Difficulty with Windows Azure Training Kit

Question

I downloaded the Windows Azure Training Kit. I'm using Visual Studio 2010, although I also have VS 2008 on my machine.

I ran the downloaded installer, and was directed to an HTML page. I'm doing the "Intro to Windows Azure for VS 2010 Developers" lab. Following instructions, I launched the VS 2010 command prompt, and ran SetupLab.cmd.

It detects that all the dependencies are installed. It then prompts me to install code snippets. I leave all the boxes checked. It hit "Next", and click past the authentication warning. It asks me where in Visual Studio 2008 I'd like to install the snippets (why not VS 2010?) I choose the default location and hit "Next".

Then, this error appears:

See the end of this message for details on invoking 
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: value
   at System.Windows.Forms.ImageList.ImageCollection.Add(Image value)
   at VSContentInstaller.SnippetLanguagePage.SnippetLanguagePage_Load_1(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.UserControl.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.UserControl.OnCreateControl()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlCollection.Add(Control value)
   at Microsoft.WizardFramework.WizardForm.ActivatePage(WizardPage page)
   at Microsoft.WizardFramework.WizardPage.Activate()
   at Microsoft.WizardFramework.WizardForm.OnNext()
   at Microsoft.WizardFramework.WizardForm.OnNextClicked(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at Microsoft.WizardFramework.NavigationButtonBar.OnNext(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4952 (win7RTMGDR.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
VSContentInstaller
    Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 10.0.30319.1
    CodeBase: file:///c:/Program%20Files/Common%20Files/Microsoft%20Shared/MSEnv/VSContentInstaller.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualStudio.VSContentInstaller
    Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.42
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.VSContentInstaller/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.VSContentInstaller.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Zip
    Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.762
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Zip/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Zip.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.WizardFramework
    Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 10.0.30319.1
    CodeBase: file:///c:/Program%20Files/Common%20Files/Microsoft%20Shared/MSEnv/Microsoft.WizardFramework.DLL
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

I hit "Continue", and am presented with two pages just like the one I just hit "Next" from: "Choose a location to install each LANG snippet", where LANG is either "VB" or "C#". This time, there are no entries. I hit "Next" through them, and get to the installation page. It installs half the snippets, and skips the rest.

What am I doing wrong here? Is this a bug, or am I making a mistake? Is there some sort of work around?

Answer 1

Two things:

1. When you open your Visual Studio command prompt, did you choose Run as Administrator? This is necessary.
2. When you're prompted where to install the code snippets, you do not want to check all the boxes. You want to select all snippets on the left, then just check the My Code Snippets checkbox up at the top on the right side. This is where all those snippets on the left get installed to. And... if you're only using one language, say C#, there's no need to install the VB code snippets.

Hopefully this helps you get past your installation issues.