Is there a way to ensure a specific visual studio project in a visual studio solution is only built on a build server (or a specific server)

Question

Basically I want to block developers from building one of the projects in a solution that only the build server can/should build.

Alternatively, Developers would have a solution with projects A, B, C but not D. However, The build server would add project D to the solution. Then build the solution with projects A,B,C, & D.

Can this be done through code and/or configuration?

Thanks

Answer 1

Well one of possible solution would be creating different build configurations. Each build configuration would include projects needed to run properly.

Simplified example:

Developers could use default Debug configuration to build projects A, B and C (D must be excluded from this configuration) to run application locally.

Production configuration would have all projects (A, B, C and D) included, and your continuous integration system would use that configuration to build your solution.

Keep in mind what others said, you won't be able to protect project D from manual or accidental builds, as long as it stays inside same solution.