MSBuild: How to ensure AfterBuild target always runs in a C++ project

Question

I have added the following AfterBuild task to a .vcxproj file:

<Target Name="AfterBuild"> <Message Text="Hi" Importance="high" /> </Target>

It seems to run only if the the C++ code is built (or if I do a rebuild): 1>------ Rebuild All started: Project: ConsoleApplication1, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------ 1> stdafx.cpp 1> SomeClass.cpp 1> ConsoleApplication1.vcxproj -> 1> Hi D:\Projects\CppTest\Debug\ConsoleApplication1.lib ========== Rebuild All: 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 skipped ==========

It doesn't run when the the C++ code is up-to-date: ========== Build: 0 succeeded, 0 failed, 1 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

How can I make it always run? I'm using Visual Studio 2015.

Answer 1

I got around this issue by adding the following lines to my .vcxproj file:

<PropertyGroup>
    <DisableFastUpToDateCheck>true</DisableFastUpToDateCheck>
</PropertyGroup>

It seems to force the IDE to actually run MSBuild.

I tested it in Visual Studio 2015. Adding the same lines to an imported .targets file did not help.

Answer 2

The line

========== Build: 0 succeeded, 0 failed, 1 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

means that Visual Studio didn't run MSBuild at all.

For incremental builds VS uses File Tracker to intercept file operations being performed by compiler and linker. Results can be fould in ProjName.tlog folder. In subsequent builds VS checks dates of files listed in .read and .write files and decides whether to run MSBuild. This feature is described in Hashimi S., Bartholomew S. - Using MSBuild, 2nd Edition - 2013, "File Tracker" chapter.

Some of possible solutions:

1. Use FileTracker API in your custom build tool.
2. Manually write file name(s) produced by your tool in some .write file (this solution is simple but is not guaranteed to work in future VS versions).
3. Build your solution by MSBuild instead VS.
4. Build your solution from bat-file, which calls devenv first then your tool.