Visual Studio 2013 Update 2 finally added a built-in way to do this with [`ProjectTemplateLink`](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171398.aspx)

The `CopyParameters` attribute will enable child access to all the variables of the parent template, with the prefix of `ext_`.

You don't even need CustomParameters for this. Change your ProjectTemplateLink to this:



    <ProjectTemplateLink ProjectName="$safeprojectname$.Interface" CopyParameters="true">
      Interface\InterfaceTemplate.vstemplate
    </ProjectTemplateLink>

And then you can achieve your goal in the child `.csproj`  like so:



    <ItemGroup>
      <ProjectReference Include="..\$ext_safeprojectname$.Business\$ext_safeprojectname$.Business.csproj">
        <Project>{E5511F75-5B9C-4816-B991-E09225661CF4}</Project>
        <Name>MyTemplate.Business</Name>
      </ProjectReference>
    </ItemGroup>

I would like to be able to create a [Multi-Project Template][MultiProject] for a solution which contains the following two projects (*where the interface should include a reference to the business layer*).:

* `<proj_name>.interface`
* `<proj_name>.business`.  

Normally, you can include [`$safeprojectname$`][$safeprojectname$], which has:

>The name provided by the user in the New Project dialog box

However, as pointed out in the article [Build a multi-project visual studio template][article]

> The problem here is that within each child template, *$safeprojectname$* represents the current project name. There needs to be a way to pass in the root *$safeprojectname$* from the parent template.

I'm trying to implement the solution suggested in this SO question [VS 2010 Multi-Project Template: Inter-Project References][CustomParamtersAnswer], by using [`CustomParameters`][CustomParamters], but am running into trouble.

**My Zipped Up Template Directory looks like this:**

* MultiTemplate.vstemplate
* Interface
  * InterfaceTemplate.vstemplate
  * MyTemplate.Interface.csproj
* Business
  * BusinessTemplate.vstemplate
  * MyTemplate.Business.csproj

You can download the [Entire Directory][zip], but here are some select snippets

**MultiTemplate.vstemplate**



    <VSTemplate Version="3.0.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/vstemplate/2005" Type="ProjectGroup">
      <TemplateData></TemplateData>
      <TemplateContent>
        <CustomParameters>
          <CustomParameter Name="$SolutionName$" Value="$safeprojectname$"/>
        </CustomParameters>
        <ProjectCollection>
          <ProjectTemplateLink ProjectName="$safeprojectname$.Interface">
            Interface\InterfaceTemplate.vstemplate
          </ProjectTemplateLink>
          <ProjectTemplateLink ProjectName="$safeprojectname$.Business">
            Business\BusinessTemplate.vstemplate
          </ProjectTemplateLink>
        </ProjectCollection>
      </TemplateContent>
    </VSTemplate>

**Interface\InterfaceTemplate.vstemplate**



    <VSTemplate Version="3.0.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/vstemplate/2005" Type="Project">
      <TemplateData></TemplateData>
      <TemplateContent>
        <Project TargetFileName="MyTemplate.Interface.csproj" 
                 File="MyTemplate.Interface.csproj"
                 ReplaceParameters="true">
        </Project>
      </TemplateContent>
    </VSTemplate>

**MyTemplate.Interface.csproj**



    <ItemGroup>
      <ProjectReference Include="..\$SolutionName$.Business\$SolutionName$.Business.csproj">
        <Project>{E5511F75-5B9C-4816-B991-E09225661CF4}</Project>
        <Name>MyTemplate.Business</Name>
      </ProjectReference>
    </ItemGroup>


The Problem
=====

When I create a new project, the `$SolutionName$` portion of the string does not get replaced.  Instead it just stays the same.

**Q**: *How can I properly pass this information from the Multi-Project Template to each of the child templates?*

Bonus points if you can figure out how to replace the `<name>` tag value, as token replacements don't seem to work on it.

[MultiProject]: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms185308(v=vs.100).aspx
[$safeprojectname$]: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms185311(v=vs.100).aspx

[article]: http://blog.tonysneed.com/2011/09/14/build-a-multi-project-visual-studio-template/
[CustomParamtersAnswer]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/12929020/1366033
[CustomParamters]: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms247063.aspx
[zip]: http://sdrv.ms/1coSCaj