I need to create a demo version of an existing large application consisting of multiple projects. I'd like to use the existing projects, and just neuter the functionality via preprocessor directives
#if DEMO
mycode.NeuterNow();
#endif
We are building our app using MSBuild, and I'd ideally use something along the lines of:
MSBuild -DefineProperty:DEMO MySolution.sln
Does such functionality exist?
I discovered something interesting when pursuing my own solution to this problem and I thought I'd share.
The /p directive in MSBuild isn't limited to properties that already exist in a build file. You can use it to set anything.
So if, for example, you lead your preprocessor directives with $(FeatureSet) and then call MSBuild as, for example
MSBuild solution.sln /p:FeatureSet=DEMO
it gets #defined accordingly without having to manually clobber and respecify any other preprocessor directives you have running.
I've verified this works in VS2010. Not quite as sure about how you'd define FeatureSet for a build done inside Visual Studio without MSBuild.