Where is Developer Command Prompt for VS2013?

Question

I need to run web.exe file from my developer command prompt in Visual Studio 2013. By default, the command prompt is not installed in Visual Studio 2013.

Previously, I was using Visual Studio 2012. It had developer command prompt installed by default.

Does anyone know why VS2013 doesn't have developer command prompt by default? How can I setup developer command prompt for VS2013?

Answer 1

I don't know if this changed recently -- the answer given by Samuel did not apply to me even though that link seemed authoritative.

A couple of things

1) For some reason, the folder in the start menu is called Visual Studio 2013, and not Microsoft Visual Studio 2013. Using the win8 apps interface you might see the 2010 entry Microsoft Visual Studio 2010, and since you don't see the new 2013 folder Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 next to it, you assume it isn't there. But it is.. Just a few page scrolls away..

2) It seems the Windows 8 (or 8.1 at least) cannot display sub-folders. I tried creating a folder underneath the Visual Studio 2013 folder with shortcuts, and the entire folder just didn't show.

3) Which is why what is installed is a shortcut. Not sure what the windows 7 behavior is with a shortcut in the start menu, but the apps menu just displays it like a folder. When you click on it, it brings you to the so-called missing shortcuts in explorer.

Final solution: under C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs, create a new folder called Microsoft Visual Studio 2013. Copy the shortcuts from C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\Shortcuts to that new folder. Then you'll have your icons using the windows 8 app interface under the heading which is the new folder name.

You'll also be able to just start typing from the start screen VS2013, and the icons will now show up.

Answer 2

From VS2013 Menu Select "Tools", then Select "External Tools". Enter as below:

• Title: "VS2013 Native Tools-Command Prompt" would be good
  
• Command: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
  
• Arguments: /k "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat"
  
• Initial Directory: Select as suits your needs.
  

Click OK. Now you have command prompt access under the Tools Menu.

Answer 3

Works with VS 2017
I did installed Visual Studio Command Prompt (devCmd) extension tool.
You can download it here: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ShemeerNS.VisualStudioCommandPromptdevCmd#review-details

Double click on the file, make sure IDE is closed during installation.
Open visual studio and Run Developer Command Prompt from VS2017

Answer 4

I used a modified version of this answer - based on my experiences adding it to VS 2010:

1. Select Tools >> External Tools in Visual Studio
2. Click Add
3. Title: I use Visual Studio Command &Prompt
   • &P Makes P a alt-shortcut key (when menu active)
   • I originally used C, but that conflicts with the existing shortcut for Customize
4. Command: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
5. Arguments: \k "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Tools\vsvars32.bat
   • /k keeps a secondary session active so the window doesn’t close on the .bat file
6. Initial Directory: I use $(ProjectDir) (from the dropdown)
7. Click OK.

Now you have command prompt access under the Tools Menu.

See also: Add command prompt to Visual C# Express 2010

Answer 5

I'm using VS 2012, so I navigated to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Visual Studio 2012\Visual Studio Tools" and ran as administrator this "Developer Command Prompt for VS2012" shortcut. In command shell I pasted the suggested

aspnet_regiis -i

and as I suspected this did not yield any success on Windows 10:

So all I needed to do was "Turn Windows Features On/Off" at Control Panel and restart my machine to effect the changes. That did resolve the issue. Thanks.

Answer 6

Since any solution given so far will open the command prompt on the project folder, you would still have to navigate to the project's folder. If you are interested in getting the command prompt directly into the project's folder, here is my 2 steps:

1. Right-click in solution explorer on the project name (just under the solution name) and choose the command "Open Folder in File Explorer"
2. Once the Windows Explorer is open, just type in the address bar "cmd" and then hit enter!

Et voila! Hope that helps