Create and register a plug-in package using Visual Studio

In this article you'll learn how to create a plug-in package, and then upload and register it on the Dataverse server. You'll be using Visual Studio with the Power Platform Tools extension to create the plug-in package, upload and register the package, and perform some other package management tasks.

This article helps you:

• Create a Visual Studio plug-in project
• Add a dependent assembly to the project and build
• Use Visual Studio to upload and register your package
• Use Visual Studio to update and delete a package

More information: Build and package plug-in code.

Prerequisites

• Access to a Dataverse environment
• A system user account, with System Administrator or System Customizer role, in the target environment
• Visual Studio 2019 with Power Platform Tools extension installed

Review these articles related to installing and using Power Platform Tools for Visual Studio.

• What is Power Platform Tools for Visual Studio
• Create a Power Platform Tools project
• Create a plug-in using Power Platform Tools

Enable plug-in packages for Power Platform Tools

Power Platform Tools for Visual Studio provides several configuration options as described in Power Platform Tools options.

1. In Visual Studio, go to Tools > Options and search for Power Platform tools.

2. Select Use NuGet package for deploying plug-ins to Dataverse.

   

Note

When this option is selected, all your plug-in projects will be deployed as plug-in packages.

Add a dependent assembly to your project

You can add a NuGet package for satisfying required references to your Visual Studio project as you normally do. After you build the project, you should find your plug-in assembly in the generated NuGet package located in the bin\outputPackages folder.

You can use NuGet Package Explorer to examine the generated NuGet package.

Add a dependent assembly without using NuGet

If you have an assembly that isn't distributed as a NuGet package, you can add it to your project as you normally do. In Solution Explorer, right-click Dependencies and choose Add Assembly Reference.... Select the assembly you want to add.

Deploy plug-in packages

To deploy (upload and register) your plug-in package, in Solution Explorer right-click the plug-in project and select Deploy from the context menu.

When you deploy for the first time, you should see a message in the output window that informs you that the plug-in package was created:

6/22/2022 3:03:17 PM : registration of Plugin Package sample_PowerPlatformVSSolution.ExamplePlugins, 
at E:\projects\PowerPlatformVSSolution\ExamplePlugins\bin\outputPackages\PowerPlatformVSSolution.ExamplePlugins.1.0.0.nupkg was successful. 
ID allotted was 06a20e15-77f2-ec11-bb3c-000d3a892245.

Each time you deploy after that, you'll see a message in the output window that informs you that the plug-in package was updated.

6/22/2022 3:20:14 PM : update of Plugin Package sample_PowerPlatformVSSolution.ExamplePlugins, at
E:\projects\PowerPlatformVSSolution\ExamplePlugins\bin\outputPackages\PowerPlatformVSSolution.ExamplePlugins.1.0.0.nupkg was successful.

Important

If your update removes any plug-in assemblies, or types which are used in plug-in step registrations, the update will be rejected. You must manually remove any step registrations that use plug-in assemblies or plug-in types that you want to remove with your update.

The version of the plug-in package or plug-in assembly is not a factor in any upgrade behaviors. You can update the versions of these items as you need.

Plug-in package management

Within Visual Studio, you can perform additional operations on plug-in packages as described in the next sections.

View plug-in packages with Power Platform Tools

Within the Power Platform Explorer, you can view available plug-in packages.

Create a plug-in package, alternate method

As mentioned in Deploy plug-in packages, you will not typically have to create a plug-in package in the usual flow of creating a plug-in. It will be created automatically the first time you deploy the plug-in while the Use NuGet package for deploying plug-ins to Dataverse option is set in Visual Studio. However, you can create a new plug-in package from a NuGet package using the following steps.

1. Within the Power Platform Explorer, select Plug-in Packages and select Create from the context menu.

   

2. This command opens the Import new plug-in package dialog.

   

3. Select the NuGet package and choose which solution it should be added to, or create a new solution.

Delete a plug-in package

Within the Power Platform Explorer, select a plug-in package and then select Delete from the context menu.

Important

Deleting a package will delete the package, all assemblies within it, all plug-ins within the assembly, and any plug-in step registrations for the plug-ins.

Update a plug-in package, alternate method

As mentioned in Deploy plug-in packages, you will not typically have to update a plug-in package in the usual flow of creating a plug-in. It will be updated automatically each time you deploy the plug-in while the Use nuget package for deploying plug-ins to Dataverse option is set in Visual Studio. However, you can update a new plug-in package from a Nuget package using the steps below.

Within the Power Platform Explorer, select a plug-in package and select Update from the context menu.

This command opens a dialog so you can select a NuGet package to update the plug-in package.