MSBuild

The Microsoft Build Engine which is also known as MSBuild.

This page contains information of how to work with MSBuild in vsSolutionBuildEvent context.

Additional syntax & basic samples are contained below.

• For work with MSBuild Tools (Microsoft Build Tools) use the CI.MSBuild.
• For work with MSBuild Targets, Tasks and others, use the Targets Mode.
• You can also use the SBE-Scripts engine for additional features as a conditions, subcommands, file operations, etc.

MSBuild Property & Property Functions

• MSDN - Property Functions

The vsSolutionBuildEvent uses additional syntax for select specific project. This is so because this can be used for all projects at once as Solution-wide (related issue)

Syntax:

$(...)
$(...:project) - from selected project in your solution

To escape an sequences use $:

$$(...) / $$(...:project)

Where '…' - is any allowed syntax with MSBuild data. See MSDN.

Samples

• Math operations

$(numYmod = $([MSBuild]::Modulo($(numY), 12)))
$([MSBuild]::BitwiseAnd($(mask), $(v))) != 0

• Date & Time

$([System.TimeSpan]::FromTicks($([MSBuild]::Subtract($(tNow), $(tStart)))).TotalMinutes.ToString("0"))

• Operations with strings

$(SolutionPath.Replace('\', '/'))  -> D:\App\ConsoleApp1.sln to D:/App/ConsoleApp1.sln
$(SolutionPath.Replace('\', '\\')) -> to D:\\App\\ConsoleApp1.sln

etc.

$(MSBuildBinPath)\MSBuild.exe "$(ProjectPath.Replace('\', '/'):Version)" /t:Build /p:Configuration=Release  
 &
"$(TargetPath:Version)"  
  "$(SolutionDir)"  
  "$(ProjectDir:mainApp)source.extension.vsixmanifest"

User-variables for MSBuild core

It's a strictly limited version compared with UserVariableComponent (SBE-Scripts core)

Syntax:

$(name = $(...))

In v0.11.4 added strings:

• ".." - Allows any evaluation inside string. Escaping is a \"
• '..' - All msbuild containers $() should not be evaluated for this type string. Escaping is a \'

'' and "" used 'as is' for compatibility with MSBuild

$(name = "  - Platform is a $(Platform)  ")

In older versions: Allows definitions only from other variables/properties & property functions.

Samples:

$(start = $([System.DateTime]::Parse("2015/04/01").ToBinary()))

$(pdir = $(ProjectDir:project))

$(pdir = $(ProjectDir.Replace('\', '/'):project))

Global MSBuild properties

• To define msbuild property via user-variable:

$(+name = ...)

Then, it should be as part of other msbuild properties. Sample for CIM & SlnOpened event:

$(+MyProperty = "val1")

<Target Name="Spec">
    <Message Text="MyProperty = $(MyProperty)" Importance="high" /> 
</Target>

• To undefine msbuild property via user-variable:

$(-name =)
$(-name = ...)

Syntactic sugar

Increment & Decrement operators for numbers and strings

[ v0.12.8+ ]

• numbers:

note: by default, += and -= also initializes variable to 0 if it's not defined before.

Samples:

$(n = 0)
$(n += 3.14)
$(n += $(n))

• strings:

Samples:

$(desc = "Hello ")
$(desc += "world !")

Nested levels - recursive evaluation for MSBuild Properties

In vsSolutionBuildEvent the most variables can be evaluated with nested levels also for each project.

$($(...:$(...)))

$($(...:$($(...:$(...)))))

and similar,

This useful for any dynamic references on your data or additional evaluation with MSBuild. For example:

if you don't put a fixed project name and need link to variable or evaluate some property from specific project in your solution, you can for example:

and similar… see also related issue - '$(ProjectDir) doesn't resolve properly'

Solution Configuration & Platform

This also has a few differences as part of 'Solution-wide'(see above) features:

Registry Properties

The Registry Properties are allowed in v0.11.4+:

$(registry:Hive\MyKey\MySubKey@ValueName) - gets value for ValueName from subkey.
$(registry:Hive\MyKey\MySubKey) - gets the default subkey value.

for older versions you can also use the registry properties but only with a little trick, for example:

#[var k = :Hive\MyKey\MySubKey]
$(registry$(k))

#[var k = :Hive\MyKey\MySubKey@ValueName]
$(registry$(k))

and similar..

OR you can read system registry values with:

• MSBuild GetRegistryValue - returns the value of a registry key:

$([MSBuild]::GetRegistryValue('keyName', 'valueName'))

• MSBuild GetRegistryValueFromView - gets system registry data. The key and value are searched in each registry view(e.g. 32-bit & 64-bit registry view) in order until they are found. Sample of how to look first in the 64-bit then in the 32-bit registry view:

$([MSBuild]::GetRegistryValueFromView('keyName', 'valueName', null, RegistryView.Registry64, RegistryView.Registry32))

Special MSBuild Properties

List of special properties that available as MSBuild Properties.

References

• Examples & Features
• SBE-Scripts
• CI.MSBuild
• Processing modes
  • Targets Mode
• MSDN:
  • MSBuild
  • MSBuild Concepts
  • Property Functions