How to convert a VS 2010 solution back to 2008

Question

We started using VS 2010 and were very happy with it, so we converted our project into a 2010 solution (still .net 3.5) and continued our development in 2010. However, we are getting a lot of bugs recently and want to go back to 2008. The solution files have changed (new projects and files added everywhere), but everything is still in .net 3.5. I was wondering if there is an easy way to migrate back to 2008.

Answer 1

This question

How does one convert a Visual Studio .NET 2008 solution to Visual Studio .NET 2005?

might also be applicable for converting from 2010 back to 2008.

Answer 2

Assuming that your solution is under source control and the migration from VS 2008 to VS 2010 was the only change in that checkin, just compare the two version and see what's changed.

Then change the lines affected back to the VS 2008 version and you should be good to go.

There's no automatic process as Microsoft see this as a one way operation.

Answer 3

as maZZoo tells, you have to replace those lines in .sln, but if you check you Output panel you may have an alert of using ToolsVersion="4.0", you have to replace that in the .csproj to:

<Project ToolsVersion="3.5" DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">

Answer 4

Depending on if they kept the solution file structure similar between 2008 and 2010, you just need to create an empty solution file in 2008 and look at the top identifier line in it, and copy it into the other solution file.

I however doubt they kept it the same since they were integrating a number of features into solution files.

You would be better off to create a new blank solution in 2008 and use "Add existing project" to reimport them. As long as you dont have any custom "solution" wide references this will work (no solution folders, server setups, etc).

It is probably the fastest and most direct route.

Answer 5

I had success changing the first 2 lines from:

Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 11.00
# Visual Studio 2010

to

Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 10.00
# Visual Studio 2008

Answer 6

You can manually edit .sln file in text editor. There is field named version, or like that, just change it from 10 to 9.