/n switch

The /n switch specifies the composition depth for composing metadata files.

mdmerge /n namespace_depth

Switch Options

namespace_depth: Specifies the namespace depth to compose into a single metadata file.

Here are the possible value formats that you can specify with the /n switch.

Value format	Description
Int32 > 0	Compose all types at the namespace depth specified in the switch.
-1	Compose all types into one IDL file per namespace.
<namespace>:Int32 > 0	Compose all types with matching namespace at the depth specified in the switch.
<namespace>:-1	Compose all types with matching namespace into one file per namespace.

The following table shows the results from different combinations of the /n switch working on these namespaces.

Switches	Result	Explanation
/n:-1 /n:1	Windows.winmd	The last /n switch overrides all previous –n switches.
/n:-1/n:Windows.UI:2	Windows.Foundation.winmd Windows.UI.winmd Windows.Web.Syndication.winmd	Windows.Foundation is always composed at –n:2. Windows.UI types are grouped. Windows.Web.Syndication is composed at n:-1.
/n:1/n:Windows.UI.DirectUI:3	Windows.Foundation.winmd Windows.UI.DirectUI.winmd Windows.winmd	Windows.Foundation is always composed at –n:2. Windows.UI.DirectUI is composed at level 3. All other types are composed at level 1.

Here are the rules for handling multiple instances of the /n switch.

The most specific instance prevails. For example, if you specify –n:A.B.C:4–n:A.B:5, MDMERGE resolves A.B.C.D at level 4, because A.B.C is more specific than A.B. A.B.E.F resolves at depth 5, because it matches A.B but not A.B.C.
The last instance prevails. For example, if you specify –n:5–n:2, the types are composed at level 2.
Both of these rules apply. If you specify –n:A.B.C:4 –n:A.B.C:1, namespace A.B.C is composed at level 1.

mdmerge.exe -metadata_dir $(SDK_METADATA_PATH) -i $(INTERNAL_SDK_METADATA_PATH) -o $(OBJ_PATH)\$O\SystemMetadata -v -n:-1 -n:Windows.Foundation:2

Requirement	Value
Client	Windows 8
Server	Windows Server 2012