How to build specific targets in msbuild.exe?

How to build specific targets in msbuild.exe?

The following example executes the Rebuild target of the NotInSlnFolder project, and then executes the Clean target of the InSolutionFolder project, which is located in the NewFolder solution folder. If you would like to examine the options available to you, you can use a debugging option provided by MSBuild to do so.

When to run MSBuild target before compilation but only when compilation will happen?

MSBuild seems to execute target “BeforeBuild” each time, also if the library project itself does not need to build. I’d like to configure the build process to only run the PowerShell script if the library needs to (re)build.

What is the purpose of MSBuild in Visual Studio?

MSBuild targets. Targets group tasks together in a particular order and allow the build process to be factored into smaller units.

What does the optional attribute mean in MSBuild?

When specified, indicates that this target should run after the specified target or targets. This lets the project author extend an existing set of targets without modifying them directly. For more information, see Target build order. Optional attribute.

Notice that what is assigned to /t is the project name in the solution, it can be different from the project file name. Also, as stated in How to: Build specific targets in solutions by using MSBuild.exe:

How to specify project file in MSBuild Stack Overflow?

Just to add additional information, executing msbuild in the project folder will by default build the project file since its the only one there. There are many variations of using msbuild this way. You can specify the proj file directly. >msbuild helloworld.csproj -t:Build.

How does project of interest work in MSBuild?

MSBuild actually works through the use of projects not the solution. The solution is only used to parse it into a temporary project file in MSBuild internally. You should be able to just build the project of interest directly through MSBuild by executing the following command.

How does MSBuild trigger a rebuild in PowerShell?

To do this, I’ve written a small piece of PowerShell which, among other things, triggers a rebuild of the said solution: When you execute msbuild, you tell it which are the targets. In my example above, they are Clean and Build (see the “/t:…” where they are specified). You can also specify the name of a project.

Notice that what is assigned to /t is the project name in the solution, it can be different from the project file name. Also, as stated in How to: Build specific targets in solutions by using MSBuild.exe:

Just to add additional information, executing msbuild in the project folder will by default build the project file since its the only one there. There are many variations of using msbuild this way. You can specify the proj file directly. >msbuild helloworld.csproj -t:Build.

How to override property in MSBuild build file?

The property command-line option ( /p) enables you to override a property in your project build file. In the myproject example project, the release or debug build configuration is specified by the Configuration property. The operating system that you’ll use to run the built application is specified by the Platform property.

What do you need to know about MSBuild Visual Studio?

MSBuild is the build platform for Microsoft and Visual Studio. This walkthrough introduces you to the building blocks of MSBuild and shows you how to write, manipulate, and debug MSBuild projects. You will learn about: Creating and manipulating a project file. How to use build properties. How to use build items.