After installing the .dll and resource files, you must configure your Visual Micro options:

Visual Studio | Tools | Options | Visual Micro

The most important option to set is the Arduino Application under [Locations]. Select the path to your Arduino executable (arduino.exe).

I suggest copying the latest Arduino (0018) to a folder called C:\Arduino\ArduinoIDE. By using a common Arduino folder you will find it easier to update to the latest Arduino versions in the future without having to reset your Visual Micro options.

After entering a valid Arduino folder, click the Arduino Library and the GCC Application (WinAVR) folder paths. They should automatically determine their locations.

After setting the Visual Micro properties, click [OK] to close the Options window. After a short pause (< 2 sec), the Visual Micro toolbar should appear containing the Boards and Serial ports menu.

Select your Arduino board and the serial port it is connected to.

Opening an Existing PDE

In Visual Studio select File|Open, and navigate to a folder containing an Arduino sketch (.pde). Select the sketch and click [OK]. The sketch will open briefly and then the following will happen automatically: the sketch will close, and it will be re-opened in a Project & Solution with the same name as the .pde; the Project & Solution will be created automatically in the sketch's folder.

Adding Libraries

You can add libraries using the Libraries menu on the toolbar, or add files to your projects as you normally would. When you add .c or .cpp files you will find that they automatically associate themselves to a custom build action of AVR_C_GCC or AVR_CPP_GCC (right-click with your mouse a source file to see what I mean).

If you encounter any problems just re-associate source files to the correct custom build tool. If you have an older Visual Studio project and want the toolbar to work with it then just edit the Visual Micro .vcproj and .sln files with Notepad, and copy over the platform and build settings.

NOTE that Visual Micro only compiles correctly when the build type is set to AVR|Win32. This is designed to ensure that Visual Micro doesn't mess with your normal Visual Studio projects.

Click compile and enjoy!

The following visual studio arduino compilation overview is for information only and is not required knowlege to make use of the addin

The gcc system is used to compile .hex files (*see note at the end of this document) that you will find in the _vsaddin folder of each project. In this folder you will also find the .bat files that visual micro uses to compile each sketch

When a project has been compiled a folder will be created called _vsaddin\_build. This folder will contain the .o object files from the gcc compiler and also the compiled .elf and .hex files

Prior to compile/rebuild, the addin creates a unique list of include paths from all of the .h files included in the project. These paths are passed to the gcc compiler along with the avr\include folder. 

The list of paths will also include the current projects' reference paths (see visual studio project options). (The arduino addin does not add or alter visual studio project reference paths, it just uses them if they exist)

note: in the initial version using build>solution from the visual studio solution menu fails to compile. Use either the solution rebuild option or use the compile buttons on the addin tool bar

The .\_vsaddin folder

The Build/Compiler Output Window

note: when you compile, if a previous compilation does not exist, you might see some warning messages in the visual studio output window. these can be ignored. the output window will show you if the compilation succeeds

arduino visual studio compiler .bat files

The following .bat files are created and maintained automatically by the addin. The events that cause these files to alter are as follows:-

When you switch board

When you add an arduino library

When you compile the project

Description of each file

avr_build.rules 

this is a static file containing the definition of the custom build.rules for the project. the file is configured custom build rules on the visual studio project menu 

this file is responsible for providing the GCC_C_AVR and GCC_CPP_AVR custom build tools. when you add .c or .cpp files to your project they should automically be assigned to the respective rule./tool

build_all_begin

clear temp files from prev build

build_env.bat

enviroment variables and board/port settings 

build_c_item.bat

called once for each .c file in the project. creates a filename.c.o file using avr-gcc

build_cpp_item.bat

called once for each .cpp file in the project. creates a filename.c.o file using avr-g++

link_all.bat

creates a .hex from all the .o files using the avr tools and/or uploads to the arduino using the avr upload tool

* The visual studio arduino compile option is provided as way for you to verify that your code is correct. You should not upload the resulting compilations (.hex) to your arduino unless you are happy to void the arduino warranty. These feature(s) are also provided by us without warranty or liability.

Beta released 11th April 2010. Free version for private or student use is due for release end April 2010

Intellisense for the arduino is provided by Visual Studio. The 'Visual Micro' add-in simply helps to ensure that the files of a .pde project, the arduino core and arduino libraries are registered (or known) to the Visual Studio intellisense system.

Add-in preferences are set using the "Visual Studio Tools Options" window. When set the add-in will extend the Visual Studio menus and toolbars with additional controls to help you build arduino projects. (Note: all visual studio extensions created by the add-in are temporary)

The add-in is also able to retain board and port settings for each sketch (project). In most cases this means you will select a board and serial port once for the life of each project. That you can work on multiple projects at the same time, each project with its own board and port settings.

The add-in provides many other useful features.
Here are just a few...

> Automatic create new project from sketch

> Automatic link of all project items to intellisense

> Two way sketch compatibility with Arduino IDE

> Option to open the Arduino IDE loading the active visual micro studio project sketch.

> Automatic code completion (Visual Studio Style!)

> One click include of an Arduino Library

> Automatic LINK to arduino cores and libraries.

> When the arduino cores are updated your projects will automatically update (on next use)

> Standard copy/paste, highlight short cut keys

> All short cut keys user-definable

> Multi-instance Serial monitor enabling, for example, the output from two xbees to be monitored easily with auto port close if using the upload tools (see warning notes below about this!)

> Simple one click create of .c;.h with #include added to active .pde;.c or .cpp window.

> Code example helper makes it easy to create your own code examples for your projects.

> Examples/snippets are stored in an xml file in the same location of the code file.

Whilst not supported by Arduino or ourselves, the add-in allows you to switch on, at your own risk, "Compile and Upload" features. We have tried to ensure that these features are correct for Arduino and have been using our own boards without problem. We have found the Compile and Upload so useful we decided to leave it in the product (at your own risk!).