C# project : setting output directory to solution dir

Question

Hello.

C++ projects outputs binaries in $(SolutionDir)$(ConfigurationName) (parameter in configuration properties/general).
I'd like to do the same for a C# project, so that the generated exe file will be next to some native dlls copied in $(SolutionDir)$(ConfigurationName) via a custom build step of a C++ managed project.

Looking to this page (http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=92755), setting $(SolutionDir)$(ConfigurationName)\ in properties/build tab of a C# project should work. But in my case it creates a directory named "$(SolutionDir)$(ConfigurationName)" in the project directory, next to bin, obj, and the source files.

I am using VS 2005 standard.

Any idea?

Answer 1

el_d,

I would use a post-build event to copy the assembly to the required location using the available 'build macros'.

More information:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ke5z92ks.aspx

Hope this helps,


Steve - www.platinumbay.com

Answer 2

This could be an idea, thanks...

But no way to change target dir of a C# app to solution dir/debug or release?

Answer 3

It is possible in 2 ways:

1. Open property of c# project in vs.net and change output path to where you want.
This does not 100% fit what you plan to do. Just the final result will be same. you need to set output path for both debug and release configurations.

2. Manually change project file to something like followings:

<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <Optimize>false</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>$(SolutionDir)\debug</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>


If you type "$(SolutionDir)" into property dialog, this string will be converted to hex values prefixed by '%'.

hope this help.

Answer 4

Well, thank you linkspeed, this should do it!

Answer 5

Self Q and A:

Q. I really want to do this with an environment variable, not $(SolutionDir) - can I still do this? If I edit .csproj and use %USERPROFILE% it doesn't seem to use the environment variable.

A. Setting $(USERPROFILE) in the csproj file using notepad seems to do what I want (!)

Tim

Answer 6

This dosen' work for me in VS2008.
I edited the project in XML, made the change to use
$(SolutionDir)\$(ConfigurationName)\Output\Utilities\
as the build output for both configuratins.
I loaded the sln and looked at the project properties in the IDE and the Build Output was something like-
\\\\Output\Utilities\

I built anyway, and needless to say, it didn't go to $(SolutionDir)\$(ConfigurationName)\Utilities\Importer\v21\

I have seen in Microsoft Connect-
https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/368148/environment-variables-not-interpreted-in-output-path-of-c-projects
That this still won't be fixed in VS2010  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had been using this feature for so many years when working with C++, I can't believe it doesn't work with C#.

So for now, we'll have to stick with our relative paths- with up to 7 up levels-  "..\..\..\..\..\..\..\Debug\Output\Utilities\"

How ugly it that?

Answer 7

Nice tip, but it unfortunately doesn't survive the round trip of load-edit-save-load.   I tried this and found that--with Visual Studio 2010 at least--any such change I make directly to the .csproj file using a text editor gets undone once I load that project into Visual Studio, then save it, then reload it.   So after I make any other change to project settings, the macro-based output path is "literalized" and lost.

Answer 8

I have created a bug report on this issue, since it (to me) is pretty annoying in my current solution with 14 project and I need to change output paths (to include platform) for all of them. :( (And I couldn't find a bug report/suggestion on it)

https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/687962/build-output-path-not-accepting-macros-for-c-and-vb-project

Hope this gets fixed in VS2011...

Answer 9

It is possible in 2 ways:

1. Open property of c# project in vs.net and change output path to where you want.
This does not 100% fit what you plan to do. Just the final result will be same. you need to set output path for both debug and release configurations.

2. Manually change project file to something like followings:

<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <Optimize>false</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>$(SolutionDir)\debug</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>


If you type "$(SolutionDir)" into property dialog, this string will be converted to hex values prefixed by '%'.

hope this help.

For those who want a shortcut to editing the project file manually, you can right-click a project and select "Unload Project" and then you can right-click again and you will get an edit option.  Once the changes are complete you can right-click and "Reload Project"

Visual Studio Projects are all based on MSBuild.  I highly recommend that if you are going to edit the project file directly that you spend some time getting familiar with how MSBuild works.

Answer 10

Link is broken. Is the report still active somewhere?   Do you know if it was solved since?

Answer 11

minor but I think you can drop the slash, 

$(SolutionDir)\debug

should be

$(SolutionDir)debug

As the macro $(SolutionDir)  already contains a slash