I have a solution with a project file that I need to modify as text (i.e. the XML). This is done by right clicking on the project and selecting Unload Project, then right clicking on it again and selecting Edit Project.csproj. However, this does not work on all projects. Sometimes I get the message
The operation could not be completed
I want to know why this message sometimes appears (i.e. what is it about my project / solution configuration that could bring this about) and whether there is another way to edit the .csproj within Visual Studio (if I try and close the solution then open the .csproj file Visual Studio just opens the solution again).
Related
I have a basic c++ project in Visual Studio Community 2019. It contains three files: main.cpp, log.cpp, and log.h. I created a fourth file called Source.cpp and then deleted this file from the file explorer in Windows 10 to see how Visual Studio would adapt to external changes to files. Source.cpp is still visible in the solution explorer in Visual Studio.
I have tried unloading the project and reloading it but it still appears in the solution explorer. I assume it's best practice to delete files from within Visual Studio's solution explorer but there must be a way to refresh the solution explorer to reflect changes made outside of Visual Studio. Similarly, if I create a new file in the project directory (same directory as the other files in the project), it doesn't appear in the solution explorer. If I unload the project and reload the project, the new files is still not visible.
How can I refresh the solution explorer? My intention here is to better understand how Visual Studio organizes files in the solution explorer and how the organization relates to the actual file/directory structure in Windows.
After playing around with it for some time I realized that you can select the "Show All Files" button on the bar at the top of the Solution Explorer. This has a refresh button that works as expected (updates the Solution Explorer with the current state of the directory folder). It seems that files can be managed from this window and added/removed from the project in Visual Studio's default organization structure.
At work we have just upgraded from VS2008 to VS2010 (keeping up with the times, I know). In VS2008 I used to navigate to various project folders in Source Control Explorer and double click the vbproj file and it would add it to my current Solution (or create a new solution if there wasn't one). The functionality in VS2010 seems to be that when I do this it closes my current Solution and opens the new project on its own.
Is there any way to get the VS2008 functionality back? I know I can right click on my Solution and Add->Existing Project..., but that takes a lot longer. I've tried Googling this but have come up blank.
Thanks in advance.
No, this beaviour was taken out from VS between 2008 and 2010. In 2010 when you double-click a *.csproj or *.vbproj file it will always open it up in a "temporary solution".
This gets annoying when comparing diffs between local changes to your project file... in my view VS should open it in the editor if anything. /rant
The other day I created a MS visual studio 2010 C# project and started coding. I saved the source frequently, but I did not select a destination to save to (just pressed ctrl+s and assumed the source was being saved). However I had to run and threw my laptop in my backpack on sleep. Unfortunately this laptop (acer aspire 5252 fyi) battery drains extremely quickly when on sleep, and eventually my computer shut off. Now I can't find my source files anywhere and I'm going crazy because I know I saved it and it's several days worth of work.
I tried doing a windows search but couldn't find the project files. I also did a little experiment - I created a new project and without saving the entire solution, I pressed ctrl+s on the source files. Save was successful, but I cannot even find the file that's open in the IDE. Even the "open containing folder option" is grayed out (see screen shot).
I really need these source files back. Obviously it's because I didn't save the solution that the source got wiped out, but where do the source files get saved temporarily before the solution is saved?
Thanks.
You are using Visual Studio's support for temporary projects. Nice feature for quicky test projects (and SO answers) but not a great way to ensure that your projects are still there after VS quits. Programming without source control is similarly inadvisable.
Tools + Options, Projects and Solutions, General. Ensure that the "Save new projects when created" option is ticked to minimize the odds that you'll forget to pick a solution folder. Triple-check that creating a new project now gives you a "Location" property in the dialog.
There is a default location for projects to be saved. That is probably where your files went.
In Visual Studio, on the menu, click Tools > Options > Projects and Solutions > General. There is a "Visual Studio projects location".
On my Windows 7 machine, the folder for Visual Studio 2010 is
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects
Your unnamed project is probably saved with a default name like WebSite1.
If you would like to change that default location, here is some information on how to do that.
Visual Studio temporary projects are normally found in *C:\Users\"User Name"\AppData\Local\Temporary Projects* . It is a temporary folder that is deleted as soon as Visual Studio starts up.
How to save a Temporay Project from above link:
To save a temporary project
In Solution Explorer, choose the solution or project that you want to save.
On the menu bar, choose File, Save or Save As.
The Save Project dialog box opens.
In the , Name box, specify a name for the project.
In the Location box, specify where you want to save the project.
Select the Create directory for Solution check box.
Note: This check box is not available for Visual Basic web projects, Visual C# web projects, or other directory-based projects.
In the New Solution Name box, specify a name that differs from the project name.
Select the Add to Source Control check box if you want to add the solution to a version-control database or repository.
Choose the OK button.
I have all the projects in a solution folded, so you can't see their files in the Solution Explorer. And a file belonging to one of those projects open. Once I browse to that file pane, the project containing the file is automatically unfolded in the Solution Explorer.
Is there a way to avoid that automatic unfolding?
I'm not 100% sure what you're after, but in the VS 2010 options, under "Projects and Solutions/General" there is an option called "Track Active Item in Solution Explorer".
I've just tried unchecking that and, with a mutiple project solution all collapsed, when clicking into an open code file it doesn't open up the project in the solution window. Try that and see if it produces the result you're after.
Let me know if I've misunderstood your question though!
Is there a way to reload a property sheet that was edited outside of Visual Studio? Visual Studio doesn't detected automatically that the file was modified (like it does with project files). The only way I've found so far is to close and reopen the whole solution (but that's no good way).
Only a partial solution perhaps for your (and my) needs, but I've found it helpful to touch the .sln file. This causes Visual Studio to wig out and ask if you want to reload all the projects. Select "Yes" and then you'll notice the properties have refreshed. I make sure that my scripts which update property files also touch any related solution file(s).
Also see Is there any way to get Visual Studio to reload all projects when the .proj files have changed?