visual-studio-template

Visual Studio project props common build scenarios.

These props files can be integrated into a Visual Studio .vcxproj file as follows:

  <ImportGroup Label="PropertySheets" Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='DebugDLL|Win32'">
    <Import Project="$(ProjectDir)..\..\properties\DebugDLL.props" />
    <Import Project="$(ProjectDir)..\..\properties\Output.props" />
    <Import Project="$(ProjectDir)$(ProjectName).props" />
  </ImportGroup>

A simpler (recommended) approach is to align Configuration names with the .props file names. This collapses to one ImportGroup, as follows:

  <ImportGroup>
    <Import Project="$(ProjectDir)..\..\properties\$(Configuration).props" />
    <Import Project="$(ProjectDir)..\..\properties\Output.props" />
    <Import Project="$(ProjectDir)$(ProjectName).props" />
  </ImportGroup>

The $(ProjectName).props file is your file containing all unique properties for the project. Generally this is the set of includes, library references, preprocessor statements and warning overrides.

The optional Output.props file changes the default Visual Studio build output locations to common bin and obj folders, ensures deconfliction across all builds and writes certain build information to the console.

There is generally no good reason to change the .props files as overrides are possible within $(ProjectName).props. However if one desires to change the outputs the Output.props file can be independently dropped or replaced.

Note that all .props files are assumed to be in a common directory, despite the repo structure.

The following combinations are achieved by referencing the desired build configuration (e.g. DynamicDLL.props) as shown above.

Dynamic libraries linked dynamically to CRT

DebugDLL|Win32
ReleaseDLL|Win32
DebugDLL|x64
ReleaseDLL|x64

Static libraries linked using LTCG and statically to CRT

DebugLTCG|Win32
ReleaseLTCG|Win32
DebugLTCG|x64
ReleaseLTCG|x64

Static libraries linked statically to CRT

DebugLIB|Win32
ReleaseLIB|Win32
DebugLIB|x64
ReleaseLIB|x64

Applications linked dynamically to CRT

DebugDEXE|Win32
ReleaseDEXE|Win32
DebugDEXE|x64
ReleaseDEXE|x64

Applications linked using LTCG and statically to CRT

DebugLEXE|Win32
ReleaseLEXE|Win32
DebugLEXE|x64
ReleaseLEXE|x64

Applications linked statically to CRT

DebugSEXE|Win32
ReleaseSEXE|Win32
DebugSEXE|x64
ReleaseSEXE|x64