T4 template files are automatically recognizable by the IDE under C# projects, but I have no clue on how they can be integrated into C++ projects (other than using make files).
Any ideas?
T4 Template files can be integrated into C++ projects, but it's a bit more work than with a C#/VB project. Create a new text file in your C++ project and give it a .tt extension. Then write your template as normal. A C++ project then needs further work to get it to transform the templates. The quick and dirty way I got it to work was to add a custom build step and have it call "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\TextTemplating\1.1\TextTransform.exe" directly. Another way I found was to add a custom MSBuild task. Instructions can be found here
This page has more information and some good links to other pages on using T4 code generation.
MSBuild Task will not work as this is a vcproj file (C++) so vcbuild is used. The easiest way to get the tt compiled is to add a custom build step like below..
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\TextTemplating\1.1\TextTransform.exe" -out "$(ProjectDir)\VSProject.cpp" -I "$(ProjectDir)" "$(ProjectDir)\VSProject.tt"
I spent several hours investigating the MSBuild Task solution above and it's pretty good for managed code but I can't see any way to use it for C++ (bar converting the vcproj to csproj eek)
For Visual Studio 2017 (and maybe 2015?)
The commands listed in the other answers are partly incorrect, as the file TextTransform.exe has been moved to a new directory: the devenv root folder, e.g.:
C:\Progra~1\Visual Studio 2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE
The command should now be updated to the following:
"$(DevEnvDir)TextTransform.exe" -out "$(ProjectDir)xxx.cpp" "$(ProjectDir)xxx.tt"
where xxx is the file name of yout .tt template file
Having experimented with some of the above (and found them unsuitable for my specific case), I took a different approach that others may find helpful.
Rather than fight to get VS to accept a T4 template within a C++ project, I added a separate (empty) C# project to my solution. I put my template file at the root of the solution and add a link to it from the C# project. I #include the generated .h file from my C++ project.
I used the template to generate a version string that updates with every build. I added the AutoT4 tool to VS so that the string is updated with every build of the solution.
Related
I've been trying to find a solution to my question using several methods, however with no luck at all.
The problem I have is that I want my Visual Studio 2015 C++ project (.vcxproj) to automatically include auto generated cpp files (from prebuild event) in the compilation process.
So far the main suggestion I found is to add files to my project that match the names of the auto generated files. However, this is not a scalable/reliable solution because new files can be generated depending on the input, which means I have to manually add newly generated files.
I've tried using MSBUILD targets based on the answer to this question, however that does not appear to work.
Is there any possible way to auto generate CPPs and have the project compile them without having to add them to the project?
I'm a fairly experienced C# dev, but have very little C++ knowledge. I have set my self a project to get a custom Firefox build running, and be able to control it from C# code.
I have got so far as getting and building the Firefox source, and creating a Visual Studio solution for the exe. This means I can now run via F5 in Visual studio. If I open a source file, I can set break points and have them hit.
What I'm not sure how to do, is load the entire source, as if I were working with a C# .NET solution. As I understand it, there are no project files with the Firefox source, as it is not windows specific source. I have followed an online example that suggests creating using 'project from existing code' option in VS, which resulted in VS grinding to a halt as there were so many files.
What are the steps to getting the code into an environment (preferably Visual Studio) that makes it simple(ish) to edit, debug and navigate the source code.
Note: Instructions I have been working through so far are here: https://cs.senecac.on.ca/~david.humphrey/writing/debugging-firefox.html
From you question, I beleive you are almost there. You have a working build ? That means you have :
A Solution File (*.sln)
A Project file (*.vcxproj or *.vcproj depending on yoru visual studio version)
With that in hand, what works best for me is this layout (adapted to your needs) :
Starting from a root folder of you liking, say MyProject
Create a new Empty solution there
Move the folder with your working build in a subdirectory, like MyProject\MyCustomFirefox
In Visual Studio "Add an existing project" and find your vcxproj file
In the same solution, create a C# project like you always do, in a directory at the same level as your FF build, like MyProject\MyFirefoxController
In short the solution file is pretty much alone in the root directory, and each project is in its own directory.
You will also need to adjust build options so that the output files (a DLL or an EXE) is seen by your C# project. While your are at it, make the C# project dependent on your Firefox build : it will instruct the msbuild to rebuild one if you change the other.
This will not work with the Express edition, I beleive. They are single language.
If you have a command line build path, which is creating a VS-debuggable executable, you could try adding all the source files to the project, but marking them 'exclude from build'. Then add a 'post-build step' to call the command line tools.
You may have to do a little more tweaking in the project properties to get the command line output recognized as the output to debug, but theoretically this could work.
I'm working on a little game called freegemas, it's an open source version of the classic Bejeweled written in C++ and using gosu as the graphic API. I've been developing it under Ubuntu Linux as usual, but the other day I wanted to give it a try and I compiled it on Windows using Visual Studio 2005 (which I had never used before). The program worked flawlessly.
To compile it on Windows I manually copied all the source and header files to a new project on MSVC, but I would like to adapt the SVN so I don't have to recreate the project every time I want to compile it.
Therefore, the question would be: What's the best way of organizing the svn so I can have, on the one hand, a Makefile to compile the project in Linux, and, on the other side, the MSVC project's files? Right now I've got a simple folder called trunk with all header, source and resource files on it.
I've never used Visual Studio before, so I don't know which files are the most important either. Maybe some of those files are auto-generated and do not need to be svn-versioned.
Thanks in advance.
You could just keep the project files in a seperate directory "winbuild" or similar. Still, to maintain them would require manual interaction (ie adding every new file manually). The only files you would need to upload to svn are the *.vcproj (for MSVC 2005/2008) and *.vcxproj (MSVC 2010).
Alternatively, you could opt for a cross-platform solution like CMake, which could generate makefiles and Visual Studio project files from a common CMakeLists.txt, which is the only "project file" that would have to be maintained (instead of your makefile). Especially for a simple (?) project like yours (some headers+sources). There would be no need to include any makefiles or vcproj files at all, just the CMakelists.txt file would suffice.
There are others like CMake (SCons, boost.jam, jam, premake, etc.)
It should be feasable, but requires some testing and trial-and-error.
I have a source code for a project with their make files. I want to create a Visual Studio (2005) solution from it. Is there any direct way to do this? can anyone help me please. I spent hours for searching, but couldn't find a way to do this.
Thanks.
Unfortunately, Microsoft removed this capability after VC++ 6.
If all you're looking to do is to build a Visual Studio project from a command line or script, you can use the devenv command to build using the settings in a project.
Something like:
devenv /build debug /project myproj myapp.sln
Ans starting with VS2010, C++ projects will use the MSBuild system, so you can drive builds using that technology.
If you really want a makefile, you'll need to write it up by hand (or maybe there's some 3rd party tool out there that I'm unaware of).
I'm not sure whether this solution can help you. Which I tried and it worked well in my previous projects. It need manually add the files.
Create a blank VS solution/project. Add the source files into that project.
Mark all source files as "Excluded from building". You can right click the files in project explorer and find the setting. So now nothing will happen when you build your project.
In project setting, find something like "Custom build step". Add the commands that invoke your original build command. (You may write different build command for debug/release ). You can also set the post-build actions such to copy your result to some folder....
Now you can edit and build source files.
For my experience, I can even debug it after setting the executable.
Hope this can help you.
If this is a one-off then it is easier to just create the VS project manually in visual studio.
If you are going to need to do this often look at ceating the project in something like cmake or Qt's .pro whcihc an generate makefiles and VS build files from the same defintion.
Do you want to use the makefile to build? You can create a project from existing source in VS 2005 and setup the project to use make to build (and the wizard will take you through all of this).
I am using VS2010.In order to build you can create a project from existing code. In VS2010 you can create project from existing code File->New->Project from Existing code. You can specify the other parameters and then ready with the solution. I did not go with make file but followed this approach which is working great.
I have a tool that generates most (but not all) files that need to be compiled in Visual Studio. The tool reads a configuration file and generates c++ files afterwards. This list can differ from one call to another when the configuration is altered.
I am wondering whether it would be possible to adapt the compiling process to my needs, which would be :
Launch the tool (not needed if configuration file has been modified)
Retrieve new list of C++ files to be compiled (ideally isolated in a folder inside the project)
Compile C++ files
EDIT: Having to close Visual Studio for this process to work is a no-go for me. The idea would be to have cpp files dynamically added as the first step of the compilation process.
Use a pre-build step to run your tool.
Also, create a file containing the list of includes and sources
This file name should be fixed (so that you don't have to change project properties or the vcproj file) -- add it to the project. E.g:
Project Properties > Command Line > Additional Options > #headerListingFile
You are not trying to integrate lex/yacc output with VS, are you?
Would CMake help? It's an automated project manager that generates Makefiles and VS projects for projects you define. Just add a source file, re-run CMake and you're done.
I think what you should do is create a custom makefile and use that for builds.
Please see this page for more information.