[RESOLVED] no "build" option in VB 2010 menu

[vbforever23]

Hi all.

In VB 2008 Express, in the top menu, there is "Build" (Between Project and Debug), but it's not there in VB 2010 Express. I tried to find an option for it in Tools, but I can't find it.

I can use the Build menu in VB2008 to build an .exe that shows up in the "Release" folder. What can I do to make an .exe as a release, so that I can implement it? If I was to use the .exe in the "Debug" folder, I can only run it in Debug mode.

In VB2010, I can right-click on the area near the toolbar and choose "build", which makes 2 buttons appear. I can click on the Build" button, but it does not create a new .exe in the "Release".

Sorry if the solution is really simple, but I am a newbie, and I've only recently converted to VB 2010 Express. I can't believe how difficult this problem is!

Thanks in advance.

[danasegarane]

Did you Select Your Project from Solution Explorer , and Right Click Menu --> Build Option ?

[vbforever23]

I did not do that, but I have now done that, and I still can't get an updated .exe in the "Release" folder, just an updated .exe in the "Debug" folder.

I wonder why M$ would remove "Build" from the top menu.

EDIT: Well, I searched all my HD, and can only find an old .exe from last month in the "Release" folders, even though there is a new .exe in the Debug folder.

[jmcilhinney]

Have you maybe tried just adding it back? Right-click the menu and select Build.

[vbforever23]

@jmcilhinney, yep, doing that adds 2 new buttons(icons to the toolbar), one of which is "Build". When I click that icon, that says "Build Succeeded" at the bottom of the IDE, but I still can't get a new .exe in the Release folder.

[jmcilhinney]

Ah, sorry. That's a list of tool bars. I looked at it very quickly and was thinking it was menus. My apologies.

[danasegarane]

Set the Output Folder in Compile tab of the Project Properties...

[vbforever23]

@danasegarane: that only creates a new "Debug" folder under a different name.

I've since created a new simple program in both VB2008 and VB2010, and while VB2008 & VB2010 both create a Debug and Release folder, only VB2008 puts an .exe file(as well as other files) in the Release folder. The Release folder of VB2010 remains empty.

So the 2 differences between VB2008 & VB2010:

1. VB2010 has no "Build" option in the top menu
2. The Release folder of VB2010 remains empty when a project is built

The solution I am using is just to make a copy(not shortcut) of the .exe in the Debug folder and use that. Good enough. Before I was using a shortcut to this .exe, and couldn't rebuild the project because the .exe was running. With VB2008, I was using a shortcut to the .exe in the Release folder, so had no problem editing and rebuilding the .exe in the Debug folder.

Thanks for the replies.

[danasegarane]

@danasegarane: that only creates a new "Debug" folder under a different name.

If you set the Build Mode to Release you will get Release folder...

[mindtrix]

Hey vbforever23,

First off, just wanted to say hello and thanks to all the awesome people on this board. I've been a member for a long time but have never posted anything until now! Also, sorry if I'm reviving a "resolved" thread... just wanted to post the solution in case other people were having this same problem.

I recently installed VB2010 Express and was really confused as to why I my project wasn't being compiled and saved in the project's bin/release folder. After looking all over the place for the solution, I found this thread hoping to find the answer.

Vbforever23, if you're still not able to get your project compiled and output to the Release folder, here's the solution.

When you install VB2010 Express edition, the default IDE settings is set to "Basic Settings." To get the Build menu back, all you have to do is change the IDE settings to "Expert Settings."

To do this, go to Tools --> Settings and then choose Expert Settings.

Even though there is now a "Build" option in the top menu, selecting build will still not solve our problem. You still have to change the project's compile configuration to "Release" so that building your project will output to the project's Release folder.

To set VB Express to do a Release Build of the project, you need to select "Release" from the configuration manager. Do this by going to Build --> Configuration Manager from the top menu, and then choose Release.

Now that you have "Expert Settings" enabled, if you're feeling ambitious, you could customize your standard toolbar to add a Configuration drop down list so you can easily switch from Debug and Release mode.

Hope that helps. Let me know if need anymore help with this.

Cheers.

[Edited: Clarified how to select Release from Configuration Manager]