I'm creating an automated build system for a group of projects. Most are C# and VB but we have a few VC++. I need to extract the AssemblyName properties for all of the projects before the build starts to perform some custom stuff. The C# and VB projects have an AssemblyName element inside the .csproj and .vbproj files and I can grab them using xml dom. There is no equivelant in the .vcxproj file. How do I figure out what the AssemblyName is going to be for a VC++ project by just looking at the project file (vcxproj) or the files included in the project? Does the compiler simply use whatever file contains the main entry point as the AssemblyName?
e.g. Win32ConsoleApp1.cpp -> Win32ConsoleApp1.exe?
Thanks, those elements were not in my .vcxproj. Perhaps you have an older .vcproj? Anyway it did lead me to find <TargetName/> in the Microsoft.Cpp.props file that is imported into every .vcxproj file. In there is the following line:
<TargetName Condition="'$(TargetName)' == ''">$(ProjectName)</TargetName>
This was no good for my goal of retrieving the name of the assembly that will ultimately be generated because the value $(ProjectName) is expanded during runtime. So I started tracking down were ProjectName is set. It’s in Microsoft.Common.targets and is set to $(MSBuildProjectName). Again no use to me because that too is expanded during run time. I then had to disassemble MSBuild.exe, its dependents, and finally found the Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Evaluator class were MSBuildProjectName it is set. It’s simply the project file’s name minus the extension. E.g. MyConsoleApp1.vcxproj -> MyConsoleApp1.
I also did some experimenting and by simply right clicking my VC++ project in Visual Studio and selecting “rename” and saving the project a new element is added to the project file called <ProjectName/> with the new value I entered. So based on all of this the logic I’m going with is to parse the .vcxproj file and look for the <ProjectName/> element. If it’s in there then use it; if not simply use the project file’s name minus the extension.
This actually is in the .vcxproj file, under the headings <TargetName> and <TargetExt>. The default settings will be $(ProjectName) and .exe (for an application). The name is actually, by default, named based on the project, not a .cpp file.
However, if the user changes this (in ConfigurationProperties->General), you'll see, in the XML, something like:
<TargetName>$(ProjectName)</TargetName>
<TargetExt>.exe</TargetExt>
Related
I want a run a build step that looks at a .h file, adds some code based on some external params, and hands the resulting file to the preprocessor.
I see the "Custom Build Step" in the project properties. It seems to need an output file. I just want to forward the results to the preprocessor.
It seems like the custom build step wants to do a 1-time process, not per-file or by file type.
The problem is that I don't know how to send my external executable the file currently being processed (eg, "HelloWorld.cpp"). $(InputName) and %(Filename) are blank and docs say it's deprecated. How do I send the filename to my external executable?
But even if I get that working, I don't want to set this per-file. I want all header files to go through this process.
Any ideas?
I've looked at:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd293663.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hefydhhy(v=vs.90).aspx
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff770593(v=vs.140).aspx
working on a debug, x64 config on windows.
First of all, No, you cannot modify a file and pass along the results to the next stage (that I could see). I'd need some sort of Program Transformation System.
So I need an intermediate file. That file has to be added to the project, even if it gets overwritten by your code generator. I can associate c++ header files with a custom build tool, and they will all get called one-by-one in the stage of the build specified in the Custom Build Step. The custom build tool will modify the intermediate file(s), and all is well.
The VS 2015 name for the current file being processed is %(Filename). In older versions it has been $(ProjectName) and $(InputName).
I have combined several projects into one solution. I created empty solution and added these projects and here is a blue print of how it looks like:
Root:
Project1 - directory
Project2 - directory
Debug - directory
Main.sln - file
Now I want to direct the executable and dll from both projects to \debug folder shown up of the solution file. I go into project properites >> Configuration Properities >> General >> 'Output Directory' and change the output directory to $(SolutionDir)$(Configuration)\ which is default for a new project.
The problem is that it has no effect on where the output file is created, it is still created in the old destination. The old path for `Output Directory' was .\Debug\ not that it matters.
Could this be because the SolutionDir & Configuration may not be defined? Where can I see their definition or values? I also want to create a new configuration which would be 'Release with Debug' how can I create that using environment variable? Thanks!
My project is MFC/Visual C++.
Add-on:
Where are these identifiers like SolutionDir defined in the scrip? I look up for in .vcxproj file but there is mention of it. I create a new dummy VS2010 project just to look at it's .vcxproj file but these project settings identified are not defined in any place that I can see!
This is most likely caused by specific settings overriding global settings, namely Linker's "output" setting. This happens often as a result of conversion from earlier Visual Studio.
What you need is to go through every setting, paying attention to those whose values are written in bold, and reset to default (select it from dropdown) every setting with 'debug' or 'release', and others as necessary.
There could also be specific settings on files. I usually resolve this by opening project in notepad and removing any excessive settings. Just be careful. Using multiline replace in Notepad++ or any other capable editor helps.
I think I had a similar problem.
What I ended up doing was editing the vcxproj file directly. Find this section and edit it like this for each of your configurations:
<PropertyGroup>
<OutDir Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|Win32'">$(SolutionDir)$(Configuration)\</OutDir>
<OutDir Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|Win32'">$(SolutionDir)$(Configuration)\</OutDir>
</PropertyGroup>
I had a similar problem with the Intermediate Directory setting in one of my VS2010 projects. No matter what I set it to, it would always use the default value of $(SolutionDir)$Configuration. Oddly, other projects in the same solution with the same settings worked just fine.
After playing around, I stumbled upon a solution.
Click on the setting in the propery page dialog.
Click on the down arrow button in the right-hand side of the edit box.
Select "inherit from parent or project defaults".
Click "Apply".
Click on the setting and change it to your desired value.
I don't know why this works, but it does. It seems like the macros were not being properly evaluated for whatever reason. Then, after you apply the inherited values, it seems to reset itself and start evaluating the macros properly.
I'm in the process of upgrading a Visual C++ 6 project to Visual Studio 2010, and I've been replacing the post-compile steps of copying files to a common location with having the output file put directly in the final location. However, for the *.tlb files that are being generated, there is an option (in project properties -> MIDL -> Output) to specify the filename. When I put the full path there, it looks reasonable in the command line (says /tlb "full\path\to\filename.tlb"). However, when it actually compiles, the file doesn't get put in the right place, and the command that was executed according to the log was /tlb ".\filename.tlb"). I'm hesitant to specify the path as the output directory, because then it will output the XXX_i.c and XXX.h files into that location as well, which isn't what I want.
Is there any way to get Visual Studio to respect the setting I actually put in the option, instead of doing what it wants?
I just had this problem as well and I finally found out why. Even though this question is a bit old, since it's still open I'll post my solution...
In addition to the MIDL settings under the project properties, there's the same settings under the IDL file itself. Just right-click the IDL file -> Properties -> MIDL -> Output.
This did it for me. Seems illogical, though.
I also ran into same situation so I specified the output file as a relative path and it generated the tlb file in the correct location instead of the default location
I am trying to add a new project template for an often used pattern. Starting from the class library template I have done the following (it still does not show up in the new project window):
opened the .vstemplate file
changed name and description to 'hard coded' values (my template). The values in there pulled from the csharpui.dll resources.
changed the TemplateID, DefaultName, and ProjectItems included.
saved these to the ProjectemplatesCache folder and as a zip in the ProjectTemplates folder.
restarted VS2010 and checked the new project location which should have shown my new template.
specifically, the folders I saved to were..
C:\program files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\ProjectTemplatesCache\CSharp\Windows\1033\HostComm.zip (the zip is the folder name, not a zip file)
and
C:\program files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\ProjectTemplates\CSharp\Windows\1033 (this folder has a HostComm.zip file in it)
Has anyone else done this? Can it be done? If it can then what did I miss?
Doing this by hand is pretty courageous. Having a folder name with an extension .zip sounds wrong, I don't see a similar one in the existing templates. Watch out for the shell's habit of turning .zip archives into folders.
Best thing to do is to use the documented procedure to create a project template and verify what effects it has so you can repro them accurately yourself. Create a new project, using one of the existing templates as a starter. You might as well make it look as close as possible to the ultimate template you want to end up with, add project items as desired.
Then use File + Export Template. Next. Fill in the text boxes, note the Output location. Finish. Have a look-see at the generated .zip file.
I have been through every option to try to find a way to get the IDE to let me create a new win32pject without precompiled headers. I have read every thread on this forum with the words "precpmpiled headers" in it and the closest I got was:
Precompiled Headers
Using 2008 pro (not express, althought the behaviour seems to be similar) I go to:
File -> New -> Project
This opens the New Project dialog in which I select Visual C++ Win32 Project, enter a name and hit OK.
THen I get the "Win32 Application Wizard". With the Application Type set to "Windows Application", the application settings pane will not allow me to uncheck the pre-compiled headers. THe check box is greyed out. IF I choose "Console Application" I can uncheck it, but I am creating a GUI app.
WHen I click Finish I get 6 yards of code in xxx.cpp, four header files and the obligatory stdafx.cpp.
Perhaps I could remove and delete all this stuff and the go into the properties and turn off PCH, but thats a hasssel for the many small project examples I want to write.
I just want an empty project that will compile to a win32 app, so how do i change the PCH default to NONE?
You could make your own template to do this, or you could edit the default one. The relevant wizard can be found here:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\VCWizards\AppWiz\Generic\Application
Obviously if you're gonna edit the default template, backup the folder first.
I'll show you how to get started on editing it.
First of all you need to tell the wizard script that you don't want precompiled headers. Edit this file in your favourite text editor:
\scripts\1033\default.js
Find this line:
var Pch = wizard.FindSymbol("PRE_COMPILED_HEADER");
and comment out some of the lines below it like this:
// if ((strAppType == "LIB" || ((strAppType == "CONSOLE") &&
// !wizard.FindSymbol("SUPPORT_MFC") && !wizard.FindSymbol("SUPPORT_ATL"))) && !Pch)
{
AddFilesToProjectWithInfFile(selProj, strProjectName);
SetNoPchSettings(selProj);
}
// else
// {
// AddFilesToProjectWithInfFile(selProj, strProjectName);
// SetCommonPchSettings(selProj);
// }
Now open this file:
\templates\1033\Templates.inf
and find the first occurrence of [!else] and delete these 3 lines below it:
stdafx.h
targetver.h
stdafx.cpp
This will give you a project without stdafx.cpp/.h or targetver.h, and the CPP file will not try to use a PCH. However it won't build because we haven't added any #includes to the appropriate header files. I'll leave that for you to figure out :)
(you can edit the files that get generated automatically by modifying the files in \templates\1033)
either choose an empty project, or create your own wizard in which you use a template. Since you say you don't want to change properties the whole time, I'd also strongly suggest using property sheets (vsprops). This way, you create an empty project, add the property sheets you want, and you'r ready to go. No more fiddling with properties, and each project uses the same set.
Mark the "Empty Project" check box in the "additional options", in the Application Settings dialog.
The "Empty Project" option will create a project without precompiled headers. At least, this is what I get on Visual Studio 2008 SP1.
It's true that the "Use precompiled headers" remain checked, but the project will have the property UsePrecompiledHeader="0" and the wizard won't create the files.
I'm jumping way late on this bandwagon, as I'm having the same issues for VS2010.
I'm not sure if this solution would apply for VS2008.
Since there are no settings or options under tools which would enable me to default to an empty project, I searched around and found the following:
in the folder
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\VCWizards\AppWiz\Generic\Application\html\1033
there is a file named default.htm
in the </HEAD> section, there are two lines:
<SYMBOL NAME="EMPTY_PROJECT" TYPE=checkbox VALUE=false></SYMBOL>
<SYMBOL NAME="PRE_COMPILED_HEADER" TYPE=checkbox VALUE=true></SYMBOL>
which I replaced with
<SYMBOL NAME="EMPTY_PROJECT" TYPE=checkbox VALUE=true></SYMBOL>
<SYMBOL NAME="PRE_COMPILED_HEADER" TYPE=checkbox VALUE=false></SYMBOL>
(in other words, I just switched true and false on those lines)
and now I have an empty project by default when I create a console app.
I don't know the repercussions as to what it will affect when I do something other than console apps, but since I saved the original file, I can just revert to the old M$ settings.
You can just select 'empty project' under 'additional options'. Then you get a project with no precompiled headers, and no autogenerated files.
I don't know what it is with Microsoft's obsession with forcing precompiled headers even in the smallest test project. Presumably it's based in the same philosphy that gave us the macro hell that is windows.h, or the way even an empty project overrides two dozen project settings, making property sheets almost useless.
I suspect there's simply a strong mafia inside Microsoft's developer division, who's doing everything they can to prevent Visual Studio from becoming a useful tool for C++ developers. So far, they're doing a very good job of it.