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EPiServer development environment - Nuget packages, how do they work?

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I have some questions about setting up an EPiServer development environment.

1. When I install Nuget packages in my EPiServer project (like Core and UI) - will these receive updates automatically via the package manager? Or is this a strictly manual process, and if so, what's the process like?

2. The EPiServer Visual Studio project templates in the Visual Studio Gallery http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/4ad95160-e72f-4355-b53e-0994d2958d3e don't create Nuget package references - instead they link to C:\Program Files and similar. Why is this? Is Nuget packages not the recommended way to setup EPiServer references in a project?

3. Does an EPiServer developer actually need to install EPiServer CMS, or is the project with Nuget references enough?

#81779
Feb 26, 2014 12:45
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1) Manual process - right-click project, select "Manage nuget packages", select "Updates"

2) Nuget is the recommended way - I would guess the templates just haven't been updated

3) From 7.5 there is no need to install EPiServer - EPiServer program files are now part of the appData folder (VPP) - see release notes for 7.5. For earlier versions you need to install EPiServer program files.

#81781
Feb 26, 2014 13:05
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Hi Jacek, did you find the “Installing EPiServer updates” helpful, or did you miss anything there?

See http://world.episerver.com/Documentation/Items/Installation-Instructions/Installing-EPiServer-updates/.

#81783
Feb 26, 2014 13:39
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We are working on an update to the Visual Studio integration that is 100% nuget based, it should show up as an update inside Visual Studio when we release it. Stay tuned.

#81784
Feb 26, 2014 13:41
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@Mari: Thanks, that really clears things up!

@Helén: I've seen that page, but it was confusing for 2 reasons. First of all, it only mentions command-line updating of packages. Since this is not the most intuitive way to update packages (see Mari's reply) I thought the article referred to some special situation. Also, the page is about both "installing" and "updating" packages, and doesn't say whether this is in a "development environment" context or in a "production site" context. 

@Per: Sounds good. We noticed the CMS and Shell packages were converted to "real" Nuget packages in the latest update.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Currently, our "setting up a new EPiServer project" process is like this:

  • Install EPiServer
  • Install the VS integration
  • Add the EPi NuGet feed
  • Ensure a SQL instance on the machine
  • File > New > Project > EPiServer Web Site
  • Remove all references from the newly created project
  • Add the 3 EPi NuGets CMS UI, Core and Search
  • some more minor fix-ups
  • Add the project to the version control system
#81855
Edited, Feb 27, 2014 19:01
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I would also consider about to disable NuGet restore and add packages to source control (more inspiration: http://blog.ploeh.dk/2014/01/29/nuget-package-restore-considered-harmful/)

#81876
Edited, Feb 27, 2014 23:43
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No thanks. We have great Internet in Sweden. :)

And NuGet is never down these days: http://status.nuget.org/958101/history

Now, if the EPiServer VS Integration would also add the EPi NuGet feed to VS that would be great...

#81878
Edited, Feb 27, 2014 23:47
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Jacek Izdebski & Per Bolmstedt: I've updated the instruction in Installing EPiServer updates to describe how to get the updates in Visual Studio interface, hope it will be more clear now.

#82099
Mar 05, 2014 13:56
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