Visual Studio 2010 Express Beta 2 Readme

For the most current version of the Readme, click here.

1. System Requirements

1.1 Supported Architectures:

1.2 Supported Operating Systems:

1.3 Hardware Requirements:

2. Known Issues

2.1 Installing

2.1.1 General Issues

2.1.1.1 Installation fails if .NET Framework 4 Beta 1 is present

If .NET Framework 4 Beta 1 is present when installing Visual Studio 2010 Express Beta 2, the installation will fail.

To resolve this issue:

Please see the Beta 2 Installation Readme Addendum for important step-by-step instructions, both for avoiding this situation, and for rectifying it.

The Beta 2 Installation Readme Addendum is available here.

2.1.1.2 Error when a component is installed during installation of Visual Studio: MSI Record result detail error code: 1935

When Visual Studio is being installed, a failure in the installation of a component results in the following line in the logs:

...: MSI Record result detail error code: 1935

To resolve this issue:

Error 1935 typically means that a file has put a lock on another file so that it cannot be overwritten.

Reboot the computer and try to install Visual Studio again. If a file was locked during installation, then rebooting will release the lock and Setup should be able to continue.

2.1.1.3 Visual Studio installation failure because a .cab file has an invalid digital signature

Network issues occasionally cause corrupted files when these files downloaded from a network and then installed, or when the files are installed over a network.  This issue will manifest itself by a message in the %temp%\dd_install*.log that resembles this:

[05/16/09,17:47:12] VC 10.0 Runtime (x86): MSI Record result detail: Error 1330.A file that is required cannot be installed because the cabinet file e:\dev10dvd\wcu\vcruntimes\x86\vc_runtime_x86.cab has an invalid digital signature.  This may indicate that the cabinet file is corrupt.

[05/16/09,17:47:12] VC 10.0 Runtime (x86): MSI Record result detail error code: 1330

[05/16/09,17:47:13] InstallReturnValue: GFN_MID Chained VC Runtime 2010 Beta1 x86, 0x643

To resolve this issue:

Download again and then start the installation again.

2.1.1.4 Visual Studio Setup cannot be run in Program Compatility Mode

Visual Studio 2010 and/or the .NET Framework 4 Setup fails with 1603 error code or blocks running in Program Compatibility Mode.

Windows Program Compatibility Assistant indicates that Visual Studio Setup might not have installed correctly, and prompts to reinstall by using the recommended setting (program compatibility mode).

To resolve this issue:

Visual Studio Setup cannot run in program compatibility mode.  Ensure that the compatibility mode setting is not enabled system-wide or for the Visual Studio Setup application.

Check the manual setting

Compatibility mode could have been set manually on the Compatibility tab on the executable file properties.

  1. On the Visual Studio setup media, locate setup.exe.
  2. Right-click setup.exe and then click Properties.
  3. On the Compatibility tab, clear "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and then then click OK.

Check Program Compatibility Assistant registry settings

Compatibility mode could have been set by Program Compatibility Assistant on previous failed or canceled attempts to run Visual Studio setup.exe.

  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. Type regedit, and then click OK.
  3. Browse to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Persisted registry key.
  4. Delete any value that refers to setup.exe on the path where you are installing Visual Studio.

Rerun Visual Studio Setup

  1. Open Windows Explorer.
  2. Browse to Visual Studio setup.exe.
  3. Double-click setup.exe to run Visual Studio Setup.

2.1.2 Visual C++ Express

There are no known issues.

2.1.3 Visual C# Express

There are no known issues.

2.1.4 Visual Basic Express

There are no known issues.

2.1.5 Visual Web Developer Express

There are no known issues.

2.2 Uninstalling

2.2.1 General Issues

2.2.1.1 Express Beta 2 uninstall instructions

This section applies to the Beta 2 pre-release version of Visual Studio 2010. For uninstall instructions for earlier versions of Visual Studio, see:

All pre-release versions must be removed in the correct order BEFORE the official release version is installed.  We recommend that you uninstall the main product first (for example, Visual Basic 2010 Express), which removes the majority of the components.  Then, uninstall other supporting products that may also have been installed.

To resolve this issue:

User-generated assets such as project files and custom settings are not removed or affected by uninstalling Visual Studio.

1.     Open "Programs and Features" in Control Panel (also known as  Add-Remove Programs):

    a.    Click Start, and then click Run.

    b.    Type control appwiz.cpl, and then click OK.

2.     Uninstall all instances of Visual Studio 2010 Express products (for example, Visual Basic 2010 Express).

3.     Uninstall other installed supporting products, in the specified order.  (Ignore items that are not present on the computer.)

    a.    The .NET Framework 4 Language Pack

    b.    The .NET Framework 4 Extended (reboot, if prompted)

    c.    The .NET Framework 4 Client (reboot, if prompted)

2.2.1.2 Important System Updates to keep on your computer when you uninstall Visual Studio

Visual Studio 2010 may also install the following important updates. We recommend that you keep them on your system:

To resolve this issue:

Most pre-release projects can be carried forward to the release version.  If you have problems, report your specific issue on the Visual Studio Express Forum, or the Visual Studio Forums.

2.2.2 Visual C++ Express

There are no known issues.

2.2.3 Visual C# Express

There are no known issues.

2.2.4 Visual Basic Express

There are no known issues.

2.2.5 Visual Web Developer Express

There are no known issues.

2.3 Maintenance

2.3.1 General Issues

2.3.1.1 How to repair Visual Studio

If Visual Studio becomes unstable, you can put it back into a known state by repairing it.

To resolve this issue:

To repair Visual Studio on Windows XP or earlier

  1. In Control Panel, on the Add or Remove Programs page, select the product edition you want to repair and then click Change/Remove.
  2. In the Setup wizard, click Next.
  3. Click Repair or Reinstall.

To repair Visual Studio on Windows Vista or later

  1. In Control Panel, on the Programs and Features page, select the product edition you want to repair and then click Uninstall/Change.
  2. In the Setup wizard, select Repair or Reinstall and then click Next.
  3. Follow the remaining instructions.

2.3.1.2 How to add or remove components in Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2

After you have installed Visual Studio, if you want to add components that were not installed by default, follow these steps to add them.

To resolve this issue:

To install optional components on Windows XP or earlier

  1. In Control Panel, on the Add or Remove Programs page, select the product edition you want to add to and then click Change/Remove.
  2. In the Setup wizard, click Next.
  3. Click Add or Remove Features.
  4. In the Select features to install list, select the items that you want to install and then click Update.

To install optional components on Windows Vista or later

  1. In Control Panel, on the Programs and Features page, select the product edition you want to add to and then click Uninstall/Change.
  2. In the Setup wizard, select Add Optional Products and then click Next.
  3. Select the components you want to install and then click Next.
  4. Follow the remaining instructions.

2.3.2 Visual C++ Express

2.3.2.1 Visual C++ 2010 projects, $(IntDir) and $(OutDir) macros have a trailing slash

In Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition projects, $(IntDir) and $(OutDir) macros do not have a trailing slash.  In Visual C++ 2010 Express, they do.  Visual C++ project conversion transforms expressions like $(IntDir)\, $(IntDir)\subdir, or $(OutDir)/subdir to $(IntDir), $(IntDir)subdir and $(OutDir)subdir appropriately.  However, if a Visual C++ 2008 project property contains only $(IntDir) without a slash next, it will end up the same in the converted project.  Therefore, expressions like "$(IntDir)1" are evaluated to "Debug1" in Visual Studio 2008, and it will be "Debug\1" in Visual Studio 2010.

To resolve this issue:

If you have to have an $(IntDir) value without the trailing slash, you can change that occurrence of $(IntDir) to the expression $([System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName('$(IntDir)')).

For example, if a Visual C++ 2008 project Build Event Command Line property contains the command "echo $(IntDir)", you can achieve the same output in Visual Studio 2010 by changing the command to "echo $([System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName('$(IntDir)'))".

2.3.3 Visual C# Express

There are no known issues.

2.3.4 Visual Basic Express

There are no known issues.

2.3.5 Visual Web Developer Express

There are no known issues.

2.4 Product Issues

2.4.1 General Issues

2.4.1.1 Opening third-party project files may execute third-party code

When you open a solution or a project file in Visual Studio, code is executed to load the project. This code, in the form of build tasks and targets, may contain any action that the creator supplies.

To resolve this issue:

Use the same care when you open Use the same care when you open solution and project files as you would use with any executable or script file. Be sure you trust the source of a file before you open it.

2.4.1.2 Simplified Build Configurations are not supported for solutions that contain projects that target more than one target platform

If a user is using the Simplified Build Configuration feature (enabled by default in Express), and has a solution that contains at least one executable project (Console Application, Windows Forms Application, or the like) and at least one library project (Class Library, or the like), this feature will be automatically disabled.  This means that build configurations will no longer automatically be switched to Debug on "Start Debugging" and to Release on "Build".

To resolve this issue:

This issue occurs because Simplified Build Configuration is currently not supported in solutions that contain projects that target more than one platform (for example, x86, x64, AnyCPU).  In Visual Studio 2010, executable projects target the x86 platform by default and libraries target Any CPU by default. This means that having both in a solution will disable the feature.  To make changes to the advanced build configurations (not shown by default in the Visual Basic Development Settings), enable it by going to Tools, Options, Projects and Solutions, General and selecting "Show advanced build configurations".  The Property pages for executable projects will now have drop-down menus for setting the current build configuration.

2.4.1.3 Data Sources window does not filter out .NET Framework 4 controls if the project targets the .NET Framework 3.5 or earlier.

The Data Sources window is not multi-targeting-aware. This means, for example, that .NET Framework 4 controls such as the DataGrid appear in the Data Sources window even if the WPF application targets the .NET Framework 3.5.

To resolve this issue:

There is currently no workaround for this issue. Dragging and dropping a data-bound .NET Framework 4 DataGrid control on a .NET Framework 3.5 WPF designer is not supported.

2.4.1.4 Sync Designer is not the default program to open a .sync file

By default, a .sync file will be opened in XML Editor Chooser.

To resolve this issue:

1. Right-click the .sync file.

2. Click Open With.

3. On the list of programs, set "Local Database Cache Editor" as the default program.

2.4.1.5 C# Optional Parameter in Class Designer: Visual Studio will hang if a default value is set to an invalid character, or if you try to move an optional parameter ahead of a parameter that is not optional

The following two cases would cause Visual Studio to hang:

Case 1:

A parameter is optional if it has a default value assigned. If you select a parameter in Class Detail Window, and change its default value in the Properties window to an invalid character, for example, "#", Visual Studio would hang.

Case 2:

In the Class Detail window, the order of parameters in a method could be adjusted by selecting "Move Up" or "Move Down" on the shortcut menu.

If the changed order of parameters breaks the optional parameter rule (that is, that all parameters that follow an optional parameter must also be optional), Visual Studio will hang.

To resolve this issue:

In the Code Editor, locate the corresponding method. Reorder the parameters so that they follow the optional parameter rule, and assign a valid default value to the new optional parameter.

2.4.1.6 A load error occurs in the Windows Forms designer if you drag a data source to it from the Data Sources window when you are using the Visual Basic profile

This error occurs only when you are using the Visual Basic profile. If you create either a Visual C# or Visual Basic Windows Forms application when you are using the Visual Basic profile, and then drag a data source from the Data Sources window to the Windows Forms designer, the designer will not load after the project is built.

To resolve this issue:

Close Visual Studio and then reopen it.

2.4.1.7 Visual Studio crashes or throws an exception when LineShape controls are used in Visual Basic PowerPacks

An exception, "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." may be thrown, or Visual Studio might crash, in either of the following two Visual Basic PowerPack control scenarios:

1. Add a LineShape control to a Windows Form, reopen the form, and then add another LineShape control to the form.

2. OR, add a LineShape control to a UserControl and then add the UserControl to a Windows Form.  Start and then stop debugging.

To resolve this issue:

Download Visual Basic PowerPacks 3.0 from here and use it as a replacement.

2.4.1.8 DataGrid cannot be selected as a binding control in the DSWin if it is not selected in the Customize Control Browser

In the Data Source Window, when the DataGrid control is not selected in the Customize Control Browser for a data type (which also means that it was removed from the control list in the drop-down), the DataGrid control will not appear in the Customize Control Browser for that type anymore and there will be no way to bind that type with DataGrid from the Data Source Window. (The Customize Control Browser is available from the Customize menu for any data entity or property node.)

To resolve this issue:

Reset the Data Source Window by deleting the file under [System Root]:\Documents and Settings\[Your user account]\Application Data\Microsoft\[Your VisualStudio SKU]\10.0\DataBindingSetting\SilverlightControls.xml

2.4.1.9 Assembly reference into a WPF / Silverlight project must be manually added before you drag a custom control from the Data Source Window

When binding a custom control with a data entity / property in the WPF / Silverlight Data Source Window, the corresponding assembly references cannot be added into the project by dragging and dropping from the Data Source Window to the designer surface. In this case, if the custom control assembly reference has not been added into the project, the designer will throw an error or complaints errors in the generated XAML code because the corresponding assembly references cannot be found.

To resolve this issue:

Add the assembly reference into the project before you drag and drop. If dragging and dropping is done before the assembly referenced is added and the error is thrown, re-open the project and then add the corresponding assembly reference.

2.4.2 Visual C++ Express

There are no known issues.

2.4.3 Visual C# Express

There are no known issues.

2.4.4 Visual Basic Express

There are no known issues.

2.4.5 Visual Web Developer Express

There are no known issues.

3. Related Links

3.1 Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 Readme

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=166199

3.2 Visual Studio 2010 Team Foundation Server Beta 2 Readme

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=166201

3.3 Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Beta 2 Readme

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=166202

© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use  | Trademarks  | Privacy Statement