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In Visual Studio 2015 Solution Explorer next to C++ files is a "++" icon, easy enough to understand, but I have one C++ file that has a red circle with a white minus sign in it over the "++" icon. I have tried making changes to this file and checking it into TFS, the icon does not change.

Short questions: What does a red circle with a white minus sign in it over the "++" icon mean?? we

Bonus question: I searched all over trying to get a list of the icons, without any success, does a list of these icons exist??

07.Nov.2016 Update: This question was asked and answered in 2012, but I feel this posting should remain, because both the question and answer include screen shots. A picture is worth a least a 1,000 words!

Bill Worthington
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  • I think it means that the file is not under source control, old link but still relevant: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms181372(v=vs.80).aspx other icons: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/y47ychfe(v=vs.140).aspx – EdChum Oct 12 '16 at 09:30
  • I already had seen that definition, it is for a white circle with a red minus sign. The question is for a red circle with a white minus sign, and this file is in the TFS, I have checked it out, made changes and checked it back in, and the icon does not change. – Bill Worthington Oct 12 '16 at 09:36
  • a very simple question.... after 24 hours and 17 people viewing it, there is still no simple answer?? :( – Bill Worthington Oct 13 '16 at 12:28
  • After 6 days, only 20 views and no answers??? So I am starting to think there is not an answer, that these icons are no where documented?? – Bill Worthington Oct 18 '16 at 11:25
  • You may get more joy on the Microsoft forum, sorry I couldn't help but I can't reproduce this icon – EdChum Oct 18 '16 at 11:26
  • Possible duplicate of [What does this red minus overlay icon mean in Visual studio's Solution Explorer?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12259323/what-does-this-red-minus-overlay-icon-mean-in-visual-studios-solution-explorer) – NineBerry Oct 30 '16 at 15:49

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It means the file is excluded from the build. Right click on a file - Properties - Configuration Properties - General and see if the Excluded From Build is set to Yes. Setting it to No removes the icon. Exclude from build

  • YES! Thank-You! At first it did not seem to make a difference, then I set the Configuration to "All Configurations" and set the "Excluded From Builld" to "NO", and the icon is gone! – Bill Worthington Nov 07 '16 at 09:15