How to start a single project without debugging in Visual Studio?

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My solution contains multiple projects which can be started. SometimesI would like to start a single project without using my solution startup projects settings. When I right-click on the project, I can navigate to Debug->Start New Instance, which starts the application with debugger.

But I would like to start a new instance without debugger. Is this possible?

15 Answers

I just put together this macro.. It's a combination of several snippets I found around the interweb. If the project is configured to run the default project output, it will find and run that. If it's configured to run a specific program, it will run that. This macro will NOT compile your application either, so you'll want to make sure it's compiled before you run the macro. At the same time, this macro doesn't suffer from the problem mentioned in Mahin's macro above.

Sub RunActiveProjectOutput()
    Dim Projs As Array
    Dim Proj As Project
    Projs = DTE.ActiveSolutionProjects()
    If (Projs.Length > 0) Then
        Proj = Projs.GetValue(0)

        Dim action = DirectCast(Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("StartAction").Value, Integer)

        If (action = 1) Then
            Dim app = Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("StartProgram").Value
            Dim args = Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("StartArguments").Value
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(app, args)
        Else
            Dim fullPath = Proj.Properties.Item("FullPath").Value.ToString()
            Dim outputPath = Proj.ConfigurationManager.ActiveConfiguration.Properties.Item("OutputPath").Value.ToString()
            Dim outputDir = System.IO.Path.Combine(fullPath, outputPath)
            Dim outputFileName = Proj.Properties.Item("OutputFileName").Value.ToString()
            Dim assemblyPath = System.IO.Path.Combine(outputDir, outputFileName)
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(assemblyPath)
        End If
    End If
End Sub

Right-click on the solution, select Properties. Select Multiple startup projects. A combobox for each project allows you decide which projects to start without debugging.

an alternative way of approaching this would be to NOT use visual studio for that particular use-case and just use command line "C:\Program Files\IIS Express\iisexpress.exe" /path:%appPath% /port:%appPort%

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