在Visual Studio中，我不想提交Debug文件夹，但其中包含dll文件，如果我将其移动，则项目将无法编译

Question

What should I do?

Basically, I want to commit my Visual Studio 2012 project, but it has a Debug folder in it that we traditionally don't commit. Only problem is that the Debug folder has the project's dll in it, and if I move the dll to the folder's parent, the project no longer compiles.

So here's the structure:

Project Folder > MSVC_2012 > Debug folder, sln file, etc.

And in that Debug folder is the dll. How do I move that out of the Debug folder into MSVC_2012?

Answer 1

Your question isn't entirely clear on details, but here are some options (and ways you could improve the question):

• Your question looks like an XY problem . You stated that "if I move the dll to the folder's parent, the project no longer compiles." in which case the real problem here is why it isn't compiling. We'd need more details to figure out why. You also need to be clearer what you mean by "if I move the dll" - you can't "move" a DLL before it is compiled, and if you move it afterwards, then by definition the compiling worked, so actually your statement as it stands doesn't make sense. In any case, you should probably focus on fixing your broken build rather than fiddling with it to meet the needs of your version controlling.

• You haven't specified why it is a problem for the DLL file to be in the Debug folder. I assume it's because you want to commit it to your VCS (which you didn't explicitly state as your goal). In which case, are you aware that it is not normal practice to commit the binary output of your code? So one solution might be to reconsider why you are trying to commit the DLL in the first place.

• You didn't specify which VCS you're using. In Git (and I assume in most other VCS') you can have finer grain control over what to exclude from commits than whole folders. So, another option is to configure your VCS to ignore the Debug folder with the exception of any DLL files contained inside it.

• You can change where MSVC places your DLL file in the project property pages under Configuration Properties -> General -> Output Directory . Presumably this is what you meant when you referred to "moving" the DLL?

• Finally, as per other people's comments on your question, if you want the DLL to be in both places you can use a post-build step to copy it to the relevant place. To achieve this go to the project property pages under Configuration Properties -> Build Events -> Post-Build Event then enter the relevant command (the same as you would type at a command prompt) to do the copying eg copy myfile.dll .. , or as Alex Farber suggests, use VS macros to specify the locations in a more generalised way. See this page for a list of available macros that you can insert into the command. This should be considered a last resort solution for two reasons - (a) it is a hack, as you are redundantly copying a binary output to circumvent a shortcoming in your version controlling and/or build, when you should fix the problem at root, and (b) build events have a serious flaw in them in Visual Studio and that is that they don't allow values to be inherited. This makes them a maintenance nightmare in bigger projects.