Starting Visual Studio from a command prompt

Use devenv.exe for the specific version of Visual Studio. There will be one located in the Common7\IDE folder of the install. Here are the directories as I remember for the various versions.

• 2008:

  %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\Ide\devenv.exe
  

• 2005:

  %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft visual Studio 8\Common7\Ide\devenv.exe
  

This answer is a different way to handle starting Visual Studio in any version of Windows, by using the Windows Key {windows logo} start to start the target application.

1. Pin each version to the task bar. One way is to right click an active running program and select 'Pin to Taskbar. Or find in the program manager and right click again to pin.

2. Pin each different version right next to the task bar. For this example pin each version in succession 2003, 2005 and finally 2008. Make sure they are next to the start button for easier index number memorization.

   

3. To launch the 2003 version hit the WindowsKey then number 1.

4. To launch 2005 WindowsKey 2.

5. To launch 2008 WindowsKey 3.

This is fast and easy and can launch multiple instances without bringing up the command console.

Haven't tested on preceding versions - but to launch Visual Studio 2019 you can just enter start devenv to launch right away without entering into a path

You have to use the path to distinguish them. For instance, here is the Visual Studio 2005 command on my laptop:

    "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe"

Here's another tip: You can figure out how to run various Windows applications from the command line by finding them in the Windows Start Menu, right-clicking on the icon, select properties, and then on the Shortcut tab, look at the Target textbox. Copy that text out and usually you can use it at a console command line.