[XML] Reading Visual Studio Project file

Hi,


I want to read a VB or C# Visual Studio project file so I can find out which files the project uses (code source files, not images or whatever).

I simply opened a vbproj and csproj file in notepad and found that they are in XML format. A simple example follows. The red parts is what I need:

Code:

---

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup>
      <blabla... />
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
      <Reference Include="System.Data" />
      <Reference Include="System.Design" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
      <Compile Include="Classes\Errors.cs" />
      <Compile Include="Classes\HttpGet.cs" />
      <Compile Include="Classes\NativeMethods.cs" />
      <Compile Include="Classes\Playlist.cs" />
      <Compile Include="Controls\GradientLabel.cs">
          <SubType>Component</SubType>
      </Compile>
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>

---

If you want an exact example, just open any of your own project files in notepad and take a look.

I have used the XDocument class and LINQ previously (but in C#) to read an XML file that was very similar and had no problems, but this one just isn't working...

I tried every variation I could think of, but the code that, in my mind, should work is:

vb.net Code:

Dim xml = XDocument.Load(Me.ProjectFilePath)
                Dim files = From e As XElement In xml.Elements("Project").Single.Elements("ItemGroup") _
                            Where e.Name = "Compile" AndAlso e.HasAttributes AndAlso e.Attribute("Include") IsNot Nothing _
                            Select e.Attribute("Include").Value

However, it seems it cannot even find the Project element, because the query errors saying "Sequence contains no elements" on the 'Single' call...


I can't figure it out. Can someone help me out here? Is there maybe a problem with the file itself? It looks like XML for me but it might not be... Is any file that looks like xml an xml file? I don't think so lol...

Hope this helps.

I tried the following in VS2008 reading a VS2010 project file

Code:

---

Imports <xmlns:alias="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim doc = XDocument.Load("DynamicClassXML.vbproj")

        Dim Query = (From P In doc...<alias:Project> _
                    Where P.@ToolsVersion = "4.0" _
                    Select P).FirstOrDefault


        Console.WriteLine("[{0}]", Query.ToString)
    End Sub
End Class

---

which returned everything. Then I tried for a smaller chunk

Code:

---

Imports <xmlns:alias="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim doc = XDocument.Load("DynamicClassXML.vbproj")

        Dim Query = (From P In doc...<alias:Project> _
                    Where P.@ToolsVersion = "4.0" From X In P.<alias:PropertyGroup> _
                                                  Where X.<alias:AssemblyName>.Value = "VB 10 Generic Iterator Sample" _
                    Select X).FirstOrDefault


        Console.WriteLine("[{0}]", Query.ToString)
    End Sub
End Class

---

Thanks, I got it to work that way... I still don't really understand what's going on. What does the Import do and why do I need the 'alias' thingy..?

Anyway, this is the code that seems to retrieve the files correctly:

vb.net Code:

Dim xml = XDocument.Load(Me.ProjectFilePath)
                Dim files = From p In xml...<alias:Project> _
                            From i In p...<alias:ItemGroup> _
                            From c In i...<alias:Compile> _
                            Where c.HasAttributes AndAlso c.Attribute("Include") IsNot Nothing _
                            Select c.@Include

Thanks!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NickThissen

Thanks, I got it to work that way... I still don't really understand what's going on. What does the Import do and why do I need the 'alias' thingy..?

Anyway, this is the code that seems to retrieve the files correctly:

vb.net Code:

Dim xml = XDocument.Load(Me.ProjectFilePath)
                Dim files = From p In xml...<alias:Project> _
                            From i In p...<alias:ItemGroup> _
                            From c In i...<alias:Compile> _
                            Where c.HasAttributes AndAlso c.Attribute("Include") IsNot Nothing _
                            Select c.@Include

Thanks!

---

Using the import provides IntelliSense when working the LINQ statement. I found this out when trying out some code from Bill McCarthy on his Snippet editor several years ago.

LINQ to XML doesn't work (except how kevin showed you) when the root element contains an xml namespace