Understanding VSTO Issues
Typical VSTO Opening Challenges
Microsoft Visual Studio Not Present
You encounter an error message such as "%%os%% Can't Open VSTO Files" when trying to open your VSTO. If so, it typically means that you don't have Microsoft Visual Studio installed for %%os%%. The typical path of opening your VSTO with a double-click won't work because %%os%% cannot make the program connection.
Tip: When you have another program installed that you know will open your VSTO, you can select it from the other programs listed (see "Show Apps").
Wrong Version of Microsoft Visual Studio is Installed
In some cases, you might have a newer (or older) version of a Microsoft Visual Studio Data file that is unsupported by your installed application version. Visit the Microsoft Corporation website to download (or purchase) the latest version of Microsoft Visual Studio. Most of the time your Microsoft Visual Studio Data file was created by a newer Microsoft Visual Studio than what you have installed.
Tip: You can sometimes get hints about the right program version by right-clicking on the VSTO file, selecting "Properties", and looking at the version information.
Primarily, problems experienced when opening VSTO files are due to having the incorrect version of Microsoft Visual Studio installed on your computer.
More Causes of Problems Opening VSTOs
Errors opening Microsoft Visual Studio Data files can still occur even with the latest Microsoft Visual Studio software installed on your computer. If you are still having problems opening VSTO files, there may be other issues that are preventing you from opening these files. Problems unrelated to software:
- Invalid VSTO file references in the Windows Registry (the "phonebook" of the Windows Operating System)
- Unintentional removal of the description of the VSTO file inside the Windows Registry
- Invalid installation of a VSTO-associated program (eg. Microsoft Visual Studio)
- File corruption affecting your VSTO file
- Your VSTO has adversely impacted by malware
- Device drivers for VSTO-related hardware are out-of-date
- Windows cannot load your Microsoft Visual Studio Data file due to insufficient resources (eg. RAM)
Quiz: What file extension is an audio file?
That's Correct!
AAC, or Advanced Audio Coding File format, is a lossy digital audio compression format. It achieves better sound quality than MP3 at the same bit rate.
Close, but not quite...
AAC, or Advanced Audio Coding File format, is a lossy digital audio compression format. It achieves better sound quality than MP3 at the same bit rate.