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Visual Studio solution file headers - 2002 through 2017
*********************************************************************************************
** Below is the header text written in the .sln files produced by Microsoft Visual Studio. **
** By default, each header is preceeded by a new line character (CRLF) in the .sln file. **
** I've identified the specific Visual Studio version used to create each header in place **
** of this blank line and indicated each as such >> VSVERSION <<. **
*********************************************************************************************
** DO NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING FROM THIS LINE IN YOUR .SLN FILE. REPLACE THIS WITH A NEW LINE **
** CHARACTER (CRLF) OR JUST DELETE IT ENTIRELY. OTHERWISE VISUAL STUDIO WILL NOT BE ABLE **
** TO READ THE .SLN FILE TO OPEN THE SOLUTION. **
*********************************************************************************************
** Additionally, the "VisualStudioVersion" and "MinimumVisualStudioVersion" in the headers **
** for VS2013, VS2015 and VS2017 appear to be optional. I can't say if they will remain so **
** in future VS releases, but .sln files without these lines for these VS versions seem to **
** work just fine in my own testing. **
*********************************************************************************************
>> VS2002 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 7.0
>> VS2003 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 8.0
>> VS2005 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 9.0
>> VS2005 (Beta 1) <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 8.0
# Visual Studio 2005
>> VS2008 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 10.00
# Visual Studio 2008
>> VS2010 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 11.00
# Visual Studio 2010
>> VS2012 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 2012
>> VS2013 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 2013
VisualStudioVersion = 12.0.31101.0
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
>> VS2015 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 14
VisualStudioVersion = 14.0.23107.0
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
>> VS2017 <<
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 15
VisualStudioVersion = 15.0.27130.2027
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
@bladewolf55
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Thank you! Saved me a bunch of time tracking these down.

@bl-ue
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bl-ue commented May 30, 2021

See updated version with VS 2019 (and VS 2022 soon!), plus a Python script to parse and determine the VS version from a solution file: https://gist.github.com/bl-ue/4f787ddc63a4becbe928cf54586b48cd

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