You can install the MDriven Framework Visual Studio extension to edit MDriven models and generate code in Visual Studio; this page is for developers setting up Visual Studio integration.
What the installation provides
MDriven Framework embeds MDriven Designer functionality in Visual Studio. The Visual Studio extension provides integration for the model editor (Modlr), code generation, the MDriven menu, and MDriven project templates.
The extension is a design-time component. Reference the runtime libraries required by your application through NuGet packages rather than relying on the extension installation location. This keeps the application runtime separate from the Visual Studio design-time installation.
Supported Visual Studio version
Install the VSIX extension for Visual Studio 2022. Visual Studio 2019 is deprecated; use Visual Studio 2022 and the VSIX installer instead. For version-specific guidance, see Documentation:Visual Studio 2022 and Documentation:Visual Studio 2019.
Install the Visual Studio extension
- Download the MDriven Framework VSIX file from the MDriven Framework download provided by MDriven.
- Double-click the downloaded
.vsixfile. - Complete the VSIX installer steps. If an earlier extension is already installed, the installer reports this and installs a newer version when the VSIX version is higher.
- Start Visual Studio.
- Open the Tools menu and select the MDriven entry to open the MDriven About form. The form shows the installed path.
After installation, you should also find the MDriven extension in Visual Studio's installed extensions list. You can use that list to inspect or uninstall the extension.
Verify the installation
Use the following checks before creating or opening a project.
| Check | What you should see | If it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| MDriven command | An MDriven entry under the Visual Studio Tools menu, including the About form. | Re-run the VSIX installer and confirm that it targets the Visual Studio version you use. |
| Project templates | MDriven templates in Visual Studio when you create a new project. | Follow Visual Studio Templates, especially the instructions for a redirected or OneDrive-backed Documents folder. |
| Model editor | An .ecomdl model opens on the model surface rather than in the XML editor.
|
Apply the project-file correction in Fix a model that opens as XML. |
Create a project after installation
Once the extension and templates are available, create and run a starter project by following First MDriven Framework project. For a .NET Core project, use How To Create a .NET Core MDriven Project.
Example: when you choose a MDriven project template, build the generated solution before changing the model. This confirms that Visual Studio can resolve the project's NuGet dependencies and that the template is usable in your environment.
Use NuGet for application runtime assemblies
The VSIX installation provides Visual Studio integration. Your built application also needs runtime assemblies, such as the assemblies appropriate for its user-interface technology and persistence choice. Obtain these through NuGet packages.
Some packages shipped with an installation can be older than the current packages. Update NuGet packages when you need a newer MDriven build; there is no need to update them every day.
Do not treat the Visual Studio extension directory as the preferred runtime reference location. Earlier Visual Studio installations placed integration DLLs under the Visual Studio extensions directory and the main framework installation under Program Files (x86)\CapableObjects\MDriven\7.0; this is historical information for Visual Studio 2019 troubleshooting, not the recommended reference method for current projects.
Troubleshooting
Fix a model that opens as XML
If an .ecomdl file opens as XML instead of on the MDriven model surface, first confirm that you installed the MDriven Framework extension for the Visual Studio version you are running. If the extension is installed, Visual Studio may have tagged the file to use the XML designer.
- Close the model and open the project file manually.
- Find the item entry for the
.ecomdlfile. - Remove the
<SubType>Designer</SubType>element. - Save the project file and reopen the project in Visual Studio.
For example, change this:
<None Include="yourmodel.ecomdl">
<SubType>Designer</SubType>
</None>
to this:
<None Include="yourmodel.ecomdl" />
See Documentation:Visual Studio for the same diagnosis and the related Visual Studio workflow.
Fix missing MDriven templates
MDriven template manifests and template ZIP files are installed beneath the installing user's Documents folder, in Visual Studio template directories. Documents can be redirected, including to OneDrive, so the account that installed MDriven and the account running Visual Studio can resolve to different locations.
- Check the Documents location for the user who installed MDriven.
- Locate the MDriven item and project template folders under that user's
Documents\Visual Studio 201x\Templatespath. - Copy the MDriven template folders to the same relative template location under the Documents folder of the user who runs Visual Studio.
- Restart Visual Studio.
For the paths, manifests, and Visual Studio template-cache guidance, see Documentation:Visual Studio Templates.