MSBuild transform not evaluating wildcards - msbuild

Question

I am having some trouble with a MSBuild file that I am trying to compile some custom libraries.
<PropertyGroup>
<FullVersion>10.8.0.0</FullVersion>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<LibsToBuild Include=".\Lib1">
<Bin>bin\*.*</Bin>
<Project>Library 1</Project>
<Build>ReleaseNoProtect</Build>
<Version>CurrentVersion</Version>
</LibsToBuild>
<LibsToBuild Include=".\Lib2">
<Bin>bin\*.*</Bin>
<Project>Library 2</Project>
<Build>ReleaseLibrary</Build>
<Version>CurrentVersion</Version>
</LibsToBuild>
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<LibsToCopy Include="#(LibsToBuild->'%(FullPath)\%(Version)\%(Bin)')" />
</ItemGroup>
<Target Name="BuildLibs">
<MSBuild
Projects="#(LibsToBuild->'%(FullPath)\%(Version)\Build\Build.proj')"
Targets="%(LibsToBuild.Build)"
Properties="Configuration=Release;APP_VERSION=$(FullVersion);PROJECT_NAME=%(LibsToBuild.Project)"
/>
<Copy
SourceFiles="#(LibsToCopy)"
DestinationFiles="#(LibsToCopy->'.\Libraries\CurrentVersion\%(RecursiveDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')"
/>
<!--
<Exec Command='xcopy /y #(LibsToCopy) .\Libraries\CurrentVersion' />
-->
</Target>
When I run this through MSBuild, all of the compiles work, but the copy files does not. MSBuild complains with the following errors:
Copying file from "X:\Projects\Lib1\Master\bin\*.*" to ".\Libraries\CurrentVersion\*.*".
X:\Projects\Test Release.build(35,3): error MSB3021: Unable to copy file "X:\Projects\Lib1\Master\bin\*.*" to ".\Libraries\CurrentVersion\*.*". Illegal characters in path.
Copying file from "X:\Projects\Lib2\Master\bin\*.*" to ".\Libraries\CurrentVersion\*.*".
X:\Projects\Test Release.build(35,3): error MSB3021: Unable to copy file "X:\Projects\Lib1\Master\bin\*.*" to ".\Libraries\CurrentVersion\*.*". Illegal characters in path.
I am unable to figure out why the transform in the "LibsToCopy" ItemGroup isn't expanding the filename wildcards.
I have also attempted to use xcopy, but it doesn't like the wildcards either.
Thanks!
Dave

Answer 1

I had a similar problem. Try this, just before the <Copy> task
<CreateItem Include="#(LibsToBuild->'%(FullPath)\%(Version)\%(Bin)')">
<Output TaskParameter="Include" ItemName="LibsToCopy" />
</CreateItem>
Unfortunately the documentation says CreateItem task is deprecated, so I don't know how to solve tis problem in the future.