What is in the Solution file:
open .sln file with notepad
• has version number
• projects information with guid number so they are
not named exactly the same
makes a unique identifier
global information
• most important it points to project files
What is in the project file:
open project file with notepad
It is in an XML format
• type of project and version
• build settings
• configurable items
• references
• imports (namespaces)
• files to include
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<PropertyGroup>
<Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
<Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
<ProductVersion></ProductVersion>
<SchemaVersion>2.0</SchemaVersion>
<ProjectGuid>{a78a6032-b813-4e74-9937-3a23690a944f}</ProjectGuid>
<OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
<StartupObject>WindowsApplication1.My.MyApplication</StartupObject>
<RootNamespace>WindowsApplication1</RootNamespace>
<AssemblyName>WindowsApplication1</AssemblyName>
<MyType>WindowsForms</MyType>
</PropertyGroup>
<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
<DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
<DebugType>full</DebugType>
<DefineDebug>true</DefineDebug>
<DefineTrace>true</DefineTrace>
<OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
<DocumentationFile>WindowsApplication1.xml</DocumentationFile>
<NoWarn>42016,41999,42017,42018,42019,42032,42036,42020,42021,42022</NoWarn>
</PropertyGroup>
<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">
<DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
<DefineDebug>false</DefineDebug>
<DefineTrace>true</DefineTrace>
<Optimize>true</Optimize>
<OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
<DocumentationFile>WindowsApplication1.xml</DocumentationFile>
<NoWarn>42016,41999,42017,42018,42019,42032,42036,42020,42021,42022</NoWarn>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<Reference Include="System" />
<Reference Include="System.Data" />
<Reference Include="System.Deployment" />
<Reference Include="System.Drawing" />
<Reference Include="System.Windows.Forms" />
<Reference Include="System.Xml" />
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<Import Include="Microsoft.VisualBasic" />
<Import Include="System" />
<Import Include="System.Collections" />
<Import Include="System.Collections.Generic" />
<Import Include="System.Data" />
<Import Include="System.Drawing" />
<Import Include="System.Diagnostics" />
<Import Include="System.Windows.Forms" />
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<Compile Include="Form1.vb">
<SubType>Form</SubType>
</Compile>
<Compile Include="Form1.Designer.vb">
<DependentUpon>Form1.vb</DependentUpon>
<SubType>Form</SubType>
</Compile>
<Compile Include="My Project\AssemblyInfo.vb"/>
<Compile Include="My Project\Application.Designer.vb">
<AutoGen>True</AutoGen>
<DependentUpon>Application.myapp</DependentUpon>
</Compile>
<Compile Include="My Project\Resources.Designer.vb">
<AutoGen>True</AutoGen>
<DesignTime>True</DesignTime>
<DependentUpon>Resources.resx</DependentUpon>
</Compile>
<Compile Include="My Project\Settings.Designer.vb">
<AutoGen>True</AutoGen>
<DependentUpon>Settings.settings</DependentUpon>
<DesignTimeSharedInput>True</DesignTimeSharedInput>
</Compile>
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<EmbeddedResource Include="My Project\Resources.resx">
<Generator>VbMyResourcesResXFileCodeGenerator</Generator>
<LastGenOutput>Resources.Designer.vb</LastGenOutput>
<CustomToolNamespace>My.Resources</CustomToolNamespace>
<SubType>Designer</SubType>
</EmbeddedResource>
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<None Include="My Project\Application.myapp">
<Generator>MyApplicationCodeGenerator</Generator>
<LastGenOutput>Application.Designer.vb</LastGenOutput>
</None>
<None Include="My Project\Settings.settings">
<Generator>SettingsSingleFileGenerator</Generator>
<CustomToolNamespace>My</CustomToolNamespace>
<LastGenOutput>Settings.Designer.vb</LastGenOutput>
</None>
</ItemGroup>
<Import Project="$(MSBuildBinPath)\Microsoft.VisualBasic.targets" />
<!-- To modify your build process, add your task inside one of the targets below and uncomment it.
Other similar extension points exist, see Microsoft.Common.targets.
<Target Name="BeforeBuild">
</Target>
<Target Name="AfterBuild">
</Target>
-->
</Project>
Adding a project to a solution:
Right click on solution in solution explorer
• Add new project
• Or add existing project
A single project can be in many solutions
Working with Visual Studio windows:
Server Explorer:
Server resources available such as databases
Toolbox:
Displays list of controls you can add to your form
Solution Explorer:
Displays projects and files in current solution
Properties Window:
Displays list of properties of currently selected object
3 window states
1. autohide-docked
2. fixed docked
3. floating
Pin down windows:
Use pin button to pin down window and make it fixed
When pinned down it uses tabs for each window
Without the pin you can hold you mouse over a window to select it
Close a window:
Close a window by clicking on the X in the upper right corner
Open a window:
You can reopen any windows under the view menu
