How to include XML documentation file in NuGet package built from a project file?

Question

I consider it generally good practice to include the XML documentation file generated by the C# build in NuGet packages alongside the DLLs to provide intellisense documentation for consumers.

However, it's not clear to me how this can be done when building a package using VS 2017's project file format.

Is this possible?

Obviously I could switch over to maintaining a nuspec file but the VS2017 format is very convenient for keeping versions and dependencies all in one place.

Answer 1

As long as you set GenerateDocumentationFile in your csproj file like this:

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">    <PropertyGroup>     <TargetFramework>netstandard2.0</TargetFramework>     <GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile>   </PropertyGroup>  </Project> 

then all the defaults will generate the documentation file at the correct location and it will be included in the NuGet package.

If Visual Studio added DocumentationFile or other elements, you can delete them and replace it with the single GenerateDocumentationFile property.

Answer 2

For other people who came in with the same problem - and if the accepted answer does not help...

Make sure that you have set the 'Include XML documentation' setting in the build configuration you are using (not just Debug, as by default)

In Visual Studio:

or in csproj:

 <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|AnyCPU'">     <GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile>   </PropertyGroup>