If I want to save back up or different versions of a VM Arduino project, what is the best / correct way to do this?  I am unfamiliar with AS7 project / solution / directory structures.

Hi,

I can only answer for visual micro arduino projects.

Everything is in or below the folder where your program (.ino) code is located

I only use it for Arduino projects.  What is a solution, and what is a project, and should either of these change when saving different versions of the Arduino file?  Thanks.

Hi,

Atmel studio is actually visual studio so you can follow any microsoft/atmel suggestions and tutorials about this

All files are text files so you can look at what is in them and change them if ever need.

In essence a .sln solution contains the relative paths of the projects (.cppproj) you see in the solution explorer.

A .cppproj contains a list of the relative paths of the files you have included into the solution tree. Visual micro also stores global properties if you have changed any using the visual micro project properties.

The project files also includes intellisense info but this is rebuilt as needed.

How to re-create a solution and project example

If you removed all atmel/vs files and only your own source code remained then used visual micro to "file>open>arduino project > .ino" you would find that your project and solution are recreated.

If you do this you would just need to ensure that any "additional code files" have been "included" in the solution explorer by right clicking the files when "show all files" is selected.