.net – Is it possible to use MSBuild Extension Pack without installation

msbuildnet

Is there a way to use the MSBuild Extension Pack with a "local" reference that doesn't require you to run the installer? In other words, can you store the targets in a solution items folder so that every developer doesn't have to install it?

Best Answer

You have to declare the property, ExtensionTasksPath, before the import statment for the tasks. For example take a look at:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <ExtensionTasksPath Condition="'$(ExtensionTasksPath)' == ''">E:\Data\Development\My Code\Community\MSBuild\ExtensionPack\</ExtensionTasksPath>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <Import Project="$(ExtensionTasksPath)MSBuild.ExtensionPack.tasks"/>

  <Target Name="Demo">
    <MSBuild.ExtensionPack.FileSystem.File TaskAction="GetTempFileName">
      <Output TaskParameter="Path" PropertyName="TempPath"/>
    </MSBuild.ExtensionPack.FileSystem.File>

    <Message Text="TempPath: $(TempPath)" />
  </Target>

</Project>

The MSBuild Community tasks is similar but the property is named MSBuildCommunityTasksLib. I think for SDC tasks its called TasksPath.

Related Solutions

C# – Copy the entire contents of a directory in C#

Much easier

private static void CopyFilesRecursively(string sourcePath, string targetPath)
{
    //Now Create all of the directories
    foreach (string dirPath in Directory.GetDirectories(sourcePath, "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories))
    {
        Directory.CreateDirectory(dirPath.Replace(sourcePath, targetPath));
    }

    //Copy all the files & Replaces any files with the same name
    foreach (string newPath in Directory.GetFiles(sourcePath, "*.*",SearchOption.AllDirectories))
    {
        File.Copy(newPath, newPath.Replace(sourcePath, targetPath), true);
    }
}

Visual-studio – MSBuild doesn’t copy references (DLL files) if using project dependencies in solution

I just deal with it like this. Go to the properties of your reference and do this:

Set "Copy local = false"
Save
Set "Copy local = true"
Save

and that's it.

Visual Studio 2010 doesn't initially put: <private>True</private> in the reference tag and setting "copy local" to false causes it to create the tag. Afterwards it will set it to true and false accordingly.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

C# – Copy the entire contents of a directory in C#

Visual-studio – MSBuild doesn’t copy references (DLL files) if using project dependencies in solution

Related Topic