Changes

• NuGet menus renamed to make them easier to discover
• Solution window icons made consistent
• Fix build errors after MSBuild target restored for package
• Fix types imported by MSBuild target not recognised after NuGet package installed
• Fix Solution window cannot be opened when access to NuGet.Config is denied
• Fix updating all packages not updating dependencies
• Fix pre-release NuGet package being downgraded on update

More information on all the new features and changes in Xamarin Studio 5.7 can be found in the release notes.

NuGet menus renamed

The menus have been changed so they now include the word NuGet to make them easier to discover.

Project menu

Solution context menu

Project context menu

Solution Window

The warning icon used in the Solution window has been changed so it is consistent with other Solution window items.

Package not restored

A new warning icon is used for packages that are not restored, the text is greyed out and hovering over the warning icon shows information about the warning.

Package installing

When a package is being installed the text is greyed out to indicate that the package is not currently available in the project and the text shows (installing) to distinguish between a package being installed and a package that is not restored.

Package needs retargeting

A new warning icon is used for packages that need retargeting. The package id text has changed to black text instead of orange. Hovering over warning icon shows a message that the package needs retargeting.

Bug Fixes

Build errors after MSBuild target restored for package

If a NuGet package had an MSBuild target that added extra references to the project then on restoring the NuGet package those references were still unavailable and the build would still fail.

This problem occurs with the MonoGame.Binaries NuGet package. The MonoGame.Binaries NuGet package has a custom MSBuild .targets file that adds extra references:

<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <ItemGroup>
    <Reference Include="MonoGame.Framework">
      <HintPath>$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)\MonoGame.Framework.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Tao.Sdl">
      <HintPath>$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)\Tao.Sdl.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="OpenTK">
      <HintPath>$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)\OpenTK.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>

If the MonoGame.Binaries NuGet package is not available on opening the project in Xamarin Studio the project will fail to build after restoring the NuGet package since the references in the MSBuild targets file were not being refreshed.

Now after a NuGet package restore the MSBuild host used by Xamarin Studio is refreshed which allows the references in the MSBuild targets file to be found and the project to compile without any build errors.

Types imported by MSBuild target not recognised after NuGet package installed

If a NuGet package had an MSBuild target that added extra references to the project then on installing the NuGet package the types from those references were still unavailable to Xamarin Studio and would be highlighted in red in the text editor. To fix this the solution had to be closed and re-opened. This problem occurs with the MonoGame.Binaries NuGet package.

Now after a NuGet package is installed and it contains a MSBuild targets file then Xamarin Studio’s type system will be refreshed for that project. The types will then be known by Xamarin Studio and no longer be highlighted in red in the text editor.

Solution window cannot be opened when access to NuGet.Config is denied

If the NuGet directory containing the NuGet.Config file cannot be created or read by NuGet then an exception is thrown. This exception was not being handled by Xamarin Studio and would prevent the solution window from opening.

Now if there is any error creating this directory, or trying to load the NuGet.Config file, then the exception is caught which allows the Solution window to open. If the NuGet directory containing the NuGet.Config file cannot be created then it will not be possible to use NuGet in Xamarin Studio but it will not prevent the solution pad from being used.

Updating all packages not updating dependencies

Updating NuGet packages for the entire solution would not install the Xamarin.Android.Support.v13 NuGet package which was added as a new dependency to the Xamarin.Android.Support.v4 NuGet package.

The problem was that the NuGet package update was not configured to update any NuGet package dependencies when updating all packages in the solution. Updating all packages in the project or the NuGet package individually would update package dependencies correctly.

Note that this fix has introduced a bug where Xamarin Studio will show updates as available even though the updates have just been installed for the solution. This new bug should be fixed in Xamarin Studio 5.8.

Pre-release NuGet package being downgraded on update

When a pre-release NuGet package was installed that was newer than the latest stable NuGet package available then updating the package would install the stable version even though it was a lower version. Now an explicit check is made to ensure that an older NuGet package is not being installed.