Overview

Tool for creating Visual Studio solution file(sln) from MSBuild.SolutionSdk. This project aims to prevent conflicts with sln files by add *.sln to .gitignore. This project is still WIP, so spec may be changed.

How to use

Requirements

• msbuild after 15.3
  • dotnet-sdk 2.1.300 or later
  • Visual Studio 2017 or later

Steps from scratch(WIP)

1. creating any project dotnet new [projecttype] or by Visual Studio
2. creating MSBuild.SolutionSdk project file like following(called slnproj)

   <Project Sdk="MSBuild.SolutionSdk/0.1.0>
   </Project>
   

3. creating MSBuild.SolutionSdk.SlnGen project file like following(called slngenproj)

   <Project Sdk="MSBuild.SolutionSdk.SlnGen/0.1.0"/>
   

4. execute generating sln target by following command
   • by dotnet-sdk, execute dotnet msbuild [path/to/slngenproj]
   • by Visual Studio, execute msbuild [path/to/slngenproj] from Visual Studio's developer command prompt
   • warning: if sln file have been already existing, it will be overwritten.

Then you can see sln files in next to slnproj files.

Configuration and Platform Mapping

if you want to map configuration and platform to different name(solution platform setting="AnyCPU", but individual project platform setting="Win32"), you can do this by editing slnproj file like following.

note: wild card is allowed in project path.

Mapping configuration

<Project>
    <ItemGroup>
        <Project Update="path/to/your/proj" Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">
            <Configuration>Abc</Configuration>
        </Project>
    </ItemGroup>
</Project>

Mapping platform

<Project>
    <ItemGroup>
        <Project Update="path/to/your/proj" Condition="'$(Platform)' == 'AnyCPU'">
            <Platform>Win32</Platform>
        </Project>
    </ItemGroup>
</Project>

Warning

If slnproj includes projects which is not recognized by dotnet sdk(like vcxproj), you must execute via Visual Studio's developer command prompt.

References

available MSBuild items in slngenproj

followings can be added to ItemGroup in slngenproj.

SlnProj

This affects what slnproj file will be processed. defaults are:

• **/*.slnproj
  • It means all *.slnproj under slngenproj is processed.

SolutionConfiguration

This affects what Configuration property is specified when processing slnproj. defaults are:

• Debug
• Release

SolutionPlatform

This affects what Platform property is specified when processing slnproj. defaults are:

• AnyCPU

available MSBuild properties in slngenproj

followings can be added to PropertyGroup in slngenproj

EnableDefaultProjectItems

If true(ignore case) is set, default SlnProj inclusion is enabled, if false, disabled. default is true.

affected MSBuild items in slnproj

following items in slnproj are affected to slngen behavior

Project

If added, slngen processing for generating sln. This can be added the following metadata:

• Configuration
• Platform
• SolutionFolder
  • logical solution folder path separated by / or \
• DependsOn
  • project dependency(projects must be built before project build.)

SolutionItem

If added, solution item is added to generated sln. This can be added the following metadata.

• SolutionFolder
  • logical solution folder path separated by / or \
  • if not set, all items are located in "Solution Items"

Acknowledgments

This project is inspired by MSBuild.SolutionSdk and SlnGen. Thanks a lot for great work.