How to use makefiles in Visual Studio

Question

I heard a lot about makefiles and how they simplify the compilation process   I m using VS2008   Can somebody please suggest some online references or books where I can find out more about how to deal with them

User · Answer

I actually use a makefile to build any dependencies needed before invoking devenv to build a particular project as in the following:

debug: coratools_debug
    devenv coralib.vcproj /build debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

You can also use the msbuild tool to do the same thing:

debug: coratools_debug
    msbuild coralib.vcxproj /p:Configuration=debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

In my opinion, this is much easier than trying to figure out the overly complicated visual studio project management scheme.

User · Answer

A UNIX guy probably told you that      You can use makefiles in VS  but when you do it bypasses all the built-in functionality in MSVC s IDE   Makefiles are basically the reinterpret cast of the builder   IMO the simplest thing is just to use Solutions

User · Answer

To answer the specific questions        I m using VS2008  Can somebody please suggest some online references   or books where I can find out more about how to deal with them    This link will give you a good introduction into Makefiles by mapping it with Visual Studio   Introduction to Makefiles for Visual Studio developers     I heard a lot about makefiles and how they simplify the compilation   process    Makefiles are powerful and flexible but may not be the best solution to simplify the process  Consider CMake which abstracts the build process well which is explained in this link   CMake for Visual Studio Developers

User · Answer

If you are asking about actual command line makefiles then you can export a makefile  or you can call MSBuild on a solution file from the command line   What exactly do you want to do with the makefile   You can do a search on SO for MSBuild for more details

User · Answer

Makefiles and build files are about automating your build  If you use a script like MSBuild or NAnt  you can build your project or solution directly from command line  This in turn makes it possible to automate the build  have it run by a build server   Besides building your solution it is typical that a build script includes task to run unit tests  report code coverage and complexity and more

User · Answer

The Microsoft Program Maintenance Utility  NMAKE EXE  is a tool that builds projects based on commands contained in a description file    NMAKE Reference

User · Answer

To answer the specific questions        I m using VS2008  Can somebody please suggest some online references   or books where I can find out more about how to deal with them    This link will give you a good introduction into Makefiles by mapping it with Visual Studio   Introduction to Makefiles for Visual Studio developers     I heard a lot about makefiles and how they simplify the compilation   process    Makefiles are powerful and flexible but may not be the best solution to simplify the process  Consider CMake which abstracts the build process well which is explained in this link   CMake for Visual Studio Developers

User · Answer

The VS equivalent of a makefile is a  Solution   over-simplified  I know

User · Answer

A UNIX guy probably told you that      You can use makefiles in VS  but when you do it bypasses all the built-in functionality in MSVC s IDE   Makefiles are basically the reinterpret cast of the builder   IMO the simplest thing is just to use Solutions

User · Answer

Makefiles and build files are about automating your build  If you use a script like MSBuild or NAnt  you can build your project or solution directly from command line  This in turn makes it possible to automate the build  have it run by a build server   Besides building your solution it is typical that a build script includes task to run unit tests  report code coverage and complexity and more

User · Answer

If you are asking about actual command line makefiles then you can export a makefile  or you can call MSBuild on a solution file from the command line   What exactly do you want to do with the makefile   You can do a search on SO for MSBuild for more details

User · Answer

The Microsoft Program Maintenance Utility  NMAKE EXE  is a tool that builds projects based on commands contained in a description file    NMAKE Reference

User · Answer

If you are asking about actual command line makefiles then you can export a makefile  or you can call MSBuild on a solution file from the command line   What exactly do you want to do with the makefile   You can do a search on SO for MSBuild for more details

User · Answer

To summarize with a complete solution     There are 2 options    Use NMAKE from the Developer Command Prompt for Visual Studio   The shortcut exists in your Start Menu   Look inside the makefile to see if there are any  setup  actions   Actions appear as the first word before a colon   Typically  all good makefiles have an  all  action so you can type  NMAKE all   Create a Solution and Project Files for each binary    Most well designed open source solutions provide a makefile with a setup action to generate Visual Studio Project Files for you so look for those first in your Makefile   Otherwise you need to drag and drop each file or group of files and folders into each New Project you create within Visual Studio   Hope this helps

User · Answer

To summarize with a complete solution     There are 2 options    Use NMAKE from the Developer Command Prompt for Visual Studio   The shortcut exists in your Start Menu   Look inside the makefile to see if there are any  setup  actions   Actions appear as the first word before a colon   Typically  all good makefiles have an  all  action so you can type  NMAKE all   Create a Solution and Project Files for each binary    Most well designed open source solutions provide a makefile with a setup action to generate Visual Studio Project Files for you so look for those first in your Makefile   Otherwise you need to drag and drop each file or group of files and folders into each New Project you create within Visual Studio   Hope this helps

User · Answer

If you are asking about actual command line makefiles then you can export a makefile  or you can call MSBuild on a solution file from the command line   What exactly do you want to do with the makefile   You can do a search on SO for MSBuild for more details

User · Answer

Makefiles and build files are about automating your build  If you use a script like MSBuild or NAnt  you can build your project or solution directly from command line  This in turn makes it possible to automate the build  have it run by a build server   Besides building your solution it is typical that a build script includes task to run unit tests  report code coverage and complexity and more

User · Answer

A UNIX guy probably told you that      You can use makefiles in VS  but when you do it bypasses all the built-in functionality in MSVC s IDE   Makefiles are basically the reinterpret cast of the builder   IMO the simplest thing is just to use Solutions

User · Answer

The Microsoft Program Maintenance Utility  NMAKE EXE  is a tool that builds projects based on commands contained in a description file    NMAKE Reference

User · Answer

Makefiles and build files are about automating your build  If you use a script like MSBuild or NAnt  you can build your project or solution directly from command line  This in turn makes it possible to automate the build  have it run by a build server   Besides building your solution it is typical that a build script includes task to run unit tests  report code coverage and complexity and more

User · Answer

The VS equivalent of a makefile is a  Solution   over-simplified  I know

User · Answer

The Microsoft Program Maintenance Utility  NMAKE EXE  is a tool that builds projects based on commands contained in a description file    NMAKE Reference

User · Answer

A UNIX guy probably told you that      You can use makefiles in VS  but when you do it bypasses all the built-in functionality in MSVC s IDE   Makefiles are basically the reinterpret cast of the builder   IMO the simplest thing is just to use Solutions

User · Answer

I actually use a makefile to build any dependencies needed before invoking devenv to build a particular project as in the following:

debug: coratools_debug
    devenv coralib.vcproj /build debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

You can also use the msbuild tool to do the same thing:

debug: coratools_debug
    msbuild coralib.vcxproj /p:Configuration=debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

In my opinion, this is much easier than trying to figure out the overly complicated visual studio project management scheme.

User · Answer

I actually use a makefile to build any dependencies needed before invoking devenv to build a particular project as in the following:

debug: coratools_debug
    devenv coralib.vcproj /build debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

You can also use the msbuild tool to do the same thing:

debug: coratools_debug
    msbuild coralib.vcxproj /p:Configuration=debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

In my opinion, this is much easier than trying to figure out the overly complicated visual studio project management scheme.

User · Answer

The VS equivalent of a makefile is a  Solution   over-simplified  I know

User · Answer

I actually use a makefile to build any dependencies needed before invoking devenv to build a particular project as in the following:

debug: coratools_debug
    devenv coralib.vcproj /build debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

You can also use the msbuild tool to do the same thing:

debug: coratools_debug
    msbuild coralib.vcxproj /p:Configuration=debug

coratools_debug: nothing
    cd ../coratools
    nmake debug
    cd $(MAKEDIR)

In my opinion, this is much easier than trying to figure out the overly complicated visual studio project management scheme.

User · Answer

The VS equivalent of a makefile is a  Solution   over-simplified  I know

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