How to specify which .cpp files to compile based on the current build configuration?

Question

I have multiple build configurations in my project, and I'd like to swap some .CPP files based on the currently selected configuration. How can I do that in Visual Studio 2013?

Answer 1

In the GUI, see properties of a cpp file and set "Excluded From Build" to yes for the configurations where it's excluded.

In the project file would look like:

<ClCompile Include="my_platform_specific_file.cpp">
    <ExcludedFromBuild Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'">
            true
    </ExcludedFromBuild>
</ClCompile>

Answer 2

In the IDE.

Select the configuration you want to alter (either from Build > Configuration Manager or the drop down in the toolbar. From the solution explorer, on the file you wish to; right click > Properties > Excluded from Build > Select Yes or No.

In the project file itself, locate the file being excluded

<ClCompile Include="xyz.cpp">

Add the following element;

<ExcludedFromBuild Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='MyConfiguration|Win32'">true</ExcludedFromBuild>

Where MyConfiguration is the configuration you wish to exclude the file from.

Answer 3

This might be a good reason to start looking into more generic project managers.

I can recommend you looking into CMake , which is very powerful and can generate VisualStudio projects. The learning curve might be a high (for someone who is used to Visual Studio automation) but the gains are very high.

Some links:

• Linking different libraries for Debug and Release builds in Cmake on windows?
• http://cmaketools.codeplex.com/ - support for CMake files editing
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9sKd8f0kFo - video displaying cmake integration into VisualStudoi
• http://www.cmake.org/Wiki/CMake - random help

The project site is: http://www.cmake.org