.9, brings a suite of enhancements for handling binaries in a robust and efficient manner, especially tailored for Windows XP users.

Classified under Development Tools, and more precisely, the IDE subcategory, this tool addresses the common challenges of managing binary dependencies that are not natively supported in Visual Studio. With versions 1.0, and 0.9 available, the tool has evolved to meet complex needs, ensuring seamless integration and better team collaboration.

One of the noteworthy features of Visual Studio Dependencies Manager is its dependencies designer, which provides a visual representation of all the dependencies between projects in the current solution and various external libraries. This is essential for understanding the hierarchical structure of dependencies and ensuring that nothing is overlooked.

Another significant capability is the contextual references, allowing developers to specify different references based on the solution configuration name and usage (Compilation, Runtime, Publication). For instance, in a Test configuration, developers can easily switch to a mock objects library instead of the final implementation.

The tool also facilitates the generation of the InternalsVisibleTo attribute, which is vital for managing internal visibility of code across different assemblies. Additionally, binaries can be published in a repository as a unique compressed package compliant with the Open Packaging Convention (OPC), supporting multiple versions of the same package and simplifying dependency management.

One of the standout features is the ability to download binaries referenced in a model automatically from the repository into a local folder, ensuring that the latest versions are always accessible without manual intervention.

The repository can handle both Visual Studio outputs (like exe, dll, config files) and static libraries (such as assemblies from external frameworks), and it can be accessed over http or file access, providing flexibility in how teams set up their environments.

Pros:

• Free of charge, offering extensive functionality without any financial investment.
• Comprehensive dependencies designer for clear visualization.
• Contextual references and automated downloading of binaries streamline the development process.
• Supports multiple versions of libraries within the repository.

Cons:

• Limited to Windows XP support, which may not meet the needs of modern development environments.
• Integration and customization might require a learning curve for new users.

Overall, Visual Studio Dependencies Manager is a valuable tool for improving how binary dependencies are managed and shared, addressing a critical gap in Visual Studio's native capabilities.

It is not possible to confirm if there is a free download for this software available on the developer's website. We recommend checking the downloaded files with any free antivirus.

You may want to check out more software, such as Clone Detective for Visual Studio, Help Generator for Visual Studio 2003 or Developer Express CodeRush for Visual Studio.NET, which might be related to Visual Studio Dependencies Manager.