Introduction to MSBuild – Quick Intro Guide

msbuild-introduction

msbuild-introduction

Introduction to MSBuild

  • Microsoft supported build engine
  • XML-based configuration file
  • Intellisense available from Visual Studio using supplied schema
  • Ships with .NET Framework 2.0, it is NOT part of Team Foundation Server
  • Both Visual Studio and Team Foundation Server leverage MSBuild
  • Command-line utility – MSBuild.exe

MSBuild Concepts

  1. Project
  2. Property
  3. Item
  4. Target
  5. Task

Projects

–        The root concept in MSBuild

–        Defines the build process

Example:


    Build

Properties

–        Name/value pairs

Items

–        Set of objects (commonly files)

–        Can specify meta-data to be applied to the objects

Example:






Targets

–        Defines a number of sequential tasks

–        Projects can have initial and/or default targets

Example:





Tasks

–        Performs an operation

–        Uses properties and items

–        Extensible

Exmaple:


    <MakeDir
        Directories="$(BuildDir)" />

Some Reference Link:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171452%28VS.90%29.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/0k6kkbsd.aspx

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/Automate_Builds.aspx

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/Automate_Builds.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSBuild

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