How to compile a program into different projects in C#

Question

Let us say that: I have a project, this project uses a references (office2016.dll). in my project I have ac# classes that access these references and works fine.

Now I want to compile the same code but by using different references, this time (office2012.dll). note that (office2016.dll & office2012.dll) are sharing the same methods and types that I used in my c# code. but I want to publish different (EXE) for each product. one for office 2016, and another for office 2012.

Is it possible to compile the same c# code on different references (dll)?

One solution is to copy my c# code in a new project and then add the other (office2012.dll) and then recompile again, it works and fine but I would n't like to do that manually because I work every day and it requires many efforts and concentrations and of course extra time, because really I don't believe on copy/paste code, this is actually a tedious work!

Answer 1

You can create copies of the project file (the .csproj ) in the same folder , then include the copied project(s) in your solution. You can then pick the correct references for each project. Make sure to go to the project properties and choose a custom assembly name and/or output folder for each project (ie. myoffice2012app.exe and/or bin/Release2012 ).

Any code file you add afterwards will have to be included in each copy, but this is simplified by selecting "show all files":

right-clicking the new files and selecting "Include In Project" - but besides having to add each new code file to each project separately, you can build the solution as often as you want without further steps needed.