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A Utility to Convert VS.NET 2003 Project Files

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14 Mar 20042 min read 874.9K   23.1K   135   99
This utility converts projects and solutions from VS.NET 7.0 to VS.NET 7.1 and vice versa.

Image 1

Introduction

I decided to create a utility that converts projects from the new Visual Studio .NET 2003 (codename "Everett") to Visual Studio .NET 2002. This is because in my experience I was working with both and found it hard to manually convert the projects and it often introduced problems, so I made an automated tool to do this job for me. So, all who are having the same difficulty, this tool is for you.

I've included full source code so you can see how I've done it and also so you can customize the tool to fit your own needs. As of March 12, 2004, I have updated the original VSConvert with some minor changes. Version 2.0 detects read-only files and also warns the user about losing .NET references when converting Managed C++ projects.

How I did it

So, you may ask, "How did you know how to convert the project files?" Here is a step-by-step description of the changes that happen when you convert a project from VS 7.1 to VS 7.0.

  1. In SLN files, the 8.0 must be replaced with 7.0.
  2. In vcproj files (and only vcproj), the 7.10 part must be replaced by 7.0. Note: The <References> portion of MC++ projects will be incompatible with VS.NET 2002 since it uses #using statements from 'stdafx.h'.
  3. In VB.NET or C# project files, 7.10.3077 is replaced with 7.0.9466.
  4. Also in VB.NET and C# projects, the schema version 2.0 should be replaced with 1.0.
  5. In RESX files, the types declared are 1.0.5000 and must be replaced with 1.0.3300.
  6. Again, in RESX files (binary streams), the base-64 encoded part that describes the version of the stream must also change from LjAuNTAw to LjAuMzMw (basically base-64-encoded versions of 1.0.5000 and 1.0.3300 respectively)

To convert from VS.NET 2002 to VS.NET 2003, just apply this process backwards.

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here


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Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralRe: Free C#, VB.NET, and VC++ solutions/project converter Pin
Stoyan Damov12-Sep-03 9:24
Stoyan Damov12-Sep-03 9:24 
GeneralRe: Free C#, VB.NET, and VC++ solutions/project converter Pin
grndamgt412-Sep-03 13:23
grndamgt412-Sep-03 13:23 
GeneralRe: Free C#, VB.NET, and VC++ solutions/project converter Pin
James Cline3-Oct-03 2:23
James Cline3-Oct-03 2:23 
GeneralRe: Free C#, VB.NET, and VC++ solutions/project converter Pin
Stoyan Damov4-Oct-03 23:42
Stoyan Damov4-Oct-03 23:42 
GeneralRe: Free C#, VB.NET, and VC++ solutions/project converter Pin
muralimaan9-Feb-05 0:30
muralimaan9-Feb-05 0:30 
GeneralRe: Free C#, VB.NET, and VC++ solutions/project converter Pin
Stoyan Damov24-Feb-05 4:35
Stoyan Damov24-Feb-05 4:35 
Questioncan i use .net framework1.1 with vs.net2002? Pin
h_acken@yahoo.com20-Jul-03 21:45
h_acken@yahoo.com20-Jul-03 21:45 
AnswerRe: can i use .net framework1.1 with vs.net2002? Pin
Stoyan Damov4-Oct-03 23:46
Stoyan Damov4-Oct-03 23:46 
You are exactly the 156748721st developer asking this questionSmile | :)
No, you can't. VS 2002 is bound to framework 1.1. Upgrade to 2003, you will be able to compile 1.0 and 1.1 applications with it (and it ROCKS tooSmile | :)

Cheers,
Stoyan

He who fails to design for performance, performs a design failure. (Dov Bulka, David Mayhew in "Efficient C++ Programming Techniques")

Always optimize for sizeSmile | :)
<br />
#define class union<br />
#define struct union<br />

GeneralRe: can i use .net framework1.1 with vs.net2002? Pin
smokey012-May-04 4:31
smokey012-May-04 4:31 
GeneralRe: can i use .net framework1.1 with vs.net2002? Pin
Stoyan Damov2-May-04 9:20
Stoyan Damov2-May-04 9:20 
GeneralDLL Hell When Developing for XP Pin
ttran770017-Jul-03 9:31
ttran770017-Jul-03 9:31 
GeneralRe: DLL Hell When Developing for XP Pin
Mostly Clueless2-Dec-03 7:38
sussMostly Clueless2-Dec-03 7:38 
GeneralDeployment Projects Pin
Derek Lakin9-Jul-03 3:54
Derek Lakin9-Jul-03 3:54 
GeneralProblem with running the program from a network location. Pin
PeterHarrie24-Apr-03 1:44
PeterHarrie24-Apr-03 1:44 
GeneralRe: Problem with running the program from a network location. Pin
Ray Cassick24-Apr-03 2:18
Ray Cassick24-Apr-03 2:18 
GeneralBatch mode conversion... Pin
Jochen Kalmbach [MVP VC++]22-Apr-03 18:40
Jochen Kalmbach [MVP VC++]22-Apr-03 18:40 
GeneralRe: Batch mode conversion... Pin
Spass200312-Jun-03 20:48
Spass200312-Jun-03 20:48 
GeneralRe: Batch mode conversion... Pin
Jochen Kalmbach [MVP VC++]12-Jun-03 21:44
Jochen Kalmbach [MVP VC++]12-Jun-03 21:44 
GeneralFor Released Version Pin
Anonymous16-Apr-03 12:43
Anonymous16-Apr-03 12:43 
Generalinvalid exception on read-only projects Pin
Bethany27-Mar-03 21:30
Bethany27-Mar-03 21:30 
GeneralSuggestion Pin
Jerry Evans28-Jan-03 4:05
Jerry Evans28-Jan-03 4:05 
Generaluseful Pin
Stephane Rodriguez.3-Jan-03 8:10
Stephane Rodriguez.3-Jan-03 8:10 
GeneralRe: useful Pin
Paul Selormey3-Jan-03 17:06
Paul Selormey3-Jan-03 17:06 
GeneralRe: useful Pin
Jerry Evans28-Jan-03 3:45
Jerry Evans28-Jan-03 3:45 
Generalout of curiosity... Pin
Marc Clifton3-Jan-03 7:45
mvaMarc Clifton3-Jan-03 7:45 

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