Part 1: Use VSAE to create a new Management Pack Project

This is Part 1 in a multi-part series explained here:  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/kevinholman/2016/06/04/authoring-management-packs-the-fast-and-easy-way-using-visual-studio/

Step 1:  Install a supported version of Visual Studio.

Step 2:  Install the VSAE components from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30169

Step 3:  Open Visual Studio.  File > New > Project

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Step 4:  Pick the version you want to write for, and give your project a name based on a naming standard.  My naming standard will be “CompanyID.AppName” so if my company abbreviation is “Fab” (for Fabrikam) and I am writing this to monitor a custom application (I will make up a fake “DemoApp”)  I will call mine “Fab.DemoApp”

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Step 5: 

Right click your “Fab.DemoApp” in solution explorer, and choose properties:

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Here you can make changes to the core properties of your MP:

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you can configure these to automatically deploy as you build the MP, to a development management group if you wanted, and even seal the MP as you build.

You are almost done!  We have the basic framework of a MP now, which is mostly empty except for some default references.  Let’s build this one just for fun.

Step 6: Build > Build Solution

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In your output – you will see if it built successfully or if you had a problem that needs to be fixed:

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In your bin\Debug path, which is where the management pack is written – open the XML using XML Notepad just to view it:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ManagementPack SchemaVersion="2.0" ContentReadable="true" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <Manifest>
    <Identity>
      <ID>Fab.DemoApp</ID>
      <Version>1.0.0.0</Version>
    </Identity>
    <Name>Fab.DemoApp</Name>
    <References>
      <Reference Alias="System">
        <ID>System.Library</ID>
        <Version>7.5.8501.0</Version>
        <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken>
      </Reference>
    </References>
  </Manifest>
</ManagementPack>

As you can see – it is pretty much empty, having only a Manifest section.  This will grow as we start to use fragments to add monitoring.

Step 7:  Save your MP

Use the “Save All” buttons at the top to make sure you save your changes.

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This will be the foundation MP for all the Parts moving forward.