devAdvantage is very easy and quick to install and configure and gets you up and functioning right away. devAdvantage is a Visual StudioŽ .NET Add-in, meaning it is not a stand-alone program, but an application that runs within, and is tightly integrated to Visual StudioŽ .NET.
Installation- To install devAdvantage you run the install program. The options are very simple and allow you to select the location of the installation. Once installed you can access devAdvantage through a menu within Visual StudioŽ .NET
Registration- If you have purchased devAdvantage Professional Edition you will need to register your copy with a license key file. Registering your product can be done during the installation or after the installation from within Visual StudioŽ .NET. Your license key file should have been emailed to you. If you did not recieve the email or have lost your license key, you can go to the download site at www.anticipatingminds.com, login and download your license key file for devAdvantage. Once you have your file saved to your file system (recommended in the devAdvantage program directory) - you can complete the registration. To complete the registration select the Registration button on the last screen of the install or the Registration menu item on the devAdvantage main menu after you have installed. This will bring up a dialog (Figure 1) showing you your product Licenses and their status. In the User Name and Company Name fields be sure to enter the exact names used when purchasing your product. From this dialog, select the Install License button, locate your file on the file system and click Open.
Figure 1Add-In Manager - The Visual StudioŽ .NET Add-in Manager allows you to manage your Add-ins (such as devAdvantage). By going to the Visual StudioŽ .NET Tools menu, Add-in Manager menu item you can open up the Add-in Manager dialog box. From this dialog (Figure 2) you can disable and re-enable add-ins as well as set them to load on startup of Visual StudioŽ .NET. By default, devAdvantage will install enabled and to load on startup.
Figure 2Knowledgebase - The knowledgebase is the repository of rules and profiles that are used to perform analysis. The knowledgebase is installed in the devAdvantage program directory. Each knowledge pack that is delivered or installed is loaded into this knowledgebase. devAdvantage Professional Edition ships with two knowledge packs - Threading and a Preview knowledge pack - which are both installed by default into the knowledgebase. If you have downloaded the devAdvantage Community Edition you will only have the Preview knowledge pack.
Configuration - devAdvantage allows configuration of the knowledgebase, allowing you to customize the profiles and rules that are used during the analysis. By using the property, devAdvantage Profiles, of solutions and projects within the Visual Studio .NET Solution Explorer, you can select the profiles that you would like to analyze projects and solutions with. This allows you to create profiles that are appropriate for various types of projects. By using the Knowledgebase Explorer (Figure 3) you can create and modify profiles to contain specific rules for analysis. To open the Knowledgebase Explorer, use the devAdvantage menu, Knowledgebase Explorer menu item.
Figure 3Uninstalling - As mentioned earlier, you can disable devAdvantage from loading in Visual StudioŽ .NET by using the Add-in Manager. You can also completely uninstall devAdvantage by going to the Add or Remove Programs.