Q1 – As far as I know, Visual Studio doesn’t use aspnet_compiler.exe when compiling web application projects. And since Web Deployment Projects (WDP) tool is only used for manipulation the output created by aspnet_compiler.exe, I don’t understand how VS 2008 also has an option for using WDP with web application projects?!
Q2 – What is a stock project?
thanx
EDIT:
So I was right about the fact that Visual Studio doesn’t use aspnet_compiler.exe when compiling web application projects?
much appreciated
Best Answer
Web Application Projects are real projects - they really build, and produce a single assembly in the output (bin) folder, as well as any copies of referenced assemblies, etc. This is what a Web Deployment Project will package.
It's useful to keep in mind that Web Application Projects and Web Deployment Projects were the only way to create web projects until .NET 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005. In many cases, the better question will be "how do web site pseudo-projects ever work".