We needed to import data from an RTF document so we hit on the idea of using Word 2003's XML format. Of course to get the document into that format you need to use Word 2003.
You need to make sure you do either a full installation or explicitly specify .NET support to get the Office XP's Primary Interop Assemblies (PIAs) installed.
If you obtain Visual Studio Tools for Microsoft Office System you'll get a set of VS project wizards to grease the wheels. Cost is $200 with a Visual Studio licence and a free download for MSDN subscribers.
More here. MSDN article here.
The Office XP PIAs are a free download. Technical article here.
If you can't pony up the dough for Visual Studio 2005 Team System Foundation, you'll be using Visual Source Safe 2005. The roadmap explains it's features:
- It's still file system based :-(
- Remote http web access
- Works over ras connections
- Up to 4GB capacity
- Works in multiple timezones
- Allows custom viewers, merge tools and editors
- Provides and interop assembly for .NET access
- Supports .NET events
- Supports unicode!
- Compares XML files
- More!