July CTP Conundrum Solved!
If you're following along the NetFX 3.0 CTP trail, the July CTP leaves you without VS 2005 support. Although you can develop WPF apps in Expression Interactive Designer (EID), the experience isn't quite like the VS experience. However, you can use the June CTP VS extensions with the July CTP (minus Cider) by following Magnus Martensson's instructions:
We have a July CTP but no Orcas? Not true. You can force the current release of Orcas into a machine where the July CTP is installed. This is the command that does it.
msiexec /i vsextwfx.msi WRC_INSTALLED_OVERRIDE=1
You simply tell the msi executable to override the version checking when it installs! Sweet!
Very nice! One final thing that you need to do:
Right click on a .xaml file in your solution and choose "open with...". Choose "xml Editor" and click on "Set as default". Now all .xaml files will open with the xml editor instead of trying to open the unfinished Orcas designer.
Now you can develop your WPF pages in EID and edit your code in VS. This is a big help. Thanks!
PS - How long until we see the August CTP? Will there be one? Are we close to a RC (as mentioned here)?