Determine assembly version during a post-build event

Question

Let's say I wanted to create a static text file which ships with each release. I want the file to be updated with the version number of the release (as specified in AssemblyInfo.cs), but I don't want to have to do this manually.

I was hoping I could use a post-build event and feed the version number to a batch file like this:

call foo.bat $(AssemblyVersion) 

However I can't find any suitable variable or macro to use.

Is there a way to achieve this that I've missed?

Answer 1

If (1) you don't want to download or create a custom executable that retrieves the assembly version and (2) you don't mind editing the Visual Studio project file, then there is a simple solution that allows you to use a macro which looks like this:

@(Targets->'%(Version)')

@(VersionNumber) 

To accomplish this, unload your project. If the project somewhere defines a <PostBuildEvent> property, cut it from the project and save it elsewhere temporarily (notepad?). Then at the very end of the project, just before the end-tag, place this:

<Target Name="PostBuildMacros">   <GetAssemblyIdentity AssemblyFiles="$(TargetPath)">     <Output TaskParameter="Assemblies" ItemName="Targets" />   </GetAssemblyIdentity>   <ItemGroup>     <VersionNumber Include="@(Targets->'%(Version)')"/>   </ItemGroup> </Target> <PropertyGroup>   <PostBuildEventDependsOn>     $(PostBuildEventDependsOn);     PostBuildMacros;   </PostBuildEventDependsOn>       <PostBuildEvent>echo HELLO, THE ASSEMBLY VERSION IS: @(VersionNumber)</PostBuildEvent> </PropertyGroup> 

This snippet has an example <PostBuildEvent> already in it. No worries, you can reset it to your real post-build event after you have re-loaded the project.

Now as promised, the assembly version is available to your post build event with this macro:

@(VersionNumber) 

Done!

Answer 2

If you prefer scripting these methods might also work for you:

If you are using the post-build event, you can use the filever.exe tool to grab it out of the already built assembly:

for /F "tokens=4" %%F in ('filever.exe /B /A /D bin\debug\myapp.exe') do (   set VERSION=%%F ) echo The version is %VERSION% 

Get filever.exe from here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913111

If you are using the pre-build event, you can take it out of the AssemblyInfo.cs file as follows:

set ASMINFO=Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs FINDSTR /C:"[assembly: AssemblyVersion(" %ASMINFO% | sed.exe "s/\[assembly: AssemblyVersion(\"/SET CURRENT_VERSION=/g;s/\")\]//g;s/\.\*//g" >SetCurrVer.cmd CALL SetCurrVer.cmd DEL SetCurrVer.cmd echo Current version is %CURRENT_VERSION% 

This uses the unix command line tool sed, which you can download from many places, such as here: http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/ - iirc that one works ok.