Visual-studio – MSBuild: error MSB4057: The target does not exist in the project

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We are migrating our compilation system to msbuild, and we've found that some projects report the following error:

c:\src\libs\a_lib\A\A.vcxproj : error MSB4057: The target "C" does not exist in the project.

c:\src\libs\a_lib\B\B.vcxproj : error MSB4057: The target "C" does not exist in the project.

c:\src\libs\a_lib\C\C.vcxproj : error MSB4057: The target "C" does not exist in the project.

c:\src\libs\a_lib\D\D.vcxproj : error MSB4057: The target "C" does not exist in the project.

The compilation line is

msbuild "c:\src\libs\a_lib\a_lib.sln" /nologo "/target:C" /t:build "/p:Configuration=Release" "/p:Platform=Win32"

As can be seen, the solution has several projects. The project itself exists in the solution and can be compiled from within the VS IDE. Also, other targets do not fail (following the example: A, B, D).

Our previous compilation line worked correctly on the same project:

devenv "c:\src\libs\a_lib\a_lib.sln" /project "C" /build /nologo "Release|Win32"

Best Answer

The problem comes from the fact that such project is nested inside a solution folder (Tests in this example) in the Solution Explorer. Target name must include the name of such folders (Tests\C), so the correct compilation line is

msbuild "c:\src\libs\a_lib\a_lib.sln" /nologo "/target:Tests\C" /t:build "/p:Configuration=Release" "/p:Platform=Win32"

Related Solutions

MSBuild: Specifying a target from the command line

I understood that you want to build a target with a specific command: Build, Clean, etc.

This is how I would do it.

Create a property to receive your build command, when not specified defaults to Build

<PropertyGroup>
  <BuildCmd Condition=" '$(BuildCmd)' == ''">Build</BuildCmd>
</PropertyGroup>

After, create the target that will start MSBuild with the specified target in the parameter:

<Target Name="Stackoverflow">
  <MsBuild Projects="Foo.sln" Targets="$(BuildCmd)" />
</Target>

Then call your MSBuild file with the target and BuildCmd parameter like so:

msbuild msbuild.xml /t:Stackoverflow /p:BuildCmd=Clean

Just make sure the target exists in the solution or project file.

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

MSBuild: Specifying a target from the command line

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

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