Using MSBuild to Build Multiple Configurations

Question

I'm trying to edit my project file to enable me to have a project that builds multiple build configs at once. I've done this using a batching approach and using the MSBuild task (see below).

If I run the script, I get an this error:

Error 103 The OutputPath property is not set for project "ThisMSBuildProjectFile.csproj". Please check to make sure that you have specified a valid combination of Configuration and Platform for this project. Configuration='Debug' Platform='AnyCPU'.

I get this if I add or omit the OutputPath from the MSBuild task. If used the VS2010 debugger to step through the script and the MSBuild Task is called - the debugger steps into the file again and then steps into OutputPath, so afaik, it should pick that value up, no?

Any help for this would be greatly appreciated - it's driving me crazy. Thanks, Paul.

ThisMSBuildProjectFile.csproj (surplus stuff taken out):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build">    <!-- Only Import normal targets if not building multiple projects -->   <Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' != 'AllBuild|AnyCPU' "/>    <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == '' ">     <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>     <Optimize>true</Optimize>     <OutputPath>C:\Folder\Etc\Output\$(Configuration)\</OutputPath>     <OutDir>C:\Folder\Etc\Output\$(Configuration)\</OutDir>     <BaseOutputPath>C:\Folder\Etc\Output\$(Configuration)\</BaseOutputPath>     <DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>     <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>     <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>   </PropertyGroup>    <!-- Common -->   <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">     <Platform>AnyCPU</Platform>     <!-- Repeated properties from above here (including, of course, OutputPath) -->      </PropertyGroup>   <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">     <!-- Repeated properties from above here (including, of course, OutputPath) -->    </PropertyGroup>    <ItemGroup>     <Projects Include="C:\Folder\Etc\ThisMSBuildProjectFile.csproj" />   </ItemGroup>     <!-- Call this project file again, but with a different configuration - if this was working, this would call multiple  build configs -->   <Target Name="Build" Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'AllBuild|AnyCPU' ">     <Message Text="hm!"/>     <!-- Tried thiswith and without the OutputPath property - makes no difference. -->    <MSBuild  Projects="@(Projects)" Properties="Configuration=Debug;OutputPath=C:\Folder\Etc\Output\" ToolsVersion="4.0" Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'AllBuild|AnyCPU' "/>  </Target>     <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'AllBuild|AnyCPU' ">     <!-- Repeated properties from above here (including, of course, OutputPath) -->    </PropertyGroup>    <!-- Project files -->   <ItemGroup>     <Reference Include="System" />     <Reference Include="System.Core" />   </ItemGroup>   <ItemGroup>     <Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />     <Compile Include="Blah\Blah.cs" />   </ItemGroup> 

Answer 1

It is important to realize that when you use a "MSBuild" task, a new child MSBuild process will be started. The implication of this is that any items and properties you define in the parent MSBuild process will not be automatically passed to/visible from the child MSBuild process unless you explicitely pass them via Properties attribute on MSBuild element (as in <MSbuild Properties="..." />).

To answer your question, I wrote the following self-contained example that runs a child MSBuild project for all the specified configurations:

1. First, create a directory for your MSBuild experiment (for example I used C:\temp\msbuildtest)

2. In this directory, create the first file, main.proj:

   <Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="4.0">     <ItemGroup>         <ConfigList Condition=" '@(ConfigList)' == '' and $(Config) != '' " Include="$(Config.Split('+'))" /><!-- parse all requested configurations into a list -->         <ConfigList Condition=" '@(ConfigList)' == '' " Include="Debug" /><!-- if no configurations were specified, default to Debug -->     </ItemGroup>     <!--      Build the child project for each requested configuration. -->     <Target Name="Build">         <MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\child.proj" Properties="Configuration=%(ConfigList.Identity);OutputPath=$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\bin\%(ConfigList.Identity)" Targets="Build" />     </Target> </Project> 

3. In the same directory, create the second file, child.proj (in your case this would be the actual C# project you're trying to build, but because I'm trying to illustrate my point, I am using a simple child project that instead of running C# compiler just prints values of properties :-) )

   <Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="4.0">     <Target Name="Build">         <Message Text="Building configuration $(Configuration) with output path $(OutputPath)" Importance="High" />     </Target> </Project> 

4. Now you can run the example. First the default, if you don't explicitly specify configurations to build:

   C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild main.proj > (cut the noise) > Build: >   Building configuration Debug with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Debug 

   And then explicitly specified multiple configurations:

   C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild main.proj /property:Config=Debug+Release+Staging+Production > (cut the noise) > Build: >   Building configuration Debug with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Debug > Build: >   Building configuration Release with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Release > Build: >   Building configuration Staging with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Staging > Build: >   Building configuration Production with output path C:\temp_c\d\bin\Production 

You should be able to adapt this technique to your situation.