Converting Microsoft Visual Studio solutions

[Purple]

Hi, I know this is not about games but it is about computers. And I am counting on you people to help me find what I need.

I own a legal copy of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 (got it from my college a while back). However recently people that I interact with have switched to 2010 express and the solutions they send me are un readable for me.

Now, I don't want to migrate because express provides much less options than the one I have as far as I understand. So is there some sort of conversion program out there that will let me transform the solutions into ones readable by VS 2005 in a single step?

And before you suggest it. I have tried google but none of those that came up were any good.

So does anyone here know anything like what I need?

[phongn]

Are you a student or do you have an academic email address? Go here: Microsoft Dreamspark.

[Purple]

Are you a student or do you have an academic email address? Go here: Microsoft Dreamspark.

Student, but don't have any sort of academic email.
My college sort of did the whole procedure for us and all we had to do was sign and pick up a CD. I newer even saw that web site before.

And with the exams running right now, I don't think I can get through to get any sort of paper work done to get one. So, while I appreciate the link (and will use it as soon as I can) I still need some sort of rapid converter or something to be a stop gap in the mean time.

[phongn]

And with the exams running right now, I don't think I can get through to get any sort of paper work done to get one. So, while I appreciate the link (and will use it as soon as I can) I still need some sort of rapid converter or something to be a stop gap in the mean time.

You're probably SOL. Try installing VS2010 Express alongside 2005?

[Sarevok]

1. Which language are mostly working with ?

2. Do your projects have certain requirements that can not be handled by Express edition ?

[Purple]

1. I mostly use C#

2. No idea, I am used to using the full version and have newer worked with Express. So I have no idea what has been cut from it.

I am likely to get the full version of 2010 by the end of the year from my college anyway I did not want to go express now. That is why I am looking for a stop gap like this.

[brianwinters]

I'm not sure if the Express version is set up differently, but the solution and project files for C# projects should just be text and XML. All you should need to do is change or remove some text to get 2005 to read the projects. This article talks about converting between the different versions and provides an application called Visual Studio Project Version Converter. The article shows key differences between what is in the different versions of the files and it offers the source code as well. Hopefully this will help.

[Purple]

Thanks, that saved me.