MSBuild task configuration property

msbuildmsbuild-task

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=Debug;Platform=Any CPU"/>
</Target>

I have tried variations of the above such as the following, but I always end up with the same result.

<Target Name="Build">
    <ItemGroup>
        <ProjectToBuild Include="$(SolutionsPath)\Solution1.sln">
            <Properties>Configuration=Debug</Properties>
        </ProjectToBuild>

        <ProjectToBuild Include="$(SolutionsPath)\Core\Solution2.sln">
            <Properties>Configuration=Debug</Properties>
        </ProjectToBuild>

        <ProjectToBuild Include="$(SolutionsPath)\UI\Solution3.sln">
            <Properties>Configuration=Debug</Properties>
        </ProjectToBuild>
    </ItemGroup>
    <MSBuild Projects="@(ProjectToBuild)"
             Targets="Rebuild"
             Properties="Platform=Any CPU"/>
</Target>

I note there is a similar question, MSBuild task – Build fails because one solution being built in release instead of debug, but that is specific to TFS and Teambuild. I am talking pure MSBuild with a simple project file created from scratch.

How can I fix this problem?

Best Answer

Regarding the question of spelling of platform any cpu, it turns out there is an issue, already reported elsewhere here on StackOverflow and Microsoft. It affects MSBuild in general and the entire issue of Platform documentation is omitted in my dotnet v3.5 MSBuild /help. So perhaps this will help someone!

Links

"AnyCPU" vs "Any CPU" in TFS 2010
MSBuild inconsistent platform for "Any CPU" between solution and project

Closed as Won't Fix   
Type:  Bug
ID:  503935  
Opened:  10/26/2009 1:29:12 PM
Access Restriction:  Public  
0 Workaround(s)
5 User(s) can reproduce this bug

The MSBuild Platform property has a different value for Any CPU depending upon whether you are building a solution or building a project.
- for Solution - use Platform="Any CPU" - with space
- for Project - use Platform="AnyCPU" - without space

Related Solutions

How to specify the platform for MSBuild

In MSBuild or Teamcity use command line

MSBuild yourproject.sln /property:Configuration=Release /property:Platform=x64

or use shorter form:

MSBuild yourproject.sln /p:Configuration=Release /p:Platform=x64

However you need to set up platform in your project anyway, see the answer by Julien Hoarau.

Using MSBuild to Build Multiple Configurations

It is important to realize that when you use a "MSBuild" task, a new child MSBuild process will be started. The implication of this is that any items and properties you define in the parent MSBuild process will not be automatically passed to/visible from the child MSBuild process unless you explicitely pass them via Properties attribute on MSBuild element (as in <MSbuild Properties="..." />).

To answer your question, I wrote the following self-contained example that runs a child MSBuild project for all the specified configurations:

First, create a directory for your MSBuild experiment (for example I used C:\temp\msbuildtest)

In this directory, create the first file, main.proj:

<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="4.0">
    <ItemGroup>
        <ConfigList Condition=" '@(ConfigList)' == '' and $(Config) != '' " Include="$(Config.Split('+'))" /><!-- parse all requested configurations into a list -->
        <ConfigList Condition=" '@(ConfigList)' == '' " Include="Debug" /><!-- if no configurations were specified, default to Debug -->
    </ItemGroup>
    <!--

    Build the child project for each requested configuration. -->
    <Target Name="Build">
        <MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\child.proj" Properties="Configuration=%(ConfigList.Identity);OutputPath=$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\bin\%(ConfigList.Identity)" Targets="Build" />
    </Target>
</Project>

In the same directory, create the second file, child.proj (in your case this would be the actual C# project you're trying to build, but because I'm trying to illustrate my point, I am using a simple child project that instead of running C# compiler just prints values of properties :-) )
```
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="4.0">
    <Target Name="Build">
        <Message Text="Building configuration $(Configuration) with output path $(OutputPath)" Importance="High" />
    </Target>
</Project>
```

Now you can run the example. First the default, if you don't explicitly specify configurations to build:

C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild main.proj
> (cut the noise)
> Build:
>   Building configuration Debug with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Debug

And then explicitly specified multiple configurations:

C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild main.proj /property:Config=Debug+Release+Staging+Production
> (cut the noise)
> Build:
>   Building configuration Debug with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Debug
> Build:
>   Building configuration Release with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Release
> Build:
>   Building configuration Staging with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Staging
> Build:
>   Building configuration Production with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Production

You should be able to adapt this technique to your situation.

Best Answer

Links

Related Solutions

How to specify the platform for MSBuild

Using MSBuild to Build Multiple Configurations

Related Topic