The solution concept is hampered by the fact that every single project has to produced a build product. Consequently it is difficult to hold non-building elements naturally in a solution. The solution folder concept is counter-intuitive and needs to be managed (It would have been better to use the lnk concept to reference arbitrary elements on the file system into a solution).

Presently, the folder system is typically part of the documentation structure. Additionally, this document is stored in the solution folder with the project. Presently there is no expedient way to expose this information and structure in a solution. The present possible approach is to manually maintain a parallel solution folder setup. This is stupid (or I am stupid for not finding an obvious and better approach).

The solution: just provide a project that does not build (or create a bin and obj folder). In addition (but not necessary), you can make it possible to add any folder into a solution by defining it as such a project. It isn't built or even touched by the compiler; however, it is source controled and make be grouped into solution folders like other building projects.

If you are upto it, you might give it an optional deployment flag (and perhaps relative path). This would allow such folders to become a deployment resource folder, if desired.

-if visual studio is a big fat juicy stake (or egg plant, for all those veggies), then this is a pinch of salt and pepper (or garlic and pepper for all those with reduce salt diets) :)