Visual Studio solution file headers - 2002 through 2022

get_vs_ver_from_sln.py

import re
import sys


def main():
    try:
        file = open(sys.argv[1])
    except:
        print('[[File not specified or does not exist, reading data from stdin...]]')
        file = sys.stdin
    lines = [l.strip() for l in file.readlines()]
    file.close()

    vsver2year = {
        '14': '2015',
        '15': '2017',
        '16': '2019',
        '17': '2022',
    }

    fmtver2year = {
        '7.0': '2002',
        '8.0': '2003',
        '9.0': '2005',
        '10.00': '2008',
        '11.00': '2010',
    }

    fmt_ver_re = re.compile(r'^Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version (\d+\.\d+)$')
    vs_ver_re = re.compile(r'^# Visual Studio(?: Version)? (\d+)$')

    fmt_ver = None
    vs_ver = None
    ver = None

    for line in lines:
        if m := fmt_ver_re.match(line):
            fmt_ver, = m.groups()
            # VS 2012+ always are 12.00, so there's no point in using it
            if fmt_ver == '12.00':
                fmt_ver = None

        if m := vs_ver_re.match(line):
            vs_ver, = m.groups()

    if fmt_ver is not None:
        ver = fmtver2year[fmt_ver]
    elif vs_ver is not None:
        # VS 2005-2013 (inclusive) stated the version as the year. VS 2015+ used the integer version.
        if vs_ver in vsver2year:
            ver = vsver2year[vs_ver]
        else:
            ver = vs_ver

    print(f'Visual Studio {ver}')


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Visual Studio solution file headers

*********************************************************************************************
** Below is the header text written in the .sln files produced by Microsoft Visual Studio. **
** By default, each header is preceeded by a Windows 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 [[ VS<VERSION> (PLATFORM TOOLSET) ]]**
*********************************************************************************************
** 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+ 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.                                                                 **
*********************************************************************************************
** Visual Studio 2019 added "Version" to the "# Visual Studio ..." line.                   **
*********************************************************************************************

--------------- YEAR (PLATFORM TOOLSET VERSION - https://stackoverflow.com/a/33386141) ---------------

--------------- 2002 (v70) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 7.0

--------------- 2003 (v71) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 8.0

--------------- 2005 (Beta 1) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 8.0
# Visual Studio 2005

--------------- 2005 (v80) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 9.0

--------------- 2008 (v90) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 10.00
# Visual Studio 2008

--------------- 2010 (v100) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 11.00
# Visual Studio 2010

--------------- 2012 (v110) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 2012

--------------- 2013 (v120) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 2013
VisualStudioVersion = 12.0.31101.0
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1

--------------- 2015 (v140) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 14
VisualStudioVersion = 14.0.23107.0
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1

--------------- 2017 (v141) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 15
VisualStudioVersion = 15.0.27130.2027
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1

--------------- 2019 (v142) ---------------
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio Version 16
VisualStudioVersion = 16.0.31321.278
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1

--------------- 2022 (v142) --------------- (TODO: update v142 when stable is released)
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio Version 17
VisualStudioVersion = 17.0.31410.414
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1