homepage | Channel 9

Welcome

Visual Studio 2005 radically improves the software build process with the introduction of MSBuild. This new build platform:

Delivers an XML file format that is well-documented and backed up by a published XML schema definition,
Is a core component of the .NET Framework redistributable (i.e. will not require VS for build lab scenarios),
Allows developers to customize, augment or completely redefine the build process, and
Provides seamless integration with the Visual Studio 2005 IDE.

This is your wiki!

You've come here to get information about MSBuild - but if you find something that helps you, please leave some contribution as well: a new topic, a clarification, a sample, as task or logger for others to use. Although the developers of MSBuild set up this wiki, it is owned by every MSBuild user.

Where do we go from here

* Frequently Asked Questions
* General
* Project File Format
* Shipping Tasks
* Loggers
* Tasks
* VS / Integration
* Conversion
* MSBuild.exe Command Line
* Object Model
* Scenarios
* Does Microsoft use to build its own products?
* How to execute CS templates from MSBuild?
* External Links and Resources
* Quick Start Tutorials
* Write a simple project
* Clean my Build
* Specify which Target to Build First
* Build All Files in a Directory
* Build All Files in a Directory Except One
* Build the Same Sources with Different Options
* Use Environment Variables in a Build
* Check whether an Environment Variable has been set
* Build a Project with Resources
* Build Incrementally
* Use the Same Target in Multiple Project Files
* Tell to Ignore Errors in Tasks
* Extend with a New Task
* Build a Set of Dependant Projects
* Run a Custom Tool From my Project
* Specify Several Build Options on the Command Line
* Use Reserved XML Characters in Project Files
* Display an Item List Separated with Commas
* Convert an Item List into a scalar string
* Reference the Name or Location of the Project File in the Project File
* How do I do a recursive copy?
* Batching Examples
* MSBuild Specifications
* How the batching algorithm works
* How to find targets files in a canonical place
* MSBuild Community Wish List

%21%21%21 Welcome
Visual Studio 2005 radically improves the software build process with the introduction of %5bMSBuild.%5d This new build platform%3a 
%23  Delivers an *XML file format* that is well-documented and backed up by a published XML schema definition%2c 
%23  Is a *core component* of the .NET Framework redistributable %28i.e. will not require VS for build lab scenarios%29%2c  
%23  Allows developers to *customize%2c augment or completely redefine* the build process%2c and 
%23  Provides *seamless integration* with the Visual Studio 2005 IDE. 
 
%21%21 This is your wiki%21
You%27ve come here to get information about %5bMSBuild%5d - but if you find something that helps you%2c please leave some contribution as well%3a a new topic%2c a clarification%2c a sample%2c as task or logger for others to use. Although the developers of %5bMSBuild%5d set up this wiki%2c it is owned by every %5bMSBuild%5d user.
 
%21%21%21 Where do we go from here
 
	* %5bFrequently Asked Questions%7cMSBuildFaq%5d 
		* %5bGeneral%7cFaqGeneral%5d
		* %5bProject File Format%7cFaqProjectFileFormat%5d
		* %5bShipping Tasks%7cFaqShippingTasks%5d
		* %5bLoggers%7cFaqLoggers%5d
		* %5bTasks%7cFaqTasks%5d
		* %5bVS /  Integration%7cFaqVSMSBuildIntegration%5d
		* %5bConversion%7cFaqConversion%5d
		* %5bMSBuild.exe Command Line%7cFaqCommandLine%5d
		* %5bObject Model%7cFaqObjectModel%5d
		* %5bScenarios%7cFaqScenarios%5d
		* %5bDoes Microsoft use  to build its own products%3f%7cInternalDogfooding%5d
		* %5bHow to execute CS templates from MSBuild%3f%7cCodeSmith%5d
	* %5bExternal Links and Resources%7cMSBuildLinks%5d
	* %5bQuick Start Tutorials%7cMSBuildQuickStarts%5d
		* %5bWrite a simple project%7cWriteASimpleProject%5d
		* %5bClean my Build%7cCleanMyBuild%5d
		* %5bSpecify which Target to Build First%7cSpecifyWhichTargetToBuildFirst%5d
		* %5bBuild All Files in a Directory%7cBuildAllFilesInADirectory%5d
		* %5bBuild All Files in a Directory Except One%7cBuildAllFilesInADirectoryExceptOne%5d
		* %5bBuild the Same Sources with Different Options%7cBuildTheSameSourcesWithDifferentOptions%5d
		* %5bUse Environment Variables in a Build%7cUseEnvironmentVariablesInABuild%5d
		* %5bCheck whether an Environment Variable has been set%7cCheckWhetherAnEnvironmentVariableHasBeenSet%5d
		* %5bBuild a Project with Resources%7cBuildAProjectWithResources%5d
		* %5bBuild Incrementally%7cBuildIncrementally%5d
		* %5bUse the Same Target in Multiple Project Files%7cUseTheSameTargetInMultipleProjectFiles%5d
		* %5bTell  to Ignore Errors in Tasks%7cTellMSBuildToIgnoreErrorsInTasks%5d
		* %5bExtend  with a New Task%7cExtendMSBuildWithANewTask%5d
		* %5bBuild a Set of Dependant Projects%7cBuildASetOfDependantProjects%5d
		* %5bRun a Custom Tool From my Project%7cRunACustomToolFromMyProject%5d
		* %5bSpecify Several Build Options on the Command Line%7cSpecifySeveralBuildOptionsOnTheCommandLine%5d
		* %5bUse Reserved XML Characters in Project Files%7cUseReservedXMLCharactersInProjectFiles%5d
		* %5bDisplay an Item List Separated with Commas%7cDisplayAnItemListSeparatedWithCommas%5d
		* %5bConvert an Item List into a scalar string%7cItemListTransforms%5d
		* %5bReference the Name or Location of the Project File in the Project File%7cReferenceTheNameOrLocationOfTheProjectFileInTheProjectFile%5d
		* %5bHow do I do a recursive copy%3f%7cRecursiveCopy%5d
		* %5bBatching Examples%7cBatchingExamples%5d
	* %5bMSBuild Specifications%7cMSBuildSpecs%5d
		* %5bHow the batching algorithm works%7cBatchingAlgorithm%5d
		* %5bHow to find targets files in a canonical place%7cWhidbeyBeta2DCRComponentVendorsInstallLocations%5d
	* %5bMSBuild Community Wish List%7cMSBuildWishList%5d