How to: Migrate a Domain-Specific Language to a New Version
Note
This article applies to Visual Studio 2015. If you're looking for the latest Visual Studio documentation, see Visual Studio documentation. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Visual Studio. Download it here
You can migrate projects that define and use domain-specific language to Visual Studio 2010 from the version of Domain-Specific Language Tools that was distributed with Visual Studio 2008.
A migration tool is provided as part of Visual Studio SDK. The tool converts Visual Studio projects and solutions that use or define DSL Tools.
You must run the migration tool explicitly: it is not launched automatically when you open a solution in Visual Studio. The tool and detailed guidance document can be found at this path:
%Program Files%\Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 SDK\VisualStudioIntegration\Tools\DSLTools\DslProjectsMigrationTool.exe
Before you Migrate your DSL Projects
The migration tool modifies Visual Studio project files (.csproj) and solution files (.sln).
To prepare projects for migration.
Make sure the .csproj and .sln files can be written. If they are under source control, make sure that they are checked out.
Make a copy of the folders you intend to migrate.
Migrating a Collection of Projects
To Migrate DSL Projects and Solutions to Visual Studio 2010
Start the DSL Migration Tool.
You can double-click the tool in Windows Explorer (or File Explorer), or start the tool from a command prompt. The tool is in this location:
%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 SDK\VisualStudioIntegration\Tools\DSLTools\DslProjectsMigrationTool.exe
Choose a folder that contains solutions and projects that you want to convert.
Enter the path in the box at the top of the tool, or click Browse.
The migration tool displays a tree of projects that define or use DSLs. The tree includes every project that uses the Microsoft.VisualStudio.Modeling.Sdk or TextTemplating assemblies.
Review the tree of projects, and uncheck projects that you do not want to convert.
Select a project or solution to see a list of changes that the tool will make.
Note
The checkboxes that appear next to folder names have no effect. You must expand the folders to inspect the projects and solutions.
Convert the projects.
Click Convert.
Before each project file is converted, a copy of project.csproj is saved as project.vs2008.csproj
A copy of each solution.sln is saved as solution.vs2008.sln
Investigate any failed conversions that are reported.
Failures are reported in the text window. In addition, the tree view shows a red flag on each node that has failed to convert. You can click the node to get more information about that failure.
Transform All Templates in solutions containing successfully converted projects.
Open the solution.
Click the Transform All Templates button in the header of Solution Explorer.
Note
You can make this step unnecessary. For more information, see How to Automate Transform All Templates.
Update your custom code in the converted projects.
Attempt to build the projects, and investigate any failures.
Test your designer.