I’ve finished work on the second version of the Package Explorer utility. In France I found that you guys are using this tool, and the train ride gave a good opportunity to improve the code a bit. I’ve added support for editing XML parts and validation with the ECMA schemas. The object model has been rummaged through and has improved quite a bit (it was a total rebuild actually…). The list of new features:

• Edit XML parts
• Validate parts with the ECMA final draft schemas
• Edit Dublin Core properties directly using a property window (yes, it is all very Visual Studio’ishy)
• Detect outside changes to documents and reload them
• Improved usability (dirty bit management)
• Open the document in Office button
• Docking UI

Editing parts

If you double-click an XML based part (determined by the content type of the part), by default the XML editor is opened. You can also click the second button in the Document Inspector toolbar, or right click and choose ‘Browse with…’.  Saving the document also saves all open editor windows. You can also save by right clicking an editor tab, or pressing ctrl+s.

Validating parts

There is a separate inspector window which pops up. The inspector displays validation results. Start a validation run by right clicking a document or a document part in the Document Inspector and choose ‘Validate’.

Auto-refresh

If a document is changed outside of Package Explorer while it is opened the change will be detected. You will be presented with the option to reload the document. Note that your unsaved changes will be lost. At the moment a FileSystemWatcher monitors the deletion of the lock files Microsoft Office creates when editing documents.

Hope the tool helps out a bit, and if you come across any features, comments or bugs, don’t hesitate to contact me. You can download from CodePlex.