Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Addin for specific SSMS version

Question

I created a addin for ssms. I have two versions of SSMS (11.0.2100.60 and 12.0.2000.8). I want to addin worked only in SSMS version 11.0.2100.60. I changed. addin file as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16" standalone="no"?>
    <Extensibility xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/AutomationExtensibility">
        <HostApplication>
            <Name>Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio</Name>
            <Version>11.*</Version>
        </HostApplication>
        <Addin>
            <FriendlyName>MySSMSAddin</FriendlyName>
            <Assembly>C:\MySSMSAddin\MySSMSAddin.dll</Assembly>
            <FullClassName>MySSMSAddin.Connect</FullClassName>
            <LoadBehavior>1</LoadBehavior>
            <CommandPreload>1</CommandPreload>
            <CommandLineSafe>0</CommandLineSafe>
        </Addin>
    </Extensibility>

but why SSMS sees this addin? If I change the version to "*", then Addin is available in both versions of ssms. Can anybody tell where wrong? Thanks!

Answer 1

Set the version to * but put the .addin file in:

C:/ProgramData/Microsoft/SQL Server Management Studio/ 11.0 /Addins.

If you want to load your addin into SSMS 2014 at some point then copy it to:

C:/ProgramData/Microsoft/SQL Server Management Studio/ 12.0 /Addins

Why don't you want the addin available in SSMS 2014?

I have spent many frustrating days failing to get addins to load into SSMS. You might want to consider using this framework I worked on for Red Gate that makes it simpler.