asked on

Visual Studio 2008 on Windows Server 2008

Hi,

I want my Visual Studio Project to be built by our CI Server (Bamboo). However this project can’t be built using MSBuild as it returns the following error:

MSBUILD : warning MSB4078: The project file "Project_File_Here" is not supported by MSBuild and cannot be built.

This means “devenv.com” needs to be used instead. Bamboo does allow me to build Visual Studio Projects; it just needs me to point it towards the “devenv” executable.

The only way I can think of to place “devenv” onto the server would be to install a full copy of Visual Studio 2008 on my Windows 2008 Server where Bamboo is installed. Since this is a build server this appears to be overkill as it will only ever be building the project and not editing it.

Does anyone have any idea if I can install a stripped back version of Visual Studio or is this a common requirement for these kind of projects?

Thanks

Vadim Rapp

From the couple of times I was doing something like this, although admittedly with products more simple than VS, I would try it with "brutal force".

1. copy devenv.exe to the server machine, and try to build.
2. Naturally, it will crash, but it will say that it's missing some_dll.dll
3. copy some_dll.dll there (to the same place as on the full installation), regsvr32 it (maybe it will register, maybe not), and try again

repeat 2-3 until success.

Don't know however how this would coexist with the licensing.

SOLUTION

DarkoLord

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

4fingers

ASKER

From the couple of times I was doing something like this, although admittedly with products more simple than VS, I would try it with "brutal force".

Tried copying the entire program files folder over, which meant everything in here:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0

However when you try and build the project using Devenv it simply says:

Cannot find one or more components. Please reinstall the application.

It appears more setup is required than simply copying files over, what that setup involves is unknown to me at the moment.

What kind of project do you have that can not be built with msbuild?

I am actually using a third party project:
http://na.justsystems.com/content-xmetal-developer

The plug-in is built on top of Visual Studio to create customisations for another piece of software. This means that in order to build the project I need at least Visual Studio 2008 standard edition or higher (the plug-in does not support the Express edition), along with the third party plug-in itself.

SOLUTION

Vadim Rapp

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

4fingers

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

4fingers

ASKER

Managed to get my answer from elsewhere