MSBuild - keep ItemGroup in separate file - msbuild

Question

I have the following MSBuild target working.
<Target Name="MyTarget">
<ItemGroup>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\.svn\**"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\obj\**"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.config"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.cs"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.csproj"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.user"/>
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<ZipFiles Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.*" Exclude="#(ExcludeList)" />
</ItemGroup>
<Zip Files="#(ZipFiles)"
WorkingDirectory="$(ProjectPath)"
ZipFileName="$(PackageDirectory)\$(ProjectName).package.zip"
ZipLevel="9" />
</Target>
I'd like to store the ExcludeList ItemGroup in a separate file, because I will have multiple msbuild targets in separate files that all need to use that list, and I don't want to recreate it and maintain multiple copies.
What is the best way to externalize an ItemGroup and load it into multiple msbuild scripts?

Answer 1

Create your ItemGroup in a separate msbuild file, then you can include it with Import Element statement.
Make.targets
<Project DefaultTargets = "Build"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" >
<ItemGroup Condition="'$(ProjectPath)' != ''">
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\.svn\**"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\obj\**"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.config"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.cs"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.csproj"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.user"/>
<ExcludeList Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\*.proj"/>
</ItemGroup>
</Project>
Make.proj
<Project DefaultTargets = "Build"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" >
<PropertyGroup>
<ProjectPath>D:\Temp</ProjectPath>
</PropertyGroup>
<Import Project=".\Make.targets" Condition="'$(ProjectPath)' != ''" />
<Target Name = "Build">
<Message Text="Exclude = #(ExcludeList)" />
</Target>
</Project>
When I run msbuild from D:\temp (with the two files, otherwise empty) i get:
Build started 24-01-2012 16:50:33.
Project "D:\Temp\Make.proj" on node 1 (default targets).
Build:
Exclude = D:\Temp\Make.proj
Done Building Project "D:\Temp\Make.proj" (default targets).
Build succeeded.
0 Warning(s)
0 Error(s)