How to use the command 'msbuild' (with examples)

The ‘msbuild’ command is the Microsoft build tool for Visual Studio project solutions. It is used to build, configure, and deploy Visual Studio projects. With ‘msbuild’, you can build specific project files, set targets and properties, specify build tools version, display detailed information, and get help about the command.

Use case 1: Build the first project file in the current directory

Code:

msbuild

Motivation: Sometimes, you might have multiple project files in a directory and want to build the first project without specifying its name. Using the command ‘msbuild’ without any arguments will automatically build the first project file found in the current directory.

Explanation: The command ‘msbuild’ without any arguments will search for the first project file in the current directory and build it.

Example output:

Microsoft (R) Build Engine version x.x.x.x
Build started...
Build succeeded.

Use case 2: Build a specific project file

Code:

msbuild path/to/project_file

Motivation: When you have multiple project files in different directories, you can specify the path to the desired project file to build it directly.

Explanation: By providing the path to the project file as an argument, the ‘msbuild’ command will build the specified project file.

Example output:

Microsoft (R) Build Engine version x.x.x.x
Build started...
Build succeeded.

Use case 3: Set one or more semicolon-separated targets to build

Code:

msbuild path/to/project_file /target:targets

Motivation: In some scenarios, it might be necessary to build only specific targets within a project file. By using the ‘/target’ argument, you can specify one or more semicolon-separated targets to build.

Explanation: The ‘/target’ argument allows you to specify the targets you want to build within the project file. Multiple targets can be specified by separating them with semicolons.

Example output:

Microsoft (R) Build Engine version x.x.x.x
Build started...
Building target 'target1'...
Building target 'target2'...
Build succeeded.

Use case 4: Set one or more semicolon-separated properties

Code:

msbuild path/to/project_file /property:name=value

Motivation: Certain build properties within a project file might need customization. By using the ‘/property’ argument, you can set one or more semicolon-separated properties and their values.

Explanation: The ‘/property’ argument allows you to specify one or more properties and their corresponding values within the project file. Multiple properties can be specified by separating them with semicolons.

Example output:

Microsoft (R) Build Engine version x.x.x.x
Build started...
Setting property 'property1'='value1'...
Setting property 'property2'='value2'...
Build succeeded.

Use case 5: Set the build tools version to use

Code:

msbuild path/to/project_file /toolsversion:version

Motivation: Sometimes, you might need to build a project file using a specific version of the build tools. By using the ‘/toolsversion’ argument, you can set the build tools version for the ‘msbuild’ command.

Explanation: The ‘/toolsversion’ argument allows you to specify the version of the build tools to use when building the project file.

Example output:

Microsoft (R) Build Engine version x.x.x.x
Build started...
Building with tools version 'xx.x.x.x'...
Build succeeded.

Use case 6: Display detailed information at the end of the log about how the project was configured

Code:

msbuild path/to/project_file /detailedsummary

Motivation: Sometimes, it is essential to have detailed information about how the project was configured during the build process. By using the ‘/detailedsummary’ argument, you can display a comprehensive summary at the end of the log.

Explanation: The ‘/detailedsummary’ argument instructs the ‘msbuild’ command to provide detailed information, including project configuration details, at the end of the log after the build process completes.

Example output:

Microsoft (R) Build Engine version x.x.x.x
Build started...
Build succeeded.

Detailed Summary:
- Target framework: .NET Framework x.x
- Output path: path/to/output
- Configuration: Debug
- ...

Use case 7: Display detailed help information

Code:

msbuild /help

Motivation: When you need more information about the ‘msbuild’ command and its usage, you can use the ‘/help’ argument to display detailed help information.

Explanation: The ‘/help’ argument provides comprehensive help documentation about the ‘msbuild’ command, including all available options, arguments, and their descriptions.

Example output:

Microsoft (R) Build Engine version x.x.x.x
Usage: msbuild [options] [project-file]

Options:
  /help                  Display this help message
  /target:targets        Build these targets in this project
  /property:name=value   Set or override these project-level properties
  /toolsversion:version  Use the specified tools version when building the project
  /detailedsummary       Display detailed information about how the project was configured
  ...

For more information, visit <https://learn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/msbuild>.

Conclusion:

The ‘msbuild’ command is a powerful tool for building Visual Studio projects. With its various options and arguments, you can customize the build process, specify targets and properties, set the build tools version, and obtain detailed information about the project configuration. By understanding and utilizing these different use cases, you can improve your productivity and better manage your Visual Studio projects.