How to exclude files from Visual Studio compile?

Question

I'm in the process of refactoring a project. I've got an entire subfolder which is known to be broken. Is there any declarative way to exclude that folder from the compile temporarily while I test the refactoring thus far?

I realize I could delete the folder, but I'd like to do this through configuration if possible.

score 99 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:28

99

You could set the Build Action (in the Properties Window) to None for the files you want excluded. You could also right-click on the folder and choose Exclude from Project.

answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:28

Rob Windsor

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I asked a related question for Web Site codebehind here: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/219417/how-to-exclude-web-site-code-behind-files-from-visual-studio-compile – Larsenal Oct 20 '08 at 18:38
Is there any way to exclude every file with a specific file type? – anuith Jun 19 '13 at 08:44
Is there a shortcut available for this? In visual studio 2010. – Sohaib Oct 07 '13 at 14:19
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There is not "Build Action" option in C++ projects. Is this only for C#? – Pedro77 Apr 21 '17 at 14:32
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@Pedro77 For C++, right click on files in Solution Explorer (emphasize - files, not project) -> Property (the one near the bottom) -> "Exclude from build" = yes – javaLover May 15 '17 at 05:46
I wrote an extension doing exactly that and solving the problems raised here in the comments: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=AdamWulkiewicz.ExcludeFromBuild – Adam Wulkiewicz Jun 13 '20 at 14:52
Note: Excluding the file from the project will remove it from the Solution Explorer. – Mats Gausdal Apr 13 '21 at 11:53

score 14 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 26 '10 at 23:12

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In VS 2010, right-click on the CPP module, choose Properties.

Then click on Configuration Properties -> General, Exclude from Build = Yes.

"Exclude from Project" is no good, it disappears from the other Configurations as well.

answered Oct 26 '10 at 23:12

Pierre

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score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 10 '14 at 12:14

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Use ExcludeFoldersFromDeployment inside <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' "> tag, example:

<ExcludeFoldersFromDeployment>FolderToExclude</ExcludeFoldersFromDeployment>

For files, use:

<ExcludeFilesFromDeployment>File1.aspx;File2.aspx</ExcludeFilesFromDeployment>

answered Jan 10 '14 at 12:14

L.Barral

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Seperate folders with ; – Tillito Oct 01 '20 at 17:54

score 9 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:26

9

Right click all the files, and select Properties. Now set Action to None. Revert to Compile when you fixed the code :)

answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:26

leppie

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The answers provided are good. However, the Build Action doesn't appear for code-behind files in a web site. I should have been more specific about my case. I'll make a new question for that scenario. – Larsenal Oct 20 '08 at 18:34

score 7 · Answer 5 · edited Mar 06 '14 at 16:36

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On Visual studio 2010 or later, you can achieve the functionality in two ways.

Right click the file, select 'Exclude From Project'
Right click the file, select 'Properties' --> select 'Configuration Properties' --> select 'General' --> choose 'Yes' from drop down menu for option 'Excluded From Build'

edited Mar 06 '14 at 16:36

pb2q

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answered Aug 02 '13 at 01:09

notytony

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score 6 · Answer 6 · edited Mar 06 '14 at 16:35

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Select the files that you don't want to have compiled on the Solution Explorer.
Right click and choose Options...
Set the "Build Action" on the files to "None".

That should do the trick for you!

edited Mar 06 '14 at 16:35

pb2q

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answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:28

Mat Nadrofsky

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score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:26

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You should just be able to right click on the folder name in your solution explorer, and click "exclude from project".

answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:26

Kibbee

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score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Dec 03 '10 at 14:43

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In a website project type, you can set the files/folders attributes to "hidden" in Explorer to achieve the same effect.

answered Dec 03 '10 at 14:43

Peter Willis

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score 1 · Answer 9 · edited Dec 17 '12 at 05:08

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If you have a lot of image files in a folder, so many that compilation is a painfully long task; you can rename the folder in IIS, giving the folder a .exclude extension.

e.g. C:\intetpub\wwwroot\yoursite\images change to C:\intetpub\wwwroot\yoursite\images.exclude

Then when you compile your app, the .exclude folder is excluded from compilation.

edited Dec 17 '12 at 05:08

jonsca

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answered Dec 17 '12 at 04:51

Alan

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score 1 · Answer 10 · answered May 24 '17 at 14:39

This is a method I have found for IIS Website Projects.

Set the "Hidden" attribute for the file/folder which you want to exclude from project, and then refresh the project in Solution Explorer. For example:

1. Open Windows Explorer.
2. Go to the physical folder of your website.
3. Right click the file/folder which you want to exclude, and then select "Properties".
4. Check the "Hidden" attribute.
5. Click the "Refresh" button in the Visual Studio Solution Explorer

Benson Yu

Microsoft Online Community Support

Quoted from: https://forums.asp.net/post/1997766.aspx

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:27

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I'm quite sure that there should be a "Exclude from build" property on the folder, but I don't have my Visual Studio with me at the moment. At the very least there is such a property on files.

answered Oct 20 '08 at 18:27

JesperE

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set value *Does not participate in build* to key *Item Type* in the properties window. – Ankur Sep 08 '13 at 18:36

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Sep 07 '18 at 15:33

0

In Rider, right click file in Navigation Bar, click Properties, change Build action to None.

answered Sep 07 '18 at 15:33

cja

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Alex · Answer 13 · 2010-04-23T10:59:01.190

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In Visual Studio 2010 you need to right click the project in the Solution Explorer and choose Unload Project

edited Apr 23 '10 at 10:59

answered Apr 23 '10 at 10:17

Alex

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Web Site Projects do not have Project Files – Moojjoo Jan 28 '15 at 19:52

How to exclude files from Visual Studio compile?

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