StyleCop is a Visual Studio package that integrates analysis commands in the Solution Explorer and a tool window to show analysis results. StyleCop also includes MSBuild tasks so you can make analysis runs part of your daily builds.

Naturally, the Style…dammit…Microsoft Source Analysis for C# installer is authored in WiX. The package is extremely clean. There are no ICE errors and only ICE33 warnings about non-advertised COM registration. The only custom actions come from WixUIExtension and WixVSExtension. The UI is built with WixUI, though the StyleCop team chose to use some logo-themed white bitmaps rather than the classic-yet-modern red.

The first few times you run StyleCop on existing code, you’re bound to be surprised and probably frustrated. The rules are, after all, about enforcing a consistent coding style. Unless you happen to already be using the StyleCop style, you’ll get a lot of “violations” that seem quite arbitrary. Yep, and that’s the point: Coding style discussions are pretty much religious wars over arbitrary decisions. (Yes, there are exceptions, but mostly it’s personal esthetic choice. Except for tabs versus spaces; don’t mess with tabs versus spaces!)

Just stick with StyleCop style and you’ll be consistent, even if elements of the style aren’t your personal favorite.

Raymond can undoubtedly call upon legions of minions to punish me for my heresy, but I think the current WixUI model is better because it’s more explicit. And it means you can “page surf” to your heart’s content as long as you see Back and Next buttons.