Visual Studio Code build with MsBuild

Question

I am trying to use visual studio code to build a C++ project.

I created a task.json for automatic build.

{
    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "build",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "msbuild",
            "args": [
                // Ask msbuild to generate full paths for file names.
                "/property:GenerateFullPaths=true",
                "/t:build"
            ],
            "group": "build",
            "presentation": {
                // Reveal the output only if unrecognized errors occur.
                "reveal": "silent"
            },
            // Use the standard MS compiler pattern to detect errors, warnings and infos
            "problemMatcher": "$msCompile"
        }
    ]
}

It throws the below exception.

MSBUILD : error MSB1003: Specify a project or solution file. The current working directory does not contain a project or solution file.
The terminal process terminated with exit code: 1

As the build task is based on MSBuild. MSBuild required a .vcxproj file for build.

Is there any command that can be generated .vcxproj by nuget or msbuild.

Answer 1

I am not aware of a tool that will generate one for you, but this MSDN article will give you what you need:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd293607.aspx

A complete sample of a working project is:

<Project DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="12.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">  
  <ItemGroup>  
    <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|Win32">  
      <Configuration>Debug</Configuration>  
      <Platform>Win32</Platform>  
    </ProjectConfiguration>  
    <ProjectConfiguration Include="Release|Win32">  
      <Configuration>Release</Configuration>  
      <Platform>Win32</Platform>  
    </ProjectConfiguration>  
  </ItemGroup>  
  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.default.props" />  
  <PropertyGroup>  
    <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>  
    <PlatformToolset>v120</PlatformToolset>  
  </PropertyGroup>  
  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.props" />  
  <ItemGroup>  
    <ClCompile Include="main.cpp" />  
  </ItemGroup>  
  <ItemGroup>  
    <ClInclude Include="main.h" />  
  </ItemGroup>  
  <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.Targets" />  
</Project> 

In the ClCompile Include attribute, you can use wildcards so you don't have to continually update the project file.

For more information about MSBuild Items see this MSDN article:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171453.aspx