How to start a single project without debugging in Visual Studio?

Question

Hi!

My solution contains multiple projects which can be started. SometimesI would like to start a single project without using my solution startup projects settings. When I right-click on the project, I can navigate to Debug->Start New Instance, which starts the application with debugger.

But I would like to start a new instance without debugger. Is this possible?

Best Regards

Answer 1

Set As a startup project and press Ctrl+F5 or from the Menu option choose, Debug Menu + Start Without debugging.

Answer 2

Use

Start without debugging

under Debug menu

or

Ctrl F5

or

you can modify the web.config file for the project

<compilation debug="false"/>

Answer 3

Right-Click on the project and Set it as Startup Project.

Hit Ctrl + F5

Answer 4

In short no.

What you could do is bind a key to the "Set as startup project" and then bind another key to start without debugging. Then you would have to push 2 keys to start this project without debugging, but at least it'd be quicker than using the mouse...

Answer 5

I usually start the executable directly. If i need one solution without debugging mode a lot i usually add them to a quick launch menu somewhere on my taskbar.

Answer 6

1. Set the required project to be the Startup Project (as every has suggested)
2. Turn off 'Build' for all other projects in the Solution Configuration Manager
3. Start Without Debugging.

Answer 7

If you are interested in permanent solution then I have written a small macro for this task. It does following things :

1. Gets current selected project ( it will use first selected project, if you have selected multiple projects.)
2. Saves the current Startup Project
3. Sets the current selected project as Startup project and Runs the current selected project in "Start without Debug" Mode.
4. Restores the Initial Startup Project as Startup Project.

Below is the Macro that I have written and the procedure how to do it.

How to write Macro : First thing you need to go to Visual Studio Tools --> Macros --> Macro Explorer. Once you got that right click on MyMacros and create a new module (I called it CollapseAll).

Now edit the new module (double-click on it) erase whatever is in there and paste this stuff into it.

Sub RunSelectedWithoutDebug()
            Dim Projs As Array
            Dim Proj As Project
            Projs = DTE.ActiveSolutionProjects()
            If (Projs.Length > 0) Then
                Proj = Projs.GetValue(0)
                Dim Prop As EnvDTE.Property
                Prop = DTE.Solution.Properties.Item("StartupProject")
                Dim PrevStartup As Object
                PrevStartup = Prop.Value
                Prop.Value = Proj.Name
                DTE.ExecuteCommand("Debug.StartWithoutDebugging")
                Prop.Value = PrevStartup
            End If
        End Sub

How to bind macro to keyboard shortcut : To do this you need to go to Tools-->Options-->Environment-->Keyboard. Pick your macro from the listBox with all the default VS stuff (remember it will be there like MyMacros.Module1.RunSelectedWithoutDebug) and then assign a hotkey combination or chord to it and save.

Note : Fourth step is creating a problem and spawns an annoying messagebox saying : The build must be stopped to change the solution property. Stop the build? Ok or Cancel. I used to hit Ok for the timebeing. If you dont have any problem if the macro sets up current selected project as Startup project than please comment last line of macro Prop.Value = PrevStartup by putting ' at the start of line.Now the messagebox will not come.

I am looking into it and will post the updated macro once i solve it ( if I can :) )

Answer 8

I've been trying to do the same thing. It seems like an oversight by the VS team that you can start with or without debug at the solution level, but only with debug at the project level.

One thing that I've noticed is that if you right-click on a toolbar and choose "Customize", in the popup window of actions, go to Category "Project". In there, there is a command for "Run" and "Run Selected". Interesting, I added both to my project context menu, and to the main button bar, and the items seem to always be disabled.

Also interesting, the project context menu's "Debug | Start New Instance" command is nowhere to be found in the list of customizable commands. I looked through almost every category and couldn't find it.

Hopefully someone comes up with a good way to do this... it would be really handy!

Answer 9

I just put together this macro.. It's a combination of several snippets I found around the interweb. If the project is configured to run the default project output, it will find and run that. If it's configured to run a specific program, it will run that. This macro will NOT compile your application either, so you'll want to make sure it's compiled before you run the macro. At the same time, this macro doesn't suffer from the problem mentioned in Mahin's macro above.

Sub RunActiveProjectOutput()
    Dim Projs As Array
    Dim Proj As Project
    Projs = DTE.ActiveSolutionProjects()
    If (Projs.Length > 0) Then
        Proj = Projs.GetValue(0)

        Dim action = DirectCast(Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("StartAction").Value, Integer)

        If (action = 1) Then
            Dim app = Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("StartProgram").Value
            Dim args = Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("StartArguments").Value
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(app, args)
        Else
            Dim fullPath = Proj.Properties.Item("FullPath").Value.ToString()
            Dim outputPath = Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("OutputPath").Value.ToString()
            Dim outputDir = System.IO.Path.Combine(fullPath, outputPath)
            Dim outputFileName = Proj.Properties.Item("OutputFileName").Value.ToString()
            Dim assemblyPath = System.IO.Path.Combine(outputDir, outputFileName)
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(assemblyPath)
        End If
    End If
End Sub