TFS Build 2010 CodeActivity: Cannot Load Assembly in XAML - wcf

Question

I am attempting to add a custom “activitycode” to a TFS Build. I wrote this months ago and had it working on a now defunct test environment. I am attempting to resurrect the use of the code onto a new test platform, and am running into issues.
When I open my build.xaml, I receive the dreaded red-box of pain where my custom activity should be, stating “Assembly could not be loaded because of an error in the XAML.” In the ErrorList, I also have found “Could not find type '.DeploySSRSReportActivity' in assembly 'ReportingServicesDeploy'.”
I have confirmed that my DLL is checked into source control and that the build controller is pointing to it.
Peeking into the raw XAML, I see that the build.xaml file defines the assembly as
xmlns:rsd="clr-namespace:;assembly=ReportingServicesDeploy
The line where my custom activity (and where V.S. finds the error) is:
<rsd:DeploySSRSReportActivity CurrentBuild="[BuildDetail]"
SourcesDirectory="[SourcesDirectory]"
mtbwt:BuildTrackingParticipant.Importance="High"
xmlns:mtvc="clr-namespace:Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Client;assembly=Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Client"
xmlns:mtvco="clr- namespace:Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Common;assembly=Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Common"
xmlns:ras="clr-namespace:ReportingServicesDeploy;assembly=ReportingServicesDeploy"
xmlns:rsd="clr-namespace:;assembly=ReportingServicesDeploy"
xmlns:sad="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2009/xaml/activities/presentation"
xmlns:sad1="clr-namespace:System.Activities.Debugger;assembly=System.Activities" />
The DLL is named ReportingServicesDeploy.dll. The namespace within the DLL is ReportingServicesDeploy, and the name of the activity class is DeploySSRSReportActivity.
Where is the linkage failing so that I am getting that error?

Answer 1

When your attempting to edit the xaml your doing this on your machine directly, tfs and sourcecontrol is not involved, the location on server for controller is where build agent will look for assemblies during the build and where VS will get them when opening build definition for config.
Your error possibly is coused by old version being used.
The assemblies must be available for visual studio on your machine - one option is to add them to GAC or to post in VS bin folders. Start new instance of studio afterwards
To intall into GAC run this from Visual Studio command line:
gacutil /i "Path\To\YourAssembly.dll"
To remove assembly run following from Visual Studio command line:
gacutil /u "YourAssembly"
For studio assemblies i believe this is the folder:
Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies