Depend on Dependency Macros for Visual Studio Project Dependencies

[update: fixed code typo]

I set dependencies on visual studio projects frequently. Here is some macro code that simplifies that process.

At the last 2 studios I joined one of the first things I did was to make an "All" solution. A single visual studio solution containing all projects required to build the game (or in Gamebryo's case, engine, samples, & tools).

A nice big solution like that needs to have dependencies set right. Visual Studio's interface for doing this is inefficient for anything but toy "solutions". But, they gave us macros, and it's easy to set dependencies with those.

Example solution file, with projects broken into logical groups

With these macros, you first select a group you would like to change the dependency information for. Run macro Step1. Then, select the group of projects that all the previous projects depend on. You'll then see this window:

Macro Dialog confirming dependencies about to be set.

Setting dozens or hundreds of project dependencies is a breeze with these macros.

Here's the code (Visual Studio 2005 macros, aka VS8):

Imports System
Imports EnvDTE
Imports EnvDTE80
Imports System.Diagnostics

' Need List:
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Public Module Module1
   Sub Step1_SelectDependentProjects()
       'DESCRIPTION: Step 1 of 2 for setting dependencies on projects
       SelectedProjects = GetSelectedProjects()
       Dim OutputString As String
       OutputString = SelectedProjects.Count.ToString
       OutputString += " Selected Projects:" + vbLf
       OutputString += GetStringOfEachProject(SelectedProjects)
       MsgBox(OutputString)
   End Sub

   Sub Step2_SelectDependeeProjects_AssignDependencies()
       'DESCRIPTION: Step 2 of 2 for setting dependencies on projects
       If SelectedProjects Is Nothing Then
           MsgBox("You must first select projects to have dependencies set on, with SelectDependentProjects macro")
           Return
       End If

       Dim DependentProjs As List(Of EnvDTE.Project) = SelectedProjects
       Dim DependeeProjs As List(Of EnvDTE.Project) = GetSelectedProjects()

       Dim OutputString As String
       OutputString = "Are you sure you want to set" + vbLf + vbLf
       OutputString += DependentProjs.Count.ToString + " Projects:" + vbLf
       OutputString += GetStringOfEachProject(DependentProjs) + vbLf + vbLf

       OutputString += "As dependent upon" + vbLf + vbLf
       OutputString += DependeeProjs.Count.ToString + " Projects:" + vbLf
       OutputString += GetStringOfEachProject(DependeeProjs) + vbLf + vbLf

       If MsgBox(OutputString, MsgBoxStyle.OkCancel) = MsgBoxResult.Cancel Then
           Return
       End If

       For Each Dependent As EnvDTE.Project In DependentProjs
           For Each Dependee As EnvDTE.Project In DependeeProjs
               Try
                   DTE.Solution.SolutionBuild.BuildDependencies.Item(Dependent).AddProject(Dependee.UniqueName)
               Catch ex As System.Exception
                   Dim Result As Microsoft.VisualBasic.MsgBoxResult
                   Result = MsgBox("Failed to add dependency: " + vbLf _
                   + "Dependent: " + Dependent.Name + vbLf _
                   + "on" + vbLf _
                   + "Dependee: " + Dependee.Name + vbLf + vbLf _
                   + "Error is:" + vbLf + ex.Message + vbLf + vbLf _
                   + "CONTINUE????", MsgBoxStyle.YesNo)
                   If Result = MsgBoxResult.No Then
                       Return
                   End If
               End Try
           Next
       Next
       MsgBox("Done.")
   End Sub

   ' Storage for list of projects:
   Public SelectedProjects As List(Of EnvDTE.Project)

   ' Helper functions:
   Function GetSelectedProjects() As List(Of EnvDTE.Project)
       Dim projs As List(Of EnvDTE.Project) = New List(Of EnvDTE.Project)
       For Each selectedItem As EnvDTE.SelectedItem In DTE.SelectedItems
           Try ' to get projects
               If Not selectedItem.Project Is Nothing Then
                   If Not projs.Contains(selectedItem.Project) Then
                       projs.Add(selectedItem.Project)
                   End If
               End If
           Catch
           End Try
       Next
       Return projs
   End Function

   Function GetStringOfEachProject(ByVal ProjectsList As List(Of EnvDTE.Project)) As String
       Dim OutputString As String = ""
       For Each proj As EnvDTE.Project In ProjectsList
           If OutputString.Length > 0 Then ' add new line
               OutputString += vbLf
           End If
           OutputString += "  " + proj.Name
       Next
       Return OutputString
   End Function

End Module