A new Gtk# Installer for .NET Framework SDK is out.  There are a few notable things that I want to highlight.  First of all, I went with GTK+ 2.8.20 and GNOME 2.14 for Windows.  The reason for these versions (over GTK+ 2.10 and GNOME 2.16) is that it better match what users of openSUSE 10.2 will find.  The selected versions have already gotten some testing by the users of Evolution for Windows.

The Gtk# version is 2.8.3 and some of the included Mono libraries come from Mono 1.2.1.  In case it has not been clarified before, my development cycle is:

1. Mono Combined Experimental Installer
2. Gtk# Installer for .NET Framework SDK
3. Gtk# Installer for .NET Framework Runtime

The order is important, since the creation of the first installer in the cycle provides the pieces necessary for the creation of the immediately subsequent one.

This release is the first to incorporate the add-ins for Visual Studio .NET 2003 and the first take at an add-in for Visual Studio 2005.  Developers must keep in mind that you should first have at least one version of the Mono Combined Installer for Windows and/or my Mono Experimental Installer to use the add-in's "Run on Mono" functionality. Here is a little video on how to enable the add-in on VS2005.

The next thing that I want to announce is the creation of a Mono/Gtk# Help Collection for Visual Studio.  During the Mono Meeting I show the attendees a very early effort I had done to provide a Gtk# Help 2.0 collection set that could be use within Visual Studio. The feedback was very positive, so I went about expanding the included content as well as creating it in such way that it could actually provide context sensitive help when the user pulses the F1 key as the insertion point is resting on top of a Mono and or Gtk# specific code piece.

The installation of the Help collection is simple, and the same installer will prepare Visual Studio .NET 2003 and/or Visual Studio 2005 for its use.  However, the actual merging of the indexes and help text takes several minutes, so be patient.

I need people to kick the tires on these installers, so that I can move on to create a Gtk# Installer for .NET Runtime.

Some of the items I have pending on the Visual Studio Add-in and will get to as soon as I release the runtime installer are:

• Gendarme integration
• MoMA reporting
• InstallerMaker integration
• Launching project targets on Mono while hosted on openSUSE 10.2 VMware virtual machine

I want to thank the participants of the Mono Meeting 2006 for their interest and feedback.  I also take this opportunity to thank Daniel Morgan (danmorg), Andreia Gaita (shana), Jackson Harper (jackson), Chris Toshok (toshok), and Charlie Poole for their testing, patience and iterative recommendations.  However, none of this could be done without the generous donation of time and love of Monica and Maria (mis dos nenas).

Happy Birthday Paquito!
Today you would be 22.