By default, devenv commands pass switches to the devenv.com utility.
The devenv.com utility provides for the delivery of output through standard system streams, such as stdout and stderr, and determines the appropriate I/O redirection when it captures output, for example, to a .txt file. Commands that begin instead with devenv.exe can use the same switches, but will send them to the devenv.exe program, bypassing the devenv.com utility.
The syntax rules for devenv switches resemble those for other DOS command-line utilities. The following syntax rules apply to all devenv switches and their arguments:
Commands begin with devenv.
Switches are not case-sensitive.
When specifying a solution or project, the first argument is the name of the solution file or project file, including file path.
If the first argument is a file that is not a solution or project, that file will open in the appropriate editor, in a new instance of the IDE.
When you supply a project file name instead of a solution file name, a devenv command will search the parent folder of the project file for a solution file that has the same name. For example, the command devenv /build myproject1.vbproj will search the parent folder for a solution file that is named "myproject1.sln".
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One and only one solution file that references this project should be located in its parent folder. If the parent folder contains no solution file that references this project, or if the parent folder contains two or more solution files that reference it, then a temporary solution file will be created that is named for this project and references it. |
When file paths and file names include spaces, you must enclose them in double quotation marks (""). For example, "c:\project a\".
Insert one space character between switches and arguments on the same line. For example, the command devenv /log output.txt opens the IDE and outputs all log information for that session to output.txt.
You cannot use wildcard characters or other pattern-matching syntax in devenv commands.