# Visual Studio 2008 templates missing



## JohnDKW

I tried to start a new project in Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition for the first time since installing Windows 7 over Vista. As soon as I click on New Project I get a message that there are no templates and the template selection window appears empty. So far I have done a repair install, uninstall and re-install of Visual Studio none of the above cure the problem.

Can anyone offer any suggestions?


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## dm01

Hello JohnDKW, welcome to TSF.

Your problem is uncommon, but easily fixed.


Close all instances of Visual Studio.
Open the Visual Studio Command Prompt: _Start => Programs => Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 => Visual Studio Tools => Visual Studio 2008 Command Prompt_
type: devenv /installvstemplates and press Enter.
Wait for the process to complete, and close Visual Studio Command Prompt if required.
Your templates should be restored.

This just works, I don't really know why.


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## JohnDKW

Hi, Thanks dm01 for your input. The next problem I have in trying to follow your solution is that "Microsoft Visual Studio 2008" is not listed in the Start Menu so I cannot get to the command prompt.


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## dm01

Oh, Express, never mind then.

Which particular Express are you using?


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## JohnDKW

Well it's 2008. Now I've tried to install 2010 Beta 2 twice with no success. Each time the whole 159Mb downloads then a message pops up saying the installer stopped working and a close program button. Red dots with white crosses replace the green check marks against all the downloaded components.


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## dm01

Are you using Visual Basic, Visual C, Visual C++, Visual Web, or Visual C#?


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## JohnDKW

I am trying to learn to use Visual Basic. Visual C++ has installed but to use it I have to learn C which I find a bit cryptic and adds another layer to my learning curve.


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## dm01

Have you run Windows Update/Microsoft Update since installing VB Express?

C is rather complicated, but it is not necessary to learn C before learning C# or C++.


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## ahmorrow

If you're set on learning VB more power to you, but I honestly think learning C, C#, C++, etc. would help you a lot more in the long run. My programming teacher in high school started teaching us VB6 and well... it was easy. Too easy is the problem. Once he started us on web based programming like html/css/javascript/xml or console based programming like C++ most of our class just gave up.

So if you're planning to make a career out of this then I urge you to stay away from VB unless you know people are looking for programmers in that specific language in your area and will be for a while to come. Now if it's for some small project that needs to be done quickly with a graphical user interface (gui) then I completely understand and VB is useful for those quick programs, I just absolutely abhor that 'language.'

If you'd like to learn C++ which is a lot like C or C# I suggest the Bloodshed's Dev-C++ and for tutorials... I'd say learncpp.com, cplusplus.com, or my personal favorite cprogramming.com/.


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## JohnDKW

Hi ahmorrow, OK I've been learning C++ for about a week now but feel I am only scratching the surface, every built in function has so many parameters it's going to take ages to look up and or remember what they are all for. I don't think it's for me. I don't want to become a professional programmer. I am a retired radio engineer who wants to write quick and dirty programs for my own use. In the DOS era I used Turbo Pascal which served all my purposes of simulating circuits with graphical output plotting things like phase lock loop transients and calculating various circuit elements. In addition all this shorthand makes programs written in C impossible for a mathematician to read unless each line is fully commented which would seem to negate the shorthand. Show a mathematician a Pascal program and he will be able to understand it with no trouble.
Thanks for your input anyway.


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## ahmorrow

Then why not write in Pascal?

Oh well, if you're not going to try to make money with it, no problem with taking the quick and dirty route, I admit I'm guilty of it as well ;-)

Since you're not looking to be employed, the most important thing is to write what you're comfortable with, otherwise you'll mess up, get discouraged and no one wants that... then we'd have less programs in the world :-(


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## dm01

If we could get back on track, that would be great.

Have you run Windows/Microsoft Update since installing this Visual Studio Express?


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