How to capture Visual Studio compile event from external app

[greg_dolley]

Hi guys,

I want to write a little program that runs in the background which counts how many times you stop/start Visual Studio in one day. I guess this could be made as a Visual Studio plugin, but I'm not sure. Or maybe just a program (non-plugin, regular windows app) that counts every time the user presses the F5 button. I know I don't use the F5 button in any of my other applications, so the latter would work.

Does anyone know how to do either of the two things above? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Greg Dolley

[Alin]

....that counts every time the user presses the F5 button. I know I don't use the F5 button in any of my other applications, so the latter would work.
Greg Dolley

what if the user refreshes (hits F5) IE? - i use it all the time.

[f1shrman]

Just a thought, if you want to catch compiles and links, could you watch the processes and then count how many times you see CL.exe and Link.exe run.

[greg_dolley]

what if the user refreshes (hits F5) IE? - i use it all the time.

I do CTRL+R.

Greg Dolley

[greg_dolley]

Just a thought, if you want to catch compiles and links, could you watch the processes and then count how many times you see CL.exe and Link.exe run.

Actually that won't work because when I'm in a web project I sometimes choose to run without compiling.

Any other ideas? Anyone?

-Greg Dolley

[wildfrog]

Any other ideas? Anyone?

Your title says:

How to capture Visual Studio compile event[...]

Is it 'compile' or 'debug' event you want to capture?

If you want to capture the compile (or build) event then maybe you can add your application as a 'pre-build event'. You'll find it somewhere under the project settings.

- petter

[greg_dolley]

Your title says:
Is it 'compile' or 'debug' event you want to capture?

If you want to capture the compile (or build) event then maybe you can add your application as a 'pre-build event'. You'll find it somewhere under the project settings.

- petter

Good idea! I actually only need to capture the debug event. Thanks petter!!

Greg Dolley