Definitions of each of the options
- None: The file is not included in the project output group and is not compiled in the build process. An example is a text file that contains documentation, such as a Readme file.
- Compile: The file is compiled into the build output. This setting is used for code files.
- Content: Allows you to retrieve a file (in same directory as the assembly) as a stream via Application.GetContentStream(URI). For this method to work, it needs a AssemblyAssociatedContentFile custom attribute which Visual Studio graciously adds when you mark a file as “Content”
- Embedded resource: embeds the file in an exclusive assembly manifest resource.
- Resource (WPF only): embeds the file in a shared (by all files in the assembly with similar setting) assembly manifest resource named AppName.g.resources.
- Page (WPF only): Used to compile a
xamlfile intobaml. Thebamlis then embedded with the same technique asResource(i.e. available as `AppName.g.resources) - ApplicationDefinition (WPF only): Mark the XAML/class file that defines your application. You specify the code-behind with the x:Class=”Namespace.ClassName” and set the startup form/page with StartupUri=”Window1.xaml”
- SplashScreen (WPF only): An image that is marked as
SplashScreenis shown automatically when an WPF application loads, and then fades - DesignData: Compiles XAML viewmodels so that usercontrols can be previewed with sample data in Visual Studio (uses mock types)
- DesignDataWithDesignTimeCreatableTypes: Compiles XAML viewmodels so that usercontrols can be previewed with sample data in Visual Studio (uses actual types)
- EntityDeploy: (Entity Framework): used to deploy the Entity Framework artifacts
- CodeAnalysisDictionary: A XML file containing custom word dictionary for spelling rules