Toolbox options all unavailable in VS05

[gtrDayve]

Recently I ran all my Windows Updates which included many for Visual
Studio 2005, & now when I open VS05 (using ASP.NET, VB.NET), all my
toolbox options are grayed out except for the Data options; which
include: DataSet, DataGridView, BindingSource, etc.
This means that Label, Textbox, button, etc are all unavailable. My
"General" option in Toolbox states "There are no useable controls in
this group." I can run apps ok, & if I copy a button or control from
my app & paste it, it appears. I can also manually add the control to
the toolbox; so I can get it added back, but by default they do not
appear. More frustrating is that the validation options DO NOT appear
when I manually add them!? My manager says that somehow my VS05
environment is set up to program for "Smart Devices" but I don't know
what or how this happened, & how to reset it. I also uninstalled VS05
& reinstalled & removed many updates, but after reinstall the
behaviour was the same.
I've been unable to find anything like this on the web, so I'm asking
if anyone can help me here? It appears anytime I set up a new project
I have to re-add these common features, & resetting the toolbox DOES
NOT help, unless I want it to delete all the controls I've added.

 

[RobinS]

You can reset your settings like this:
Tools
Import and Export Settings
Choose "Reset all settings"
Save your current settings first if you want to.
Then pick which settings you want to use.

Good luck.
Robin S.

 

[gtrDayve]

You can reset your settings like this:
Tools
Import and Export Settings
Choose "Reset all settings"
Save your current settings first if you want to.
Then pick which settings you want to use.

Good luck.
Robin S.
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- Show quoted text -

Sorry, but this didn't work.
I tried a couple of different settings (vb, web) & my toolbox still
displays "there are no usable controls in this group" in the "General"
section, & when I do "List All" everything is grayed out except for a
few web commands.

 

[RobinS]

Sorry, but this didn't work.
I tried a couple of different settings (vb, web) & my toolbox still
displays "there are no usable controls in this group" in the "General"
section, & when I do "List All" everything is grayed out except for a
few web commands.

What window do you have open when you're doing that? Do you have a Windows
Form active in Design Mode?

If you right-click on the toolbox, there's a Reset option. Does that help
at all?

If you right-click on the Toolbox, there's a Select option, are the
controls checked under the .Net tab?

Robin S.

 

[gtrDayve]

What window do you have open when you're doing that? Do you have a Windows
Form active in Design Mode?

If you right-click on the toolbox, there's a Reset option. Does that help
at all?

If you right-click on the Toolbox, there's a Select option, are the
controls checked under the .Net tab?

Robin S.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

In answer to your three questions:

1. I have had both a project open (VB.NET, ASP.NET, brand new blank,
etc) & no projects open; the results are the same. My "General" tab
still states "No useable controls...".
2. Right-clicking the toolbox & selecting "reset" does nothing for me.
The only thing it does is if I have manually added individual controls
(ex: right-clicked, selected "Choose Items" from the menu that
appears, & checked "Textbox" from the .NET components) then when I
right-click & select "Reset Tools" from the menu, all manually entered
components (ex: the textbox component I had added) they all disappear!
This was the first thing I tried...repeatedly & in various scenarios.
Again: these components DO work once added, & if I have an app that
has one, like a button, & I copy & paste that button, that component
works, they just don't appear in my toolbox.
3. When you talk of the "Select" option, you must be referring to the
"Choose Items" option? Because I don't have a "Select" option? When I
do open "Choose Items" there is a tab for ".NET" & I can add
checkboxes to the components I want (as described above), but no; by
default none of them are selected. Also, I think the components
disappear when I open a different project, & I have to re-add them for
that project?! This I'm not exactly sure on as I have tried many
things (including Importing Settings above) so I'm not exactly sure
the order I did these in.

My next option is to try & import someone else's settings using the
above instructions, but I don't think that will work, as I have said
that I reinstalled VS05 & still had the same issue.

 

[RobinS]

In answer to your three questions:

1. I have had both a project open (VB.NET, ASP.NET, brand new blank,
etc) & no projects open; the results are the same. My "General" tab
still states "No useable controls...".
2. Right-clicking the toolbox & selecting "reset" does nothing for me.
The only thing it does is if I have manually added individual controls
(ex: right-clicked, selected "Choose Items" from the menu that
appears, & checked "Textbox" from the .NET components) then when I
right-click & select "Reset Tools" from the menu, all manually entered
components (ex: the textbox component I had added) they all disappear!
This was the first thing I tried...repeatedly & in various scenarios.
Again: these components DO work once added, & if I have an app that
has one, like a button, & I copy & paste that button, that component
works, they just don't appear in my toolbox.
3. When you talk of the "Select" option, you must be referring to the
"Choose Items" option? Because I don't have a "Select" option? When I
do open "Choose Items" there is a tab for ".NET" & I can add
checkboxes to the components I want (as described above), but no; by
default none of them are selected. Also, I think the components
disappear when I open a different project, & I have to re-add them for
that project?! This I'm not exactly sure on as I have tried many
things (including Importing Settings above) so I'm not exactly sure
the order I did these in.

My next option is to try & import someone else's settings using the
above instructions, but I don't think that will work, as I have said
that I reinstalled VS05 & still had the same issue.

Geez, I don't know what to tell you. I would probaby try deinstalling
Visual Studio and any CTP's you've installed, reboot, and maybe (if you're
feeling brave) check the registry and see if there's anything in there and
remove it, and check for the folders under ProgramFiles and remove any left
over. Then reinstall it. I know you already did that once, but it's the
only thing I can think of. You're not running a beta version, are you?

Have you tried posting your question to the VisualStudio forum? There are
several of them on MSDN.

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=6&SiteID=1

I went to the one about installation and searched for "toolbox" and got a
bunch of hits. Maybe there's one that will answer your question. I'd try
that before deinstalling and reinstalling again.

Good luck.
Robin S.

 

[gtrDayve]

Geez, I don't know what to tell you. I would probaby try deinstalling
Visual Studio and any CTP's you've installed, reboot, and maybe (if you're
feeling brave) check the registry and see if there's anything in there and
remove it, and check for the folders under ProgramFiles and remove any left
over. Then reinstall it. I know you already did that once, but it's the
only thing I can think of. You're not running a beta version, are you?

Have you tried posting your question to the VisualStudio forum? There are
several of them on MSDN.

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=6&SiteID=1

I went to the one about installation and searched for "toolbox" and got a
bunch of hits. Maybe there's one that will answer your question. I'd try
that before deinstalling and reinstalling again.

Good luck.
Robin S.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for your help. I did have my boss export his settings & I
imported them, but that didn't help either. I'll check the other
forumns.

 

[RobinS]

Thanks for your help. I did have my boss export his settings & I
imported them, but that didn't help either. I'll check the other
forumns.

That really, um, sucks. Not to put too fine a point on it. Good luck. When
you figure out how to fix it, post back so it's in the archives.

Robin S.