Visual Studio project template contained in, and limited to, specific solution

TheHvidsten 0

I have a solution where certain rules needs to be applied to certain projects. This makes it perfect to be "templatized".
However, I only want the template to be available to this specific solution, so I don't want to have it installed in C:\Users\Whomever\Documents\Visual Studio yyyy\Templates as the each user will then have to manually install the template. The template should be contained in the source control repo, so it needs to be tightly bound to this specific solution (without necessarilly having to reside in the same folder as the .sln file). That way the users should all get it automatically.

It would also be very nice if the template could also be "bound" to a specific solution folder so that the template only shows up when users try to create a new project in the solution folder.

I have already created a project template using the Project > Export Template... wizard, so that's not a part of the question.

I found a suggestion of adding this to the .sln file:

GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
    CustomTemplatePath = ProjectTemplates
EndGlobalSection

Where ProjectTemplates is the name of a folder in the same location as the .sln file, and this folder contains the template ZIP file. This had no effect (the template didn't show up in Add > New Project...)

Is this even possible? If it is, then how can it be done?

Tianyu Sun-MSFT 27,271 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-04-18T08:05:34.5333333+00:00

Hello @TheHvidsten ,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Could you shortly describe the type of those certain rules that you mentioned? Are they project properties, or some code snippets, or some needed packages/references?

"Add > New Project…" opens the VS "Add a new project" window. It provides the project templates that you can added but I don’t think you can custom it to show your customized project template and make it only work for the specific solution(creating a customized Visual Studio extension maybe work, but every user needs to install the extension).
TheHvidsten 0 Reputation points

2024-04-19T07:36:02.1266667+00:00

Thanks for the reply @Tianyu Sun-MSFT

The rules are regarding the setup of the .csproj file and which .cs and appsettings.json files are a part of the project. I can easily create a project template for this.

I don't, however, want the users to have to install this project template. The more templates you have, the more cluttered the "Add a new project" window will be. Therefore I want to limit the project template to this solution only.
Tianyu Sun-MSFT 27,271 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-04-24T08:20:15.1133333+00:00

Hi @TheHvidsten ,

Normal "Add a new project" window doesn’t support identifying the specific solution. You may need to consider using other ways.

If the template is for this specific solution, is it possible to prepare the project but don't export the project as a project template, instead, leave it as a project. When it is needed, directly add it as an existing project?
TheHvidsten 0 Reputation points

2024-04-24T10:38:12.0166667+00:00

Yes, that's basically the route I've taken. I've added a readme that describes how to create a new project, by copying an example project and changing some stuff. Not really optimal, but it works.

It would be nice to have a feature like I'm describing in the future, though.
Tianyu Sun-MSFT 27,271 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-04-25T06:40:13.43+00:00

Good to know that directly using the configured project works on your side.

I would also strongly recommend you submit a suggestion ticket on our Developer Community. If you do submit a suggestion ticket, please kindly share the ticket link here for better tracking. You can then follow up that ticket and if there’s any latest information, VS product team will inform you as soon as possible.

Happy coding!