Microsoft Releases Visual Studio Tools for Applications SDK

Written By
Darryl K. Taft
Darryl K. Taft
Mar 27, 2007
2 minute read
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SAN FRANCISCO—Microsoft has announced the release of the Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Applications Software Development Kit.

KD Hallman, a general manager in the Visual Studio group of Microsofts Developer Division, is slated to deliver a keynote on the afternoon of March 27 titled: “Visual Studio Everywhere: Tools for Office, Office Business Applications, and Custom Application Extensibility.”

In that talk, Hallman is expected to discuss the new VSTA software development kit.

VSTA enables ISVs (independent software vendors) and enterprises to add application customization to their applications. Microsoft InfoPath 2007 has integrated VSTA, the company said.

In a post on Microsofts VSTA blogs page, the company said: “You can see VSTA in action by designing an InfoPath form and pressing Alt-Shift-F12 to launch the VSTA development environment. Think of VSTA as the managed alternative to VBA [Visual Basic for Applications].

/zimages/2/28571.gifRead morehereabout Visual Studio celebrating its 10th year.

“VSTA and VBA can also run side by side within the same application so your users can create customizations in the language that makes sense for them.”

Also on March 27, Microsoft announced the release of an OBA RAP (Office Business Application Reference Application Pack) for LOS (Loan Origination Systems) and a BizTalk Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization or “MISMO” Accelerator that supports the relevant industry-specific messaging standard, the company said.

The OBA RAP for LOS is the third in a series of technical resources that will help guide the development of OBAs.

The OBA RAP for LOS will provide architectural guidance and application building blocks, Microsoft officials said.

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Darryl K. Taft

Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.

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