msbuild-task

I recently had to move some code from a PreBuildEvent in Visual Studio into the BeforeBuild target to make it work on AppHarbor . While doing so, I also noticed a BeforeCompile target. What is the difference between these three seemingly similar events: PreBuildEvent, BeforeBuild Target, BeforeCompileTarget? What can/can't be done with each, and why would you pick one over another? The answer to this question can be found in the Microsoft.Common.targets file which can be found (depending on wether you're using the 64-bit or 32-bit framework) at: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319

This question already has an answer here: How to get BuildNumber in .proj (MSBuild) using TFS server 1 answer I have a solution which is built on TFS server. This solution includes several projects which have custom MSBuild tasks. Theses tasks actually create some zip archives. I need to extract somehow the $(Rev) macros from the TFS build and pass it to the tasks. I tried to use MSBuildArguments in the process tab of the build definition and it works when I set a simple string value like: /p:Version="5" but it doesn't work with the macros: /p:Version="$(Rev:r)" do you have any ideas? Edit: I

I have three Visual Studio solutions. The first is configured to build as Release , and the other two are set to build as Debug . When running a simple MSBuild script explicitly stating the configuration to build (Debug), the first project is still built as Release. Sample script: <Target Name="Build"> <ItemGroup> <ProjectToBuild Include="$(SolutionsPath)\Solution1.sln"/> <ProjectToBuild Include="$(SolutionsPath)\Core\Solution2.sln"/> <ProjectToBuild Include="$(SolutionsPath)\UI\Solution3.sln"/> </ItemGroup> <MSBuild Projects="@(ProjectToBuild)" Targets="Rebuild" Properties="Configuration

I'd like to calculate a path in a MsBuild task, to be used by another MsBuild task. What is the best way to accomplish this? Setting a environment variable, printing to Console, ...? Julien Hoarau Use a property or an item. Your MSBuild that calculates the path, return it as a property and you use this property as input for your other task. public class CalculatePathTask : ITask { [Output] public String Path { get; set; } public bool Execute() { Path = CalculatePath(); return true; } } <Target Name="CalculateAndUsePath"> <CalculatePathTask> <Output TaskParameter="Path" PropertyName=

When I do a ReadLinesFromFile on a file in MSBUILD and go to output that file again, I get all the text on one line. All the Carriage returns and LineFeeds are stripped out. <Project DefaultTargets = "Deploy" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" > <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\MSBuildCommunityTasks\MSBuild.Community.Tasks.Targets"/> <ItemGroup> <MyTextFile Include="$(ReleaseNotesDir)$(NewBuildNumber).txt"/> </ItemGroup> <Target Name="ReadReleaseNotes"> <ReadLinesFromFile File="@(MyTextFile)" > <Output TaskParameter="Lines" ItemName="ReleaseNoteItems"/> <

I'm currently integrating my Wix projects in MSBuild. It is necessary for me to pass multiple values to the Wix project. One value will work (ProductVersion in the sample below). <Target Name="BuildWixSetups"> <MSBuild Condition="'%(WixSetups.Identity)'!=''" Projects="%(WixSetups.Identity)" Targets="Rebuild" Properties="Configuration=Release;OutputPath=$(OutDir);DefineConstants=ProductVersion=%(WixSetups.ISVersion)" ContinueOnError="true"/> </Target> However, how do I pass multiple values to the DefineConstants key? I've tried all the 'logical' separators (space, comma, semi-colon, pipe-symbol

I'm developing a custom MSBuild task that builds an ORM layer , and using it in a project. I'm being hampered by Visual Studio's behaviour of holding onto MSBuild task DLLs and not letting go. I'd like to organize my solution like this; My Solution | +- (1) ORM Layer Custom Task Project | | | +- BuildOrmLayerTask.cs // here's my task | +- (2) Business Logic Project // and here's the project that uses it. | +- <UsingTask TaskName="BuildOrmLayerTask" AssemblyFile="$(TaskAssembly)" /> However, when project (2) builds, it locks onto the assembly from project (1). So now I can't build project (1)