Auto-Generation Of .sln And .vcproj Files
Part of the work I’m doing is auto-generating a (large) number of boost Python wrappers for existing C++ code. Obviously to compile this code I need to also generate the Visual C++ solution and project files. The auto-generation (via templates) isn’t too hard, the biggest problem is the failure of Visual Studio to provide detail messages of any issues with the file format. For example the bug I just fixed was due to have a closing bracket at the end of each GlobalSection(ProjectConfiguration) line when there shouldn’t have been one. When I loaded the solution and right clicked on a project to view its properties all I saw was “The operation could not be completed” - not very helpful. Anyone know if there is a log file that provides more details information of failed parsing of .sln/.vcproj files?
You said “Obviously to compile this code I need to also generate the Visual C++ solution and project files”. I’m not sure this is so ‘obvious’. Surely you could use NAnt to compile your project and that would be a whole heap easier?
One has to fit into the legacy build environment
I don’t really understand what that means, sorry. From here (i.e. reading your blog) it looks like you could opt out of the MS IDE and go for either a command script like NAnt or an alternative IDE like SharpDevelop or even a combination.
From experience trying to do something MS didn’t put on a plate for you will only end in tears.
Requirement: All code for the existing investment bank project has to have a VS solution - period
Wow, that sounds very totalitarian! Let’s hope someone that has suffered the pain of tinkering with MS sln and proj files will take pity on you.
You may want to try the free MPC (http://www.ociweb.com/products/mpc), it uses a template approach and supports all kinds of output you may want(VC7, VC8, jam, make, namke etc).
btw, nant’s c++ support is very poor, no need to investigate now.