JavaScript project type for Visual Studio?

Question

I have a tasks that involves creating a JavaScript library that will then be used by multiple projects in a Visual Studio solution. Ideally I would like to find a project type that would, for my JavaScript code, behave as if it was a C# class library, i.e.:

• It would "compile" (minify, check by Closure, ...) the JavaScript code into some output **.js* file
• This output could be "referenced" by other projects, e.g. by an ASP.NET MVC project
• I could specify a "build order" of my projects (standard VS feature)

Is this possible with VS 2010 / 11 or do I need to write some BAT / PowerShell files and script it myself?

Similar but slightly different question: Visual Studio Project Template for JavaScript/VBScript?

Answer 1

Based on my experience developing Asp.Net MVC, Visual Studio has limited support for JavaScript. I suppose there is something you can do to mimic the behavior you want:

1. Create a project to store your JavaScript files, perhaps a Class Library project it doesn't really matter, as long as it supports Build Events. Put your JavaScript files inside new project.

2. Create a post build step on this project to minimize your JavaScript using an external tool. I use YUI Compressor. Your post build step should contain lines similar to the following:

   java -jar $(ProjectDir)Scripts\yuicompressor-2.4.7.jar $(SolutionDir)Scripts\yourJsFile.js -o $(SolutionDir)Scripts\yourJsFile.min.js --charset utf-8

3. Include this new project in your solution. Then for your Asp.Net projects, set up your Active Server Pages such that they reference the JavaScript files, I am using Razor syntax as an example. It might be tricky to specific the correct path though:

@if (@Model.IsDebug) { <script src="@Url.Content("~/Scripts/yourJsFile.js")"  type="text/javascript"> </script> } else { <script src="@Url.Content("~/Scripts/yourJsFile.min.js")"  type="text/javascript"></script> } 

Again it might be tricky to ensure that you can accurately reference the JavaScript files from your Asp.Net project. But I'm sure there is a way to do it. Perhaps you can have your post build step copy the JavaScript files to some common location. If you do this you will also want to mark the post build event on your JavaScript project as "Always Run", so the JavaScript files are always copied.

Answer 2

Good question (+1). Me decision was to put all javascript general files to separate javascript project and use linked files to needed js files in web/mvc project.

This way you get possibility to use subversioning control from javascript project side and compacting and merging js files from separate general projects side using all available tools.