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Developer Toolkit Features

[Applies to: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online]

This topic describes the features of the Developer Toolkit for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. It describes the project template options, how to connect to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM server, and the CRM Package and CRM Explorer features.

In This Topic

Project Template Options

Connect to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server

CRM Package Project

CRM Explorer

Project Template Options

After you install the Developer Toolkit, in the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 New Project dialog box you will have a Dynamics CRM node under Visual C#.

Note
The Developer Toolkit does not support Microsoft Visual Basic .NET.

In the Dynamics CRM node, you have the project template options shown in the following table.

Project template option	Description
New Visual Studio Solution Template for Dynamics CRM 2011	Creates a new instance of a Visual Studio solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.
Dynamics CRM 2011 Plug-in Library	Creates a new Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 plug-in class library (.dll).
Dynamics CRM 2011 Workflow Library	Creates a new Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 workflow class library (.dll).
Dynamics CRM 2011 Package	Creates a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Package project.
Dynamics CRM 2011 XAML Workflow Library	Creates Microsoft Dynamics CRM workflows using the Visual Studio Workflow Designer.

The New Visual Studio Solution Template for Dynamics CRM 2011 option includes a solution that includes a plug-in, a workflow, a Silverlight application, and a package project. It is a good starting point for any new solution because you can remove projects from the solution if you do not plan to use them. For more information about other project options, see Create a New Developer Toolkit Project.

Note
When you select the New Visual Studio Solution Template for Dynamics CRM 2011 option, you will be prompted to create a new Silverlight application. In the New Silverlight Application dialog box, clear Host Silverlight application in a new Web site. For more information about about how to develop Silverlight web resources, see Working with Silverlight Web Resources.

Connect to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server

When you create a new project you will be prompted to connect to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM server. When connecting to your server, you must select your organization. Selecting a solution is optional. The solution you select is the one that all new solution components will be associated with. Do not select a managed solution. If you do not select a solution your solution components will be added to the default solution.

Note
If you want to work in the context of a new solution, create the new solution before you connect to the server. The dialog box does not provide the option to create a new solution.

CRM Package Project

In your new solution, the CrmPackage project is a manifest project that contains all assets to be deployed to Microsoft Dynamics CRM combined with their deployment settings. By default, the outputs from each other project are added as references to this project in so that they can be deployed to the server.

Components are added to the package by adding projects as a reference or by adding components under the WebResources folder.

The RegisterFile.crmregister contains registration information for plug-ins and custom workflows created by the toolkit. This information is used to register these components during deployment.

Deploying Your Solution

You will deploy your solution to the server by right-clicking CrmPackage and then clicking Deploy. You can also deploy the Solution or the CrmPackage from the Build menu. For more information, see Deploy a Solution Using the Developer Toolkit.

CRM Explorer

The CRM Explorer displays information about solution components available in the organization. You can expand each node to view specific instances of each type of solution component.

Toolbar Button Actions

The buttons on the toolbar are described in the following table.

Icon	Function
	Refreshes the whole tree.
	Opens the default landing page for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM organization.
	Opens the page for the solution you have chosen to connect and deploy your solution to.

Organization Tree

Use the CRM explorer organization tree to perform tasks using context menu commands or by double-clicking a specific solution component. For those solution components that can be edited in the solution, double-clicking the item opens the definition page in the Visual Studio web browser so you can configure or view the component without leaving Visual Studio. The following table shows the actions you can perform in the organization tree.

Item	Command or double-click action	Description
<Organization Name>	Refresh	Refreshes the whole tree.
Entities	Generate Wrapper	Executes CRMSVCUtil.exe to generate the strongly typed proxy classes. If you only have one plug-in project, this class is automatically added to this project; otherwise, the Generate Entity Wrappers dialog box lets you select which project to create the classes in.
Entities	Refresh	Refreshes entities.
Entities <Specific Entity>	Double-click	Opens the entity definition.
Entities <Specific Entity>	Create Plugin	Opens the Create Plug-in dialog with the primary entity set to the selected entity. For more information, see Create and Deploy Plug-ins Using the Developer Toolkit.
Option Sets	Refresh	Refreshes option sets.
Option Sets < Specific Option Set>	Double-click	Opens the option set definition.
Web Resources	Refresh	Refreshes web resources.
Web Resources	Add to packaging project	Adds web resources of all types from the organization to the project.
Web Resources <Web Resource Type>	Refresh	Refreshes web resources of this type.
Web Resources <Web Resource Type>	Add to packaging project	Adds all web resources of this type from the organization to the project.
Web Resources <Web Resource Type> <Specific Web Resource>	Double-click	Opens the web resource definition.
	Add to packaging project	Adds this web resource from the organization to the project.
Processes	Refresh	Refreshes processes.
Processes Dialogs	Refresh	Refreshes dialogs.
Processes Dialogs	Add Dialog	Opens the Create Process dialog with the Category set to Dialog.
Processes Dialogs <Specific Dialog>	Double-click	Opens the dialog definition.
	Edit	Opens the dialog definition.
	Delete Dialog	Deletes the dialog.
Processes Workflows	Refresh	Refreshes workflows.
Processes Workflows	Add Workflow	Opens the Create Process dialog box with the Category set to Workflow.
Processes Workflows <Specific Workflow>	Double-click	Opens the workflow definition.
	Edit	Opens the workflow definition.
	Delete Workflow	Deletes the workflow.
Plug-in Assemblies	Refresh	Refreshes plug-in assemblies.
Plug-in Assemblies <Specific Assembly>	Double-click	Opens the dependencies definition for the assembly.
	Edit Assembly	Opens the PluginAssembly Information dialog box. You can set the Isolation Mode, Source Type and a Description.
	Delete Assembly	Deletes the assembly.
	Add Plugin	Opens the Create Plug-in dialog box. You can select the Primary Entity. For more information, see Create and Deploy a Plug-in
Plug-in Assemblies <Specific Assembly> <Specific Plugin>	Refresh	Refreshes this plug-in.
	Add Step	For plug-ins that exist in the current project, this option opens the Create Plug-in dialog box with the Project and Class already set so that a new step can be added.
	Delete Plugin	For plug-ins that exist in the current project, unregisters the plug-in from the server without deleting the source file.
	Edit Plugin	For plug-ins that exist in the current project, opens the Plugin Type Information dialog box to enable editing the plugin Friendly Name and Description.
Plug-in Assemblies <Specific Assembly> <Specific Plugin> <Specific Step>	Edit Step	For steps that exist in the current project, opens the Create Plug-in dialog box to modify how the step is registered.
	Delete Step	For steps that exist in the current project, deletes the step.
Security Roles	Refresh	Refreshes security roles.
Security Roles <Business Unit> < Specific Security Role >	Double-click	Opens the security role definition.
Field Security Profiles	Refresh	Refreshes field security profiles.
Field Security Profiles <Specific Field Security Profile>	Double-click	Opens the field security profile definition.