Losing all previous preprocessor symbols when adding one

[David W]

In VS .NET 2003 (SP1) I wanted to add a preprocessor symbol to all configurations of all projects in
a solution. I selected all the projects and then went to Properties, where I went to the
preprocessor symbols edit box. Nothing was in there, presumably because no symbols are common to all
selections, which is as expected. However, when I added the new symbol I found that _all_ other
symbols, such as _WINDOWS etc. had been deleted from all configurations of all projects. I don't
know if this is by design, but it's wrong. VC++ 6.0 didn't work this way. How do I add a symbol to
multiple selections without losing anything?

David

[Doug Harrison [MVP]]

On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:55:43 +1000, "David W" <[e-mail]:

>In VS .NET 2003 (SP1) I wanted to add a preprocessor symbol to all configurations of all projects in
a solution. I selected all the projects and then went to Properties, where I went to the
preprocessor symbols edit box. Nothing was in there, presumably because no symbols are common to all
selections, which is as expected. However, when I added the new symbol I found that _all_ other
symbols, such as _WINDOWS etc. had been deleted from all configurations of all projects. I don't
know if this is by design, but it's wrong. VC++ 6.0 didn't work this way. How do I add a symbol to
multiple selections without losing anything?

That's a common complaint, and here are a couple of bug reports on it:

http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualS...dbackID=108849
http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualS...dbackID=109761

Hopefully it will be fixed in the next version. In the meantime, you can:

1. Update each project individually.
2. Use a header file to define macros.
3. In VC 2005, use the new "property sheet" feature:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-US/library/a4xbdz1e.aspx

--
Doug Harrison
Visual C++ MVP

[David W]

"Doug Harrison [MVP]" <ds*@mvps.orgwrote in message
news:b2********************************@4ax.com...

On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:55:43 +1000, "David W" <[e-mail]:

In VS .NET 2003 (SP1) I wanted to add a preprocessor symbol to all configurations of all projects

in

a solution. I selected all the projects and then went to Properties, where I went to the
preprocessor symbols edit box. Nothing was in there, presumably because no symbols are common to

all

selections, which is as expected. However, when I added the new symbol I found that _all_ other
symbols, such as _WINDOWS etc. had been deleted from all configurations of all projects. I don't
know if this is by design, but it's wrong. VC++ 6.0 didn't work this way. How do I add a symbol

to

multiple selections without losing anything?

That's a common complaint, and here are a couple of bug reports on it:

http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualS...dbackID=108849
http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualS...dbackID=109761

Those are for 2005, so this problem appears to have had a long life.

Hopefully it will be fixed in the next version. In the meantime, you can:

1. Update each project individually.
2. Use a header file to define macros.
3. In VC 2005, use the new "property sheet" feature:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-US/library/a4xbdz1e.aspx

Thank you. I am getting the impression that 2003 is a bit of a lemon. The UI is all pretty clunky
and I'd rather be using just about anything else. The VC++ 6.0 IDE was a dream in comparison.

David

[David Lowndes]

>Those are for 2005, so this problem appears to have had a long life.

It's been a problem ever since the first version of VS. Given how long
it's been a problem, one does have to wonder if it'll ever get fixed.
I really hope it does!

Dave

[Bruno van Dooren [MVP VC++]]

Thank you. I am getting the impression that 2003 is a bit of a lemon. The

UI is all pretty clunky
and I'd rather be using just about anything else. The VC++ 6.0 IDE was a
dream in comparison.

You have probably never used the VC2002 IDE?
E.g. The release that is never mentioned anymore. The shame, the horror, ...
The only excuse is that that release was the first of the .NET generation,
and they had a lot on their mind.

I agree that if you program MFC, the VC6 IDE is much better than any of the
later releases.

--

Kind regards,
Bruno van Dooren
br**********************@hotmail.com
Remove only "_nos_pam"