Can't get .vsix to install in Visual Studio 2010 or 2012

Question

I downloaded Breeze / Angular Js template as part of an R/D day for work:

http://www.asp.net/single-page-application/overview/templates/breezeangular-template

Double-clicking the .vsix file opened it with Visual Studio 2012, but as a read-only binary file ( if anyone's familiar with HxD, or similar hex editors, it looks kinda like that ). I tried to open it with Visual Studio 2010, but I got the same result.

I tried opening the ExtensionManager in vs 2010, but found nothing about importing a template. I tried Extensions and Updates in vs 2012 ( the equivalent of ExtensionManager ) and could not find anything about importing a template there either.

I found nothing on Google regarding the problem I'm having.

Is there a different default program that is supposed to handle .vsix files ( eg. Open With... some sort of Visual Studio installer or something )?

If anyone has a solution to this frustrating dilemma, that'd be grand. Also, pitching the computer out the window is unfortunately not an option for me.

Answer 1

The templates only work on VS 2012 R2.

This is noted (with no fanfare) in several places. Here is a quote from the MS Angular SPA template page :

The Breeze/Angular SPA template is a variation on the KnockoutJS SPA template included in the ASP.NET and Web Tools 2012.2 Update.

You download the .vsix and double-click it. That either installs it successfully ... or you have an environment problem ... such as not having VS2012.r2.

These SPA tempate VSIXs are ALWAYS SAFE to install and easy to uninstall. They do not change Visual Studio and they do not install/uninstall anything in Visual Studio itself. They are simply xcopied into a well-known directory where VS can find them. They are harmless when they fail.

Answer 2

It is supposed to install..not open. Looks like the extension is not being recognised. vsix for 2012 will not install in 2010 since the format has changed. Try opening it with the visual studio version selector..vslauncher.exe. Failing that the only thing I can think of is reinstalling visual studio 2012

Answer 3

我遇到了同样的问题，使用shai的Visual Studio版本选择器打开方法对我来说很有效。