How to convert VS2013 Project to VS2008

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I have created the application in the Visual Studio 2013, But my Client want me the same the project as Visual Studio 2008 exe.
I just want to know how to convert simply without any file missed.

Regards,
Vasanth

Posted 13-Nov-14 8:52am

vasanthkumarmk

Updated 1-Sep-21 4:34am

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Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 13-Nov-14 15:38pm

Does the client needs the project, or the software product? In other words, do you really supply source code to the client? If not, the question makes no sense.
—SA

vasanthkumarmk 13-Nov-14 15:41pm

Yeah, I want to deliver my source code to client. I have developed my source in VS2013 but my client asks VS2008.

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Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter · Answer 1 · 2014-11-13T08:57:00

Solution 1

In .NET exe does not differ in what version of Visual Studio it has been compiled, but for what version of .NET. Visual Studio 2008 compiles projects for .NET Framework 2.0...Go and configure you project in Visual Studio 2013 to compile for the same version (the default there is version 4.5)...

Posted 13-Nov-14 8:57am

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

Comments

vasanthkumarmk 13-Nov-14 15:01pm

Can you please tell me how can I go and configure 2.0 from the VS 2013

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter 13-Nov-14 15:29pm

Open project's properties page and look for 'Target framework'...

vasanthkumarmk 13-Nov-14 15:39pm

Ya!!! Thanks I got it!!! But now I just want to change the entire project from VS2013 to VS2008. Is it possible? I want to open the solution in VS2008.

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter 13-Nov-14 15:46pm

I do not know any way to downgrade Visual Studio projects, except manually edit the project file...
You may open an empty 2008 project and add the files/folders from the 2013 project...

BillWoodruff · Answer 2 · 2014-11-13T10:02:00

If (as you replied to Sergey) you want to deliver source code compatible with VS 2008, you are almost certainly going to need to re-build your project in VS 2008. But, VS 2008 can compile against FrameWork 3.5, so why do you need 2.0 ?

imho that would make your target getting your source to compile against 3.5.

Without knowing what facilities of FrameWorks > 3.5 you used (dependencies), the amount of work involved is unpredictable.

If you are really expert in .NET perhaps you can just review your source and figure out what you'll have to change, or re-do.

Here's what I would do to try and assess the work involved:

1. open all the files (.cs) of the current VS 2013 project in a text-editor.

2. create a new project in VS 2008. Add references to the libraries required for the VS 2013 project (as long as they are not libraries for FrameWork > 3.5).

3. add Forms, UserControls, Classes, etc. with the same names as those items in the VS 2013 Project to the VS 2008 project, copy and paste in the code used in the VS 2013 files into the VS 2008 new files.

4. Try and build to 3.5, and then assess what does/does not work.

5. Charge the client a lot more money !