SOVLED! Visual Studio Not Creating .EXE Files – How To Handle

by

Once it comes to Visual Studio not creating .exe files, the setup is usually the one responsible and the best solution is to take a look at the setup. Aside from that, you could change output type to Console Application, enable Start Without Debugging, add .cpp and disable antivirus program. Continue reading to learn what must be done to put an end to the issue. 

What Is Going On

Setup

All in all, Visual Studio is precise so it only takes one mistake in the setup for things to go haywire. If you notice Visual Studio not creating .exe files, it’s strongly recommended that you give setup some thought. 

Output Type

For ease of convenience, Visual Studio allows people to choose between a couple of output types. Still, it’s worth pointing out that in use, some types outmatch others in terms of consistency. You have a hard time getting Visual Studio to create .exe files? Then you must take the output type into account. 

Debug Mode

In case you don’t know, Debug mode in Visual Studio includes a debugger that attaches to the program at launch. Thanks to the debugger, you should see what your code is doing, isolate errors and apply changes. That being said, Debug mode sometimes causes complications and Visual Studio not creating .exe files is one of the consequences. 

Antivirus Programs 

Generally speaking, the purpose of antivirus programs is to keep computers out of harm’s way but it’s not uncommon for them to overreact. Overreacting antivirus programs could get in the way of quite a few processes and the creation of new files is not an exception. That is why it’s a good idea to add antivirus programs to your list of suspects. 

Approaches To The Situation

Check Out The Setup

For Visual Studio to successfully create .exe files, you must nail the setup which is why you should double-check the file path. For instance, if there is space between the drive and path in (‘”C: \User…), there is no way Visual Studio could create .exe files.

Change Output Type 

  • Step 1: Right-click your project then pick Properties.
  • Step 2: Hit Application, go to Output type and change the output type to Console Application.
  • Step 3: Determine whether the issue persists.

Enable Start Without Debugging

  • Step 1: Launch your program.
  • Step 2: Click Debug.
  • Step 2: Pick Start Without Debugging.

Add .CPP 

  • Step 1: Right-click Solution Explorer.
  • Step 2: Create a new file.
  • Step 3: See how things turn out. 

Note: Depending on the situation, you could rename your file to include .cpp as well. 

  • Step 1: Navigate to Solution Explorer, right-click your project and pick Rename.
  • Step 2: Enter a new name of your choice.
  • Step 3:  Right-click the renamed project then pick Properties.
  • Step 4: Proceed to change the Assembly name and Default namespace in Application tab.
  • Step 5: In the code files that you have created, rename the namespace declaration to use the new name (right-click the namespace, pick Refactor > Rename and enter the new name).
  • Step 6: Click Properties then double-click AssemblyInfo.cs file.
  • Step 7: Change the AssemblyTitle and AssemblyProduct to the new name then save and close Visual Studio.
  • Step 8: In the project directory, delete bin and obj directories.
  • Step 9: Rename the folder to the new project name.
  • Step 10: Open the renamed solutions file using Notepad or any other text editor then change the path to the project.
  • Step 11: Open the solutions file using Visual Studio, clean and rebuild the project.

Disable Antivirus Program 

  • Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Settings.
  • Step 2: Pick Update & Security then click Windows Security.
  • Step 3: Choose Virus & threat protection, navigate to Virus & threat protection and select Manage settings.
  • Step 4: Toggle the Real-time protection switch to disabled then hit Yes on the confirmation prompt. 
  • Step 5: Restart your computer.

Other Visual Studio-Related Questions

What is Microsoft Visual Studio?

Visual Studio is a source code editor available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is used for various types of program development e.g. websites, apps, web services, etc. To get Visual Studio, launch your web browser, visit visualstudio.microsoft.com then download and install a suitable version. 

Is Visual Studio the best IDE?

Visual Studio is among the best IDEs available as it supports a wide range of programming languages i.e Python, C, C++, C#, etc. It also incorporates a built-in debugger that eases bug tracking, code run-through and so on. 

What are the alternatives for Visual Studio?

Many code editors exist but some names stand out from the rest: Vim, Brackets, Sublime Text, Bluefish, Atom, etc.

Leave a Comment