A visual editor for MSBuild

Greetings Niners

A couple of weeks ago the company I work for - Trivium Technologies - has released a visual editor for MSBuild project files named MSBuild Sidekick.
This tool is provided as a free download, and you can get it from the MSBuild Sidekick page on our site.
There's also a blog, sponsored by Microsoft Israel, where I post updates and other useful information about the development of our sidekicks pack - including the MSBuild sidekick and a couple of other sidekicks, aimed at Team Foundation Server administration.

As a member of Channel9 for several years now, consider yourselves personally invited to have a go at this new tool. I am really interested in hearing your opinion and receiving your feedback for what we've done, especially now when we're gearing up for the next release.

Cheers!
Matan

Good idea!!!!

I'm going to download it.

Thanks!
Let us know if you'd like to see any specific features in the next versions...

(sorry for bumping the post - I really do appreciate the feedback, especially if it's positive )

Pardon my ignorance, but when does someone have to use MSBuild if you have Visual Studio? I am not asking thing to question the usefulness of the software above. Just a general question. I read a lot about MSBuild and the XML type build files but I still haven't had to fiddle with anything like that in my C# projects.

Just curious.

AdityaG wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but when does someone have to use MSBuild if you have Visual Studio? I am not asking thing to question the usefulness of the software above. Just a general question. I read a lot about MSBuild and the XML type build files but I still haven't had to fiddle with anything like that in my C# projects.

Just curious.

then you are using MSBuild.

look at your *.csproj files the top line refers to the msbuild xml Scema (cant spell at 5am!)

Ah, I guess this is for people who want more manual control then?

a simple source code editior would be nice and the project files should be displayed like solution explorer in Visual Studio.

AdityaG wrote:

Ah, I guess this is for people who want more manual control then?

Yep, VS will make a basic build file but when you need to "tweak" things....

msbuild is in some ways like a "Make" utility -- even edit a makefile?

msbuild using xml at least gives it a standard layout and a good chance tools can be written to customise the content.

makefiles start out simple but can get big and ugly ....

an example of an msbuild thing I'd like to setup but have not had the time to learn what to edit:

on building my target app update the version numbers in the exe and clickonce to follow this pattern:

1.2.ym.hms

so that if I build my app on june 17th of 2006 and the time was 8:15:06am

and my major.minor was 1.3 then my build is:

1.3.0606.81506


so that the minor.build parts keep chnaging as I update the app.
and I can relate the "what version is this?" to that in a usefull way.


I think this could be done if msbuild can alter the right files for me.

sandeep@.net wrote:

a simple source code editior would be nice and the project files should be displayed like solution explorer in Visual Studio.

Do you mean a source-code editor for project files?
Currently, there's a preview option that'll show you the raw XML output of the build you're working on.
We are also planning to add syntax highlighting and edit options to this window, but that'll come on future versions. Right now, we are focusing on our support for the MSBuild schema.

I also like your idea for displaying project files in a tree-view. I'll be sure to bring that up to discussion with the devs after the weekend.

Thanks!

 If you modify and debug complicated MSBuild projects, and feel that you are unhappy with simple XML editors, MSBuild Sidekick may be just what you need: http://www.attrice.info/msbuild/index.htm

Download the latest version of MSBuild Sidekick and experience the most powerful MSBuild project editor: http://www.attrice.info/downloads/index.htm#msbuild2

MSBuild Sidekick v2.3 provides integrated environment for authoring, building and debugging MSBuild 2.0 and 3.5 syntax project files - custom scripts, Visual Studio 2005/2008 projects and solutions and Team Foundation Build scripts alike. Using Sidekick you can: 

  * New: Debug project
  * New: Easily add and edit MSBuild Extension Pack tasks
  * View project structure (incl. imports) in a tree
  * Navigate between elements
  * Review project's targets and tasks tree
  * Build the current project
  * Review build logs and navigate between the issues
  * Specify MSBuild schema version and .Net Framework toolset

AFO said:

Good idea!!!!

I'm going to download it.

Ditto, i.e. good idea!

I can't live without my PowerShellAnalyzer. I'll have to give this a whirl too. Thanks!!