VS 11 beta is changing my solution and some project files

Question

After hearing that VS 11 can open and use VS2010 solution and project files without modification I decided to try it. So far I have found that with my solution that has about 60 projects, VS11 beta is changing the solution file and 6 projects.

In looking at the changes most of them don't look like a problem, but I am not csproj expert. The solution on the other hand has so many changes I haven't a clue if any are a problem. I am able to open everything in VS2010, I am just afraid there may be lurking problems.

I guess what surprises me most is that there were any changes at all. Is this to be expected?

Answer 1

Hi Curious George, could you please give some examples on what VS 11 Beta is changing in the affected solution file and 6 projects? Besides that, what edition of VS is the affected solution created in?

Also, does this happen to you when you create a new single project in VS 2010 and opening it up in VS 11 Beta?

Answer 2

In the solution I was surprised to see the top two lines are now:

Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 11

Does seem to cause VS2010 any grief though. Then I see dozens and dozens of changes. But after looking through them in more detail it appears that they may all be just rearranging stuff. I couldn't find anything missing, but then there are so many changes it is really hard to tell.

In the csproj files I see these additions scattered throughout:

  <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props')" />

    <OldToolsVersion>4.0</OldToolsVersion>

  <PropertyGroup>
    <VisualStudioVersion Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == ''">10.0</VisualStudioVersion>
    <VSToolsPath Condition="'$(VSToolsPath)' == ''">$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)</VSToolsPath>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <Import Project="$(VSToolsPath)\WebApplications\Microsoft.WebApplication.targets" Condition="'$(VSToolsPath)' != ''" />

I am using the Ultimate version of Visual Studio for both 2010 and 11. And yes I do see the same changes when I create a fresh project in VS2010 then open it in VS11 beta. Note that I just realized all of the affected projects are web projects. In my solution with 60 projects only 4 are web projects and they are the only ones affected.

Answer 3

Hi Curious,

I am moving your case to the MSBuild forum so that you can get better support there.

Thanks.

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Vicky Song [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 4

Hi Curious,

Thank you for your posting. You may check the connect thread which talk about this issue: http://65.55.57.248/VisualStudio/feedback/details/727774/vs-11-beta-solution-project-files-automatically-upgraded-with-no-prompt.

Based on that thread, the happening is that the hard-coded paths to VS targets in MVC3 projects were modified to have a $(VisualStudioVersion) instead. If you check the generated report of upgrade, it would have told you that this modification was made and that your projects have not been functionally changed in any manner.  

Regards,

Yi                                      

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Yi Feng Li [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us