Roslyn: Project System: Allow editing the project file without unloading

[davkean]

Related UserVoice: https://visualstudio.uservoice.com/forums/121579-visual-studio-2015/suggestions/2654545-don-t-close-all-files-when-a-project-file-is-edite

Currently we force you to reload a project when you want to edit it or it changes on disk. We shouldn't require that, we should let you edit it via a gesture (such as Edit on project context menu) and we should be smarter when it changes on disk, to only load the diffs - especially if it's only the addition of files.

[shaggygi]

Looking forward to this feature :smile:

[thecodejunkie]

I have to say that this is an absolute must and has been one of the real strengths of project.json .. it's changed my workflow quite a lot and speed it up. I don't want to use clunky UI tools to set basic project properties and bring in references etc.. the auto complete support for project.json was great

[Yantrio]

I have some concern with the original wording of the issue, I feel that the project file shouldn't have to be edited via a gesture at all, the project.json project system allowed us to edit the file directly, and the current csproj system requires us (in visual studio) to unload to edit, or use "gestures".

Would it be possible to introduce a system where we don't have to unload or go through a GUI to edit the project file?

[davkean]

The wording was written before the xproj -> csproj merge. Based on recent developments we'll make sure we bring/develop a somewhat similar experience to what you have in xproj, we're open to ideas if you have any.

[Yantrio]

Okay, I will await the discussion to come once the design has been fleshed out a bit post-merge announcement.

[davkean]

This issue was moved to dotnet/roslyn-project-system#107