Launching an F# web application inside VS2010 as if it were C#

This is a follow-up to my comments on VS launcher for F# web apps, where I can put an example of the changed markup to the F# class library project to make it act like a web project and launch a browser with your Default.aspx page when you hit F5.

First, add the highlighted element to the topmost <PropertyGroup> clause in the .fsproj file thus:

	<PropertyGroup>
	<Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
	<Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
	<ProductVersion>8.0.30703</ProductVersion>
	<SchemaVersion>2.0</SchemaVersion>
	<ProjectGuid>{cd87f694-a133-42b1-a328-72f7f56e95c3}</ProjectGuid>
	<ProjectTypeGuids>{349c5851-65df-11da-9384-00065b846f21};{F2A71F9B-5D33-465A-A702-920D77279786}</ProjectTypeGuids>
	<OutputType>Library</OutputType>
	<RootNamespace>Library1</RootNamespace>
	<AssemblyName>Library1</AssemblyName>
	<TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.0</TargetFrameworkVersion>
	<Name>Library1</Name>
	</PropertyGroup>

view raw gistfile1.xml hosted with ❤ by GitHub

where the first GUID is for web app, and the second for F# (as you can see by looking for the project in the solution file).

At the bottom of a C# web application .csproj you will find a block of code like

	<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v10.0\WebApplications\Microsoft.WebApplication.targets" />
	<ProjectExtensions>
	<VisualStudio>
	...
	</VisualStudio>
	</ProjectExtensions>

view raw gistfile1.xml hosted with ❤ by GitHub

which you just want to copy and paste into your F# project following the

<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\..\Microsoft F#\v4.0\Microsoft.FSharp.Targets" Condition=" Exists('$(MSBuildBinPath)\Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0.dll')" />

view raw gistfile1.xml hosted with ❤ by GitHub

or equivalent line.

Now adding a trivial Default.aspx file containing

Welcome to ASP.NET on F#!

and the default web.config from a C# web project to the F# library, and running the project launches me that trivial web page into Firefox.

Actually getting F# to play nice with ASP.Net, I leave to those more versed in the latter.