Question about the VS marketplace not recognizing VSIX as a template

[volkanceylan]

Hello,

Not sure if this is the correct place to ask this, but just trying my luck in case you have an idea.

I'm author of the Serene template:

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=VolkanCeylan.SereneSerenityApplicationTemplate

This is categorized as a Template and uses classic .vstemplate type of project.

I spent a few days trying to convert it to a VSIX that uses dotnet new templates in nuget packages, by looking at your samples and the documentation. It seemed to work pretty well, locally the VSIX installed successfully and the template worked just like it works via dotnet new CLI.

But once i tried to edit my existing template to upload the new version, VS marketplace complained about my VSIX not being a template, but a Tool. And there is no option to change its type in the edit screen, its basically readonly. It might be possible to create a new extension, but i don't want to lose all download statistics and 100+ reviews.

I tried adding a dummy .vstemplate based project template into the VSIX, putting .NuPkg files in different folders, even your suggestion somewhere to create a ZIP file containing a template.vstemplate and template.config files, with a wizard extension reference to the templating package. None of it works.

I think there is nothing wrong with my VSIX file or the project template it contains, and it is basically an issue with the VS Marketplace validation process itself.

Do you have any idea, or a very basic sample where VS marketplace detects a VSIX with dotnet new template in Template category? I only need to support VS 2022, but can't find such a VSIX template in Category Template with a dotnet new template in it in VS Marketplace.

Thank you...