Opening a Makefile

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Like any Visual C++ project, you can load a makefile (MAKEFILE, or filename.mak) into the Visual C++ project system either as a separate workspace, or as a project that is part of the current workspace. You can also simply add a makefile to a project. For example, you might want to run custom build rules on the makefile rather than building it separately.

To load the makefile as a project and create a project workspace for it

• On the File menu, click Open.

  -or-

• On the File menu, click Open Workspace.

To add the makefile as a project to the current workspace

• On the Project menu, click Insert Project into Workspace.

To add the makefile to an existing project

• On the Project menu, click Add to Project, then click Files.

When you open a makefile as a project, Visual C++ does one of the following:

• For makefiles that were created in the current version of Visual C++, Visual C++ opens the associated workspace without any prompting.
  
  
• For makefiles that were created in an earlier version of Visual C++, a message box asks if you want to convert the project to the current format. If you click No, Visual C++ does not open the file. If you click Yes, Visual C++ upgrades the makefile project, adding it and any associated files to the workspace, or creating a new workspace.
  
  
• For makefiles that were not created in the Visual C++ environment, a message box asks if you want to create a project to wrap the makefile. If you click No, Visual C++ does not open the file. If you click Yes, Visual C++ creates a project workspace file, and other associated project files for the external makefile. The external makefile becomes a part of the project workspace.

What do you want to know more about?

Building a Project from the Command Line

What do you want to do?

Export a Makefile