[IronPython] Integration: now I am totally confused

[Pigneri, Rocco]

Dear "cyberpro60",
 
I, too, have run into your problems and share your experiences.
Unfortunately, it seems that the maintainer of IPStudio is not answering
e-mail on this list although others, such as Michael Foord, have been
kind enough to answer whatever questions they can about IPStudio.
 
Here is what I have discovered from playing with IPS:
 
- IPS is a new, isolated version of the IronPythonIntegration VSX
example project from the VS SDK's.  As far as I can tell, IPS cannot be
integrated into the full VS, thus making it more difficult to use IPY
with static languages such as C#.  IronPythonIntegration is still
available and may be able to integrate with the rest of VS, but I have
not yet tried it.
 
- IPS will not hurt any installed versions of VS.  I have three
different versions installed, and none of them has been hurt at all.
 
- I could not get IPS to work with 1.1.1.  There's a directory under
where IPS is installed that has IronPython.dll and IronMath.dll in their
1.1.0 versions.  Replacing them with 1.1.1 didn't produce any runtime
changes.
 
- Microsoft's website claims that you can build language backends that
use both the isolated and integrated modes.  However, IPS's website only
states that you need the isolated mode.  It's mum about using integrated
mode.
 
- IMHO, IPS is still very much an "alpha" product.  While it does offer
quite a bit of functionality, I was unable to perform many common VS
tasks (creating references to projects or stand-alone DLL's, using UI
widgets that require resources, deleting files from a project, and
others) that are needed in larger projects.  I found it particularly
strong in creating WinForms forms and dialogs whose Python code can then
be pulled out of IPS and used with minimal changes in the rest of your
application.  However, I do advise writing any code for your UI outside
of IPS.  Any syntax or reference errors cause the GUI builder to
disappear until you fix the problem and then reload the GUI editor.
 
Hope that helps,
 
Rocco

________________________________

From: users-bounces at lists.ironpython.com
[mailto:users-bounces at lists.ironpython.com] On Behalf Of
cyberpro60 at hotmail.com
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 6:47 AM
To: users at lists.ironpython.com
Subject: [IronPython] Integration: now I am totally confused


I have read through ALL the posts that mention integration of Iron
Python into Visual Studio and I have to admit that I am now more
confused than before I started. From my perspective it seems that the IP
website actually exacerbates the confusion by NOT stating the obvious.
 
Just so you know: I want to know if the latest beta version (IP v2.00 or
any version) integrates into the full release version Visual Studio 2008
and I can't find a clear cut answer to this question anywhere!
 
Sure, I have read the Iron Python Studio page and yes, I do know that
you can build a standalone VS look-a-like [isolated] version running in
a Visual Studio Shell - which is fine if you don't have Visual Studio
installed. But what if you do? I have Visual Studio 2008 installed - so
does IP automatically integrate with it upon installation? If it doesn't
what do I have to do to get it to happen without wrecking my Visual
Studio installation? 
 
For example, Microsoft says that you can get IP working in BOTH isolated
AND integrated modes ???? Is this still true of the latest release
candidates ? Visual Studio 2008 Shell (Isolated) is listed as a
"prerequisite" for Python Studio .... which obviously doesn't look like
it will work if you have VS 2008 already installed. So can you use
Visual Studio Shell (Integrated) instead?? So many questions .... so few
answers. (it sort of looks like we haven't advanced much beyond the days
when IP was first offered as an "Integrated" component of Visual Studio
--- which sort of worked sometimes ... a little bit ... if you were
really lucky.
 
There seems to be such a mass of conflicting information out there which
is all so unnecessary - all it takes is for one of the developers to
post a clear and unequivocal statement about this issue on IP website.
Problem solved! If IP integrates right now then fine .... if it doesn't
then I will wait until it does. What I can't afford to do is stuff up my
current VS installation experimenting with something that I have no idea
is going to work or not. 
 
Thanks in anticipation for any forthcoming "enlightenment"!
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