Aaaaaarghh, VS .NET -- please stop copying files all over the place!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rob R. Ainscough
  • Start date Start date
R

Rob R. Ainscough

I love .NET, but can someone please tell the folks at Redmond to STOP
ASSUMING that files MUST be copied into the Project folder!!

I have some .rpt (Crystal Reports) that reside in a shared directory -- the
default should be to LINK the files NOT COPY the files to my project folder.
Same for DLLs and the "Copy Local" option -- this is truely for the insane
and to default it to True is even more insanity. Please Microsoft, stop
trying to "help" the developer in this area. Bad idea boys, take one step
back on this one, please!

Rob.
 
Hey rob,

To link to an existing file rather than having vs.net copy that file,
when you see the add existing dialog the open button has a small arrow
on it. When you click on the arrow you'll see link to file. That way vs
will link rather than copy.

About the Copy Local option, that is default for private assemblies. By
private assemblies i mean assemblies that are not signed and are not in
the gac. When you build and run your application, the runtime will look
for these private assemblies in the application's directory, and thats
why private assemblies are always copied over to the bin directory. If
you add a reference to a signed (GAC) assembly the Copy Local will
default to false automatically.

Hope this helps....

NuTcAsE
 
Yes, I've discovered (the hard way) all that VS.NET does with assemblies and
adding files (the link option). I guess my contention is that I wish VS.NET
would NOT default to Copy Local (in any assembly) and would default to Link
when opening a file. I can't think of any developer that wants multiple
copies of DLLs (of their own non signed) and/or multiple copies of source
code or documents for each project that they work on.

I'm probably going to load up VS.NET 2005 Beta (on a separate PC) just to
see if this file copy insanity has been addressed or not. If not, then I'm
gonna have to start hacking VS.NET or look for a replacement IDE (I know
good luck). Right now I have a bunch of cleanup macros to undo the mess
VS.NET likes to create by default.

Rob.
 
Nutcase answered the question overall, but you will find that the next
version of .NET answers other parts of your frustration.


---

Gregory A. Beamer
MVP; MCP: +I, SE, SD, DBA

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