MSBuild error when building <project> unrecognized - msbuild

I have installed VS2010. I have a simple .build file which contains this.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<project name="system" default="build">
<target name="build">
<exec program="C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe">
<arg value="C:\System\system.build" />
</exec>
</target>
</project>
When I try to build the project by typing C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe system.build, I received this error.
C:\System\system.build(2,1): error MSB4068: The element is unrecognized, or not supported in this context.
I'm interested in recommendations or suggestions.

The reason it doesn't work is you've written the msbuild file almost exactly like you'd write ant/nant. Yes the Project is missing the xmlns tag but every other element is also incorrect. In MSbuild The first letter is always in capitals - Project and nor project. The same goes for all the elements.
Like so:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Project name="system" default="build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<Target Name="build">
<MSBuild Project="C:\System\system.build"/>
</Target>
</Project>

Dont forget to read your question after you post (the sample was missing which is why you got no quick answers)
You're missing the xmlns on the project node - see a csproj for the required ns bit.
Also, it normally doesn't make much sense to run msbuild from within msbuild as you've done, but then you knew that! (There's an MsBuild task too, which is generally what you want if you want to nest invocations)

Related

Working directory issue when importing msbuild file in another msbuild file

I am trying to specify some additional targets/tasks to an msbuild file by extending an existing msbuild file (a web applicartion .csproj file). The idea is to put configuration specific tasks in this "extended ms build file" and use this file in our build server (TeamCity). The way I tried to solve it at first was to add a folder "msbuildscripts" to my web project and put the extended ms build file there:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build">
<Import Project="../My.Web.csproj" />
...more stuff...
</Project>
and then build this file using something like:
c:\myweb\msbuild.exe msbuildscripts/extended.msbuild.file.xml
Now, this wont work because when importing the original ms build file, that csproj file will be "executed" in the "wrong" folder (msbuildscripts), and the csproj-build-file wont find any of its referenced folders/items.
Is there any way to tell msbuild.exe to use a specific working directory? I know it is possible to solve this problem using an execute task, but that doesnt seem like a good solution.
Use MSBuild task like this:
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="MyBuild">
<ItemGroup>
<ProjectToBuild Include="../My.Web.csproj" />
</ItemGroup>
<Target Name="MyBuild">
<MSBuild Targets="Build" Projects="#(ProjectToBuild)"></MSBuild>
</Target>
</Project>

VCBuild task in MSBuild - change outputpath

I'm attempting to write an automated build for one of our products, and I've hit up against a wall for some of our VC++ projects: I need to be able to set the output path to where the assemblies will be copied once its done.
Here is a makeshift msbuild file:
<Project DefaultTargets="Build"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003"
ToolsVersion="3.5">
<Target Name="Build">
<VCBuild Projects="C:\src\SomeProject\SomeProject.vcproj"
ToolPath="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\vcpackages"
Configuration="Debug" />
</Target>
</Project>
Stijn's Answer:
I thought I'd use this space to clarify how I personally used Stijn's answer to solve this. He has some code in his MSBuild file that writes the vsprops file for him. I decided to take a simpler approach and just write the file manually.
I created this file, called build.vsprops (my output path is V:)
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<VisualStudioPropertySheet ProjectType="Visual C++"
Version="8.00"
Name="Overrides"
OutputDirectory="V:\">
<Tool Name="VCCLCompilerTool"
AdditionalUsingDirectories="V:\" />
</VisualStudioPropertySheet>
Then I edited my MSBuild file to add the Override parameter:
<Project DefaultTargets="Build"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003"
ToolsVersion="3.5">
<Target Name="Build">
<VCBuild Projects="C:\src\SomeProject\SomeProject.vcproj"
ToolPath="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\vcpackages"
Configuration="Debug"
Override="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\build.vsprops" />
</Target>
</Project>
have a look at the Override parameter for the VCBuild task. Basically you specify a property sheet which you can use to override whatever property you want (it has the same effect as adding a property sheet to the top of the list in a project within VS). You could even generate the override file using the WriteLinesToFile task.
Example:
<PropertyGroup>
<VCOverridesFile Condition=" '$(VCOverridesFile)'=='' ">overrides.vsprops</VCOverridesFile>
<VCOverridesOpen>%3C?xml version=%221.0%22?%3E%0D%0A%3CVisualStudioPropertySheet ProjectType=%22Visual C++%22 Version=%228.00%22 Name=%22My Overrides%22%3E</VCOverridesOpen>
<VCOverridesClose>%3C/VisualStudioPropertySheet%3E</VCOverridesClose>
<MyOutPath><Tool Name="VCLinkerTool" OutputFile ="c:\my.exe"/></MyOutPath>
</PropertyGroup>
<Target Name="WriteOverridesFile">
<WriteLinesToFile
File="$(VCOverridesFile)"
Lines="$(VCOverridesOpen);$(AdditionalVCOverrides);$(VCOverridesClose)"
Overwrite="true" />
</Target>
Then pass $(VCOverridesFile) to the Override property and make sure your VCBuild Task DependsOnTarget WriteOverridesFile.
Doing it the dirty way you can pass output directory path through command line arguments of msbuild.
msbuild yourProject /p:OutDir=yourPath
Although I suspect, there should be the better way to accomplish the task. The main idea is to set 'OutDir' property in such a way that it will not be overriden by your SomeProject.vcproj
if you are using Azure DevOps and needs to create a YAML do build a .net framework (vintage[old])
- task: VSBuild#1
inputs:
solution: '**\*.sln'
msbuildArgs: '/p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:SkipInvalidConfigurations=false /p:OutDir="$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)\publish_output"'
platform: 'Any CPU'
configuration: 'Release'

Problems using MsBuild using command line for Publish Click Once

I have Windows application in csproj in my solution, and I want generate Publish using command line (bat, cmd).
My script is (I put \r\n for better reading):
SET MSBUILD="%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\MSBuild.exe"
SET CARWIN="..\..\Security.CarWin.csproj"
rem msbuild para publish
%MSBUILD% /target:rebuild;publish %CARWIN%
/p:ApplicationVersion="1.0.0.0"
/p:Configuration=release
/p:PublishUrl="C:\ClickOnce\CarWin.WebInstall\Publicacion\"
/p:InstallUrl="http://desserver/carwinclickonce/Publicacion/"
/p:PublishDir="C:\ClickOnce\CarWin.WebInstall\Publicacion\"
note: I'll try too using /target:publish
But in path PublishDir or PublishUrl (C:\ClickOnce\CarWin.WebInstall\Publicacion) not generates any files.
I have seen many posts in this site and google but I not found any solution.
Use PublishDir instead of PublishUrl when running from command line.
msbuild /target:publish /p:Configuration=Release;PublishDir=c:\playground\
You can also change version, like ApplicationRevision=666;MinimumRequiredVersion=1.1
Take a look at this Stack Overflow question. Basically the PublishUrl property is ignored when running ClickOnce from the command line. But you can easily add the behaviour with an additional MSBuild-task.
I've created an additional MSBuild-File, for example a build.csproj. This contains a publish-task. This task first invokes the regular MS-Build of the target-project. Afterwards it copies the result to the publish-directory. Now I invoke the 'build.csproj' instead of the reguar project-file from the command-line:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="3.5" DefaultTargets="Publish" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<PropertyGroup>
<!-- project name-->
<ProjectName>MyExampleProject</ProjectName>
<!--properties for the project-build-->
<DefaultBuildProperties>Configuration=Release</DefaultBuildProperties>
<!-- location of the click-once stuff, relative to the project -->
<ProjectPublishLocation>.\bin\Release\app.publish</ProjectPublishLocation>
<!-- Location you want to copy the click-once-deployment. Here an windows-share-->
<ProjectClickOnceFolder>\\TargetServer\deployments</ProjectClickOnceFolder>
</PropertyGroup>
<Target Name="Publish" DependsOnTargets="Clean">
<Message Text="Publish-Build started for build no $(ApplicationRevision)" />
<!-- run the original build of the project -->
<MSBuild Projects="./$(ProjectName).csproj"
Properties="$(DefaultBuildProperties)"
Targets="Publish"/>
<!-- define the files required for click-once-->
<ItemGroup>
<SetupFiles Include="$(ProjectPublishLocation)\*.*"/>
<UpdateFiles Include="$(ProjectPublishLocation)\Application Files\**\*.*"/>
</ItemGroup>
<!-- and copy them -->
<Copy
SourceFiles="#(SetupFiles)"
DestinationFolder="$(ProjectClickOnceFolder)\"/>
<Copy
SourceFiles="#(UpdateFiles)"
DestinationFolder="$(ProjectClickOnceFolder)\Application Files\%(RecursiveDir)"/>
</Target>
<Target Name="Clean">
<Message Text="Clean project" />
<MSBuild Projects="./$(ProjectName).csproj"
Properties="$(DefaultBuildProperties)"
Targets="Clean"/>
</Target>
</Project>
I don't know if this is a problem, but I noticed that you pass the /target parameter twice?
you could you use a semi-colon delimited example:
/target:rebuild;publish
MSDN Documentation on command line parameters and MSBuild
If that also does not work you could perhaps try to debug it by passing
/verbosity:diag

How do I use MSBuild on a C# project with no compilable code

I have a C# web app project which actually has no ASP.Net or C# in it. It's just a single html page with some Javascript, CSS, and a couple of images.
I want to use MSBuild to deploy a version of this app to an output folder with minified JS and CSS.
With the following code, I get an error "CSC: fatal error CS2008: No inputs specified." I'm guessing because the there is no actual C# code to compile but I'm not sure.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build">
<PropertyGroup>
<CssTidy>..\build_tools\csstidy.exe</CssTidy>
</PropertyGroup>
<PropertyGroup>
<DeploymentFolder>Test\</DeploymentFolder>
<SourceProject>..\..\Test\Test.csproj</SourceProject>
</PropertyGroup>
<Import Project="Common.Web.targets" />
<ItemGroup>
<CssFiles Include="..\..\Test\CSS\stylesheet.css" />
<ScriptFiles Include="..\..\Test\JavaScript\javascript.js"/>
</ItemGroup>
<Target Name="compress_css">
<Attrib Files="%(CssFiles.FullPath)" ReadOnly="false"/>
<Exec Command="$(CssTidy) %(CssFiles.FullPath) %(CssFiles.FullPath) --template=highest" />
</Target>
<Target Name="compress_js">
<Attrib Files="%(ScriptFiles.FullPath)" ReadOnly="false"/>
<JSCompress Files="%(ScriptFiles.FullPath)"></JSCompress>
</Target>
<Target Name="call_targets">
<CallTarget Targets="compress_css"/>
<CallTarget Targets="compress_js"/>
</Target>
</Project>
How can I accomplish this?
You could override the CoreCompile target and do nothing there:<Target name="CoreCompile" />. This will skip its activities and move on. You may have to override additional targets to avoid errors.
At the top of the file you have the DefaultTargets="Build"
Change "Build" to "call_targets" and you should be good to go.
What is inside "common.web.targets"? I assume that the error is generated from a target in that file (or another that it imports).
A quick fix for this would be to add a dummy page to the project. The build would work after that.

MSBuild doesn't respect PublishUrl property for my ClickOnce app

I'm trying to make a batch file to publish the few ClickOnce application we have in one click. I'm using msbuild for that, and as an example the below command line shows how I'm doing it:
msbuild
MyApp.sln
/t:Publish
/p:Configuration=Release
/p:PublishUrl="C:\Apps\"
/v:normal > Log.txt
(wrapped for easier reading)
when I run the above command it builds and publish the application in the release directory, i.e. bin\release! Any idea why msbuild doesn't respect PublishUrl property in my example above?
PS: I tried also different combinations including remove 'Configuration', use 'Rebuild' and 'PublishOnly' as targets, and remove the the quotation marks but without any success.
You are setting the wrong property. Try PublishDir instead.
You can pass it into MSBuild as you are or you can set it in the project file (or maybe the sln file too, not sure I always use the project file.) like this
<PropertyGroup>
<PublishDir>C:\Dev\Release\$(BuildEnvironment)\</PublishDir>
</PropertyGroup>
I've just done a few blog posts on MsBuild and ClickOnce stuff, check it out you 'should' find them useful...
Some features are done by Visual-Studio and not by the MSBuild-script. So the click-once-deployment behaves differently when it's executed from the command-line.
The ApplicationRevision isn't increased with every build. This works only when is exectued from Visual Studio
In in somecases, the PublishUrl isn't used. Quote from MSDN:
For example, you could set the PublishURL to an FTP path and set the InstallURL to a Web URL. In this case, the PublishURL is only used in the IDE to transfer the files, but not used in the command-line builds. Finally, you can use UpdateUrl if you want to publish a ClickOnce application that updates itself from a separate location from which it is installed.
I've created a special MSBuild-file which does this things. It runs the publish-target and copies then the files to the right location.
An example of the build-file, as requested by alhambraeidos. It basically runs the regular VisualStudio-build and then copies the click-once data to the real release folder. Note that removed some project-specific stuff, so it's maybe broken. Furthermore it doesn't increase the build-number. Thats done by our Continues-Build-Server:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" DefaultTargets="Publish" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<PropertyGroup>
<!-- the folder of the project to build -->
<ProjLocation>..\YourProjectFolder</ProjLocation>
<ProjLocationReleaseDir>$(ProjLocation)\bin\Release</ProjLocationReleaseDir>
<ProjPublishLocation>$(ProjLocationReleaseDir)\app.publish</ProjPublishLocation>
<!-- This is the web-folder, which provides the artefacts for click-once. After this
build the project is actually deployed on the server -->
<DeploymentFolder>D:\server\releases\</DeploymentFolder>
</PropertyGroup>
<Target Name="Publish" DependsOnTargets="Clean">
<Message Text="Publish-Build started for build no $(ApplicationRevision)" />
<MSBuild Projects="$(ProjLocation)/YourProject.csproj" Properties="Configuration=Release" Targets="Publish"/>
<ItemGroup>
<SchoolPlannerSetupFiles Include="$(ProjPublishLocation)\*.*"/>
<SchoolPlannerUpdateFiles Include="$(ProjPublishLocation)\Application Files\**\*.*"/>
</ItemGroup>
<Copy
SourceFiles="#(SchoolPlannerSetupFiles)"
DestinationFolder="$(DeploymentFolder)\"
/>
<Copy
SourceFiles="#(SchoolPlannerUpdateFiles)"
DestinationFolder="$(DeploymentFolder)\Application Files\%(RecursiveDir)"
/>
<CallTarget Targets="RestoreLog"/>
</Target>
<Target Name="Clean">
<Message Text="Clean project:" />
<MSBuild Projects="$(ProjLocation)/YourProject.csproj" Properties="Configuration=Release" Targets="Clean"/>
</Target>
</Project>
I'll put in my 2 cents, this syntax seems to work (right or wrong):
/p:publishUrl="C:\\_\\Projects\\Samples\\artifacts\\Web\\"
For me, the soultion was to escape the path.
Instead of:
/p:PublishUrl="C:\Apps\"
Put:
/p:PublishUrl="C:\\Apps\\"