Cannot drop custom Workflow activity for TFS2010 in custom build process template

Question

I've created a custom workflow activity for TFS 2010 to customize the assembly versioning. I've created the activity and tested it using a Testworkflow and some unit testing code. It works fine. When I create a new build process template however, I cannot drop the custom activity onto the workflow designer. When I drag it to the position I want to insert it, the mouse cursor shows me the stop-sign.

Here is what I did: - Create new build process template (as a copy of the default template) - Get latest for the new template, so I have a local copy of it. - Check out the new template - Open it in the workflow designer - Locate the position where I want to add my custom activity - In the toolbox, click Choose Items... and locate the dll that contains my custom activity - Locate the activity in the toolbox and drag it onto the workflow

Adding any of the standard activities to the build process workflow works fine. I'm puzzled, what am I missing here?

Answer 1

I believe you have to have it inside a project that knows about the dll you're trying to add your custom tasks from. Putting your custom tasks assembly into the GAC is equivalent because this allows Visual Studio to have an active link to that assembly regardless of what project (or no project) you have open when you have your build xaml open in the designer.

Answer 2

I know this question was asked a while ago but just my two cents here... the DLL doesn't have to go in the GAC (you can do it that way, it's fine) but you can also copy the DLL into Visual Studio's PublicAssemblies folder:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\PublicAssemblies

and then add the DLL (from this location) into your toolbox in Visual Studio and then drag it into the work flow no problems :)