Updating local nuget package on post-build event

Question

I have my local nuget library repository separately both for my personal and work releted class libraries.

I have created some of the nuget packages for the libraries which are no longer in development. I did this only for them because I do not know how to update them automatically as soon as my project builds.

I have figured that all the work is being done by nuget command line with Visual Studio Command Prompt. So I can easily do the work I needed (of course I would know commands perfectly and I do not !)

Basically I want the following tasks to execute on the post-build event of my project.

On project build:

1. copying project dll into a specific folder (lib folder of the nuget package)
2. updating nuspec file for new file version (my project is increasing the file version on every build)
3. creating new nupkg file with new file version

Phil Haack shows some of this feature but it is still a prototype as far as I can tell.

So my requirement is the above. Has anyone else accomplished this?

Answer 1

The selected solution looks like it would work but it seems like there is a simpler solution for your requirements.

You can create a nuspec file that will read data from the project's metadata. You only need to do this once with this command:

C:\<Path to project>\nuget spec

This creates 'tokens' in the spec file that will will be replaced by the project's metadata when you create the nuget package. This includes the file version. You will want to replace and because all projects are technically suppose to have them.

More details can be found here: http://docs.nuget.org/docs/creating-packages/Creating-and-Publishing-a-Package#From_a_project

Then...

For .Net Framework (old-school) projects, in you project's Post build events you can do this:

nuget pack "$(ProjectPath)"  
xcopy "$(TargetDir)*.nupkg" "<path where you are hosting your local nuget repo>" /C /Y

(assuming nuget.exe is available on your system PATH).

For .Net Core and Standard projects, nuget can't pack them (see https://github.com/NuGet/Home/issues/4491). Instead, use this as your post-build step:

dotnet pack "$(ProjectPath)" --no-build --include-source --include-symbols --output "<path where you are hosting your local nuget repo>"

Of course you can adjust the options to meet your needs. See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/tools/dotnet-pack?tabs=netcore2x for dotnet pack command options.

Answer 2

Just in case someone else (like me) come across this ancient question - in the current era (VS2017, SDK/NugetReference format/ .NET Core / .NET Standard / Multi-target projects), where creation of NuGet package is an option in the Project Properties - so, only issue of local repository has to be solved:

If you have single-target project, to copy your .nupkg file to local NuGet repository, add Post-build event (Project properties > Build Events > Post-build event command line):

xcopy $(TargetDir)*.nupkg [path to your local nuget repository] /s

Like:

xcopy $(TargetDir)*.nupkg G:\imbVelesOpenSource\LocalNuGet\imbVelesSecondGeneration\ /s

---

If you have multi-target project, to copy your .nupkg file to local NuGet repository: add Post-build event (Project properties > Build Events > Post-build event command line):

xcopy $(TargetDir)..*.nupkg [path to your local nuget repository] /s

Like:

xcopy $(TargetDir)..*.nupkg G:\imbVelesOpenSource\LocalNuGet\imbVelesSecondGeneration\ /s

---

Update: Forget post-build events, there is a cleaner way (xcopy approach works strange for multi-target projects), just add this in project XML:

  <Target Name="CopyPackage" AfterTargets="Pack">
    <Copy SourceFiles="$(OutputPath)$(PackageId).$(PackageVersion).nupkg" DestinationFolder="G:\imbVelesOpenSource\LocalNuGet\imbVelesSecondGeneration\" />
  </Target>

---

Update

For newer NuGet versions, which cut off the last 0 (patch from a 0.0.0.0 version notation), you will need to regex the PackageVersion:

  <Target Name="CopyPackage" AfterTargets="Pack">
    <Copy SourceFiles="$(OutputPath)$(PackageId).$([System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::Replace(&quot;$(PackageVersion)&quot;, &quot;^(.+?)(\.0+)$&quot;, &quot;$1&quot;)).nupkg" DestinationFolder="G:\imbVelesOpenSource\LocalNuGet\imbVelesSecondGeneration\" />
  </Target>