Issue while installing Silverlight 3 BETA 1

After installing Silverlight 3 BETA, I run into some series issues which will also not make your day funny. So, I decide to post the workaround.

Problem description:

If your application uses WCF, after installation you can send your development team home, because they will not be able to work. The installation works more or less fine, if you don’t mind that VS is restarting a twice only (also interesting Silverlight-Only experience). More over if you use TFS, the VS will hangs waiting to enter credentials (I was running installation in VPN).

But, much more interesting (please read: "funny") is following:

After installation you will not be able to compile, because something with service references are damaged. After you try to update them following error appears:

Error “Object reference not set to an instance of an object” when adding a WCF service.

No problem you may say. Just delete existing and try to add the new one. Uupps, now following error will smile to you:

Error “Unable to find ‘DynamicTypeService’” 

By the way one more thing. VS is crashing after exit. This one you can solve by just closing you eyes and awaiting for few minutes. We, software people have enough time anyhow. :)

The solution:

1. Uninstall Silverlight 3.0 and VS tools. (two uninstalls not one)

2. Find the assembly Microsoft.VisualStudio.ServicesProxy.dll in folder c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE and rename it.

3. Install Silverlight 3 again.

4. You will have to restart the machine now. Before you do that, go into named folder and be sure that the ServicesProxy.Dll is in folder. The new version is from March 12. 2009. If not so do not restart, it will not help.

Hope this helps.