Why is "Set as Startup" option stored in the sou file and not the sln file?

Question

It seems like this setting should be stored in the solution file so its shared across all users and part of source code control. Since we don't check in the sou file, each user has to set this seperately which seems strange.

Answer 1

Why should it be a non-user-specific preference?

If I've got a solution with 10 files in, and one developer is primarily testing/using one of those tools, why should that affect what I start up?

I think MS made the right choice on this one. The project I want to start is far from necessarily the project that other developers want to start.

Answer 2

In most cases, it actually does make sense to have a default on this.

It would be much better to accomodate a default startup project and store this in the solution file, but which can be overriden by a developer in their SUO file. If the startup setting isn't found in the SUO file, the default startup project in the solution would be used.

That would make a lot of sense in my world.

Answer 3

As Jon mentioned it is absolutely necessary that everyone can define his StartUp Project himself, but to have a dedicated default one would be great and as i can tell, it is possible!!!

Here is the trick: Close your Visual Studio and open the .sln file in your favorite text editor. Starting in line 4 you see all your projects encapsulated in Project - EndProject lines.

If you don't have a .suo file in your solution directory, Visual Studio picks the first one as the default startup project.

So just cut and paste your default startup one to the top position, delete your .suo file and open your solution in Visual Studio. Ta daa!

Is there a special award if you know something that Jon doesn't know ;-))