.VCXPROJ File Extension

Visual C++ Project

Developer	Microsoft
Popularity	Average rating 3.8 / 5. Vote count: 39
Category	Developer Files
Format	.VCXPROJ
Cross Platform	Update Soon

What is an VCXPROJ file?

The .vcxproj file extension is associated with Visual C++ projects in Microsoft’s Visual Studio. It defines project settings, configurations, and references required to build a C++ application.

More Information.

Visual Studio project files for C++ were stored as .dsp files, which were replaced by .vcproj files in Visual Studio 2002. The .vcxproj file format was introduced with Visual Studio 2010 to leverage the advantages of the MSBuild system. The primary purpose was to standardize and streamline the build process, making it more compatible with other project types and improving extensibility.

Origin Of This File.

The .vcxproj file was introduced by Microsoft as part of the Visual Studio development environment. It succeeded earlier project file formats used in older versions of Visual Studio, such as .dsp and .vcproj, to provide a more flexible and extensible format.

File Structure Technical Specification.

A .vcxproj file is an XML-based format. Its structure includes:

Project: The root element, which includes attributes like DefaultTargets and ToolsVersion.
ItemGroup: Defines collections of items such as source files, headers, and references.
PropertyGroup: Specifies project-wide properties, including configuration settings.
Import: Includes other project files, often to incorporate shared settings.
Target: Defines a series of tasks to be executed, primarily during the build process.

How to Convert the File?

Windows

To convert a .vcxproj file on Windows, you can use various methods depending on your target format.

Here are some common approaches:

To CMake:
- Use CMake tools like cmake-converter or manually create a CMakeLists.txt file by translating the XML configuration.
To Makefile:
- Use a script or tool like premake5 to generate a Makefile from a Visual Studio project.
- Alternatively, you can manually write a Makefile by referring to the settings in the .vcxproj file.
Tools:
- Visual Studio: Some extensions might offer functionality to export project settings to other formats.
- Third-party Tools: Tools like vsproj2cmake can automate conversion.

Linux

Since .vcxproj files are specific to Visual Studio, converting them on Linux involves extracting the configuration and translating it to a Linux-compatible build system:

To CMake:
- Manually create a CMakeLists.txt file based on the .vcxproj file.
- Use a tool or script that can parse the .vcxproj XML and generate equivalent CMake commands.
To Makefile:
- Manually write a Makefile by examining the .vcxproj file.
- Utilize scripts or conversion tools like premake5 to automate the conversion.
Tools:
- Text Editors: Use Vim, Emacs, or Visual Studio Code to open and edit the .vcxproj file.
- Scripts: Write custom Python or shell scripts to parse and convert the XML data.

Mac

Similar to Linux, Mac systems require converting .vcxproj files to build systems compatible with macOS:

To CMake:
- Create a CMakeLists.txt file manually.
- Use tools that can automate conversion, possibly running them in a compatibility layer like Wine.
To Makefile:
- Manually create a Makefile.
- Use conversion tools such as premake5 to generate a Makefile from .vcxproj.
Tools:
- Text Editors: Use Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or Xcode for editing.
- Scripts: Write custom scripts to handle conversion.

Android

Converting .vcxproj files on Android is less common, but possible using mobile-compatible tools and cloud services:

Cloud Services:
- Use cloud-based IDEs and conversion tools to convert the .vcxproj file.
Text Editor Apps:
- Use apps like QuickEdit or DroidEdit to manually edit the file and convert it.
Scripts:
- Write or use existing Python or JavaScript scripts compatible with Android’s environment.

iOS

Similar to Android, conversion on iOS typically involves using mobile apps or cloud services:

Cloud Services:
- Utilize cloud-based IDEs and conversion tools.
Text Editor Apps:
- Use apps like Textastic or iEditor for editing and manual conversion.
Scripts:
- Use Pythonista or other script-running apps to convert the file.

Others

For other platforms, including web-based environments and less common operating systems:

Web-Based Tools:
- Use online conversion tools and services to handle .vcxproj files.
Cross-Platform Editors:
- Tools like Atom or Brackets can be used to view, edit, and manually convert .vcxproj files.
Custom Scripts:
- Write or use existing scripts in languages like Python or JavaScript to automate the conversion process.

Advantages And Disadvantages.

Advantages:

Extensibility: Can be extended with custom tasks and targets.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other project types in Visual Studio.
Flexibility: Supports a wide range of configurations and build options.
Readability: XML format is human-readable and editable.

Disadvantages:

Complexity: Can become complex for large projects with many configurations.
Platform Dependency: Primarily designed for use within the Visual Studio ecosystem.
Learning Curve: Requires understanding of MSBuild to fully utilize its capabilities.

               How to Open VCXPROJ?
                  Open In Windows
                  Visual Studio: The primary IDE for opening and managing .vcxproj files.
Text Editor: Any text editor like Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code can open and edit the XML content.

                  Open In Linux
                  Text Editor: Open with editors like Vim, Emacs, or Visual Studio Code.
Build Tools: You can create custom scripts to translate .vcxproj settings to tools like Make or CMake.

                  Open In MAC
                  Text Editor: Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or Xcode can be used to open and edit the file.
Build Tools: Similar to Linux, use CMake or custom scripts to handle the build process.

                  Open In Android
                  Text Editor Apps: Use apps like QuickEdit or DroidEdit to open and edit the file.
IDE: Android development typically doesn’t use .vcxproj, but you can view and edit the file if needed.

                  Open In IOS
                  Text Editor Apps: Use apps like Textastic or iEditor to open and edit the file.
IDE: Similar to Android, primarily for viewing and editing purposes.

                  Open in Others
                  Web-Based Editors: Tools like GitHub’s web editor can be used to view and edit .vcxproj files.
Cross-Platform Editors: Apps like Atom or Brackets can also be used across different operating systems to manage these files.