I am using a VS project with custom build script/batch file (ala make/ant etc)
When the build is run from the command line we have placed colored highlighting on various output lines.
However when built via Visual Studio (2005 in my case) the output window does not show the color anymore.
Is this possible? I am quite happy to put specific code into the build script if required.
The problem isn't with your build scripts, but with Visual Studio not supporting ANSI control codes to change the color.
As far as I know, the output panel doesn't support colouring, and probably that's why it's stripping the colouring out of the build output. Supposedly all the relevant bits they need to highlight when you compile on command line will be easier to see in the IDE, listed as errors/warnings/etc.
Aren't there 3rd party text viewers that support more formatting options to which the output text can be routed to? Those more knowledgable than me can chime in...
The VSCommands plug-in for Visual Studio 2010 adds colour formatting to the output window so errors are red. I'm not sure how they are doing it but it might give you a starting point.