MSBuild Code Review

Ibrahim — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:25:21 GMT

A long time ago a reader sent me a build script and asked for my thoughts on it. This is my response. In this entry I have marked up his build script with my comments inside of tags like:

<!-- ****************************************

My comments inside of these

********************************************* -->

I thought that you guys might be interested in this too. Here it is.

< Project DefaultTargets = " Build " xmlns = " http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003 " >

<!-- ****************************************

You can pull these out into a seperate file, i.e., CompanyName.BuildTasks.tasks

********************************************* -->

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.MoveUpBuildNumber " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.ReplaceInFile " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.CheckInIntoVSS " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.GetLatestFromVSS " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.LabelInVSS " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

< UsingTask TaskName = " BuildTasks.ShowMessageBox " AssemblyFile = " BuildTasks\bin\Debug\BuildTasks.dll " />

<!-- ****************************************

In order to create more extensible MSBuild files you should place conditions on Properties.

For example:

<VSSDatabasePath>\\rataserv\vss\srcsafe.ini</VSSDatabasePath>

</PropertyGroup>

When you do this users can create another file, i.e., MyCustomBuild.proj which imports your

file and just overrides a few values.

********************************************* -->

< PropertyGroup >

< VSSDatabasePath > \\some\path\here\srcsafe.ini </ VSSDatabasePath >

</ PropertyGroup >

<!-- ****************************************

Also for extensibility your DependsOnTargets should always be pulled from a property

which pre-prendes its values to the property itself. So that is:

PrebuildAndRun;

CheckInDeliverables;

$(BuildDependsOn);

</BuildDependsOn>

</PropertyGroup>

In this manner external files can extend the behavior of the Build target. Without this it is going

to be difficult for people to effectively customize the build process.

********************************************* -->

< Target Name = " Build " DependsOnTargets = " PrebuildAndRun;CheckInDeliverables " >

</ Target >

<!-- ****************************************

Be careful with names. I would recommend using a naming convention that will ensure

that your Targets/Properties/Items do not collide with each other.

For example if I create re-usable .targets files and many of them have a "Build" target

then I cannot user more than 1 at a time via an <Import ..>. Which is how I like for

reusable .targets files to be used. For example using a prefix such as in my case SedoConfig or SedoDB.

Do I need to expand on this?

**************************************** -->

<!-- ****************************************

All "Important" targets should have Before and After targets which are on

the DependsOnTargets property. So that would be:

BeforeBuild;

PrebuildAndRun;

CheckInDeliverables;

AfterBuild;

$(BuildDependsOn);

</BuildDependsOn>

</PropertyGroup>

**************************************** -->

<!-- ****************************************

All the files that you need to checkout can be placed inside of an item and then

you can batch the usage of the BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS task. The item would

have to have custom metadata of DatabasePath, FilePathInVss and WorkingDirectory.

So that would be:

<DatabasePath>$(VSSDatabasePath)</DatabasePath>

<FilePathInVSS>$/Source/src/LP/BuildNumberLP.txt</FilePathInVSS>

</FilesToCheckOut>

<DatabasePath>$(VSSDatabasePath)</DatabasePath>

<FilePathInVSS>$/Source/src/LP/DatabaseScripts/DatabasePackages.sql</FilePathInVSS>

<WorkingDirectory>LP/DatabaseScripts</WorkingDirectory>

</FilesToCheckOut>

</ItemGroup>

<BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath="%(FilesToCheckOut.DatabasePath)"

FilePathInVSS="%(FilesToCheckOut.FilePathInVSS)"

WorkingDirectory="%(FilesToCheckOut.WorkingDirectory)"

</Target>

**************************************** -->

<!-- ****************************************

The value for DatabasePath probably could just be taken from $(VSSDatabasePath)

still. It depends on if you might pull files from more than one repository.

**************************************** -->

< Target Name = " PrebuildAndRun " >

< Message Text = " building $(MSBuildProjectFile) " Importance = " high " />

< Message Text = " ------ PATCHING FILES WITH BUILD NUMBER " Importance = " high " />

< BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/BuildNumberLP.txt "

WorkingDirectory = " LP "

< BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/DatabaseScripts/DatabasePackages.sql "

WorkingDirectory = " LP/DatabaseScripts "

< BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/AssemblyInfo.cs "

WorkingDirectory = " LP "

< BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs "

WorkingDirectory = " LPinstaller/Properties "

< BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/Release/LPSetup.msi "

WorkingDirectory = " LPSetup/Release "

< BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/Release/setup.exe "

WorkingDirectory = " LPSetup/Release "

<!-- ****************************************

The value passed to file could be taken from a property

so that it can be overridden by another user.

**************************************** -->

< BuildTasks.MoveUpBuildNumber

File = " LP/BuildNumberLP.txt " >

< Output TaskParameter = " BuildNumber " PropertyName = " BuildNumber " />

</ BuildTasks.MoveUpBuildNumber >

< BuildTasks.ReplaceInFile

SearchString = " PACKAGE_REVISION "

ReplaceString = " $(BuildNumber) "

FileName = " LP/DatabaseScripts/DatabasePackages.sql "

< BuildTasks.ReplaceInFile

SearchString = " 27857 "

ReplaceString = " $(BuildNumber) "

FileName = " LP/AssemblyInfo.cs "

< BuildTasks.ReplaceInFile

SearchString = " 27857 "

ReplaceString = " $(BuildNumber) "

FileName = " LPinstaller/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs "

< Message Text = " ------ PATCHING FILES WITH BUILD NUMBER... DONE " Importance = " high " />

<!-- ****************************************

To get to devenv you could also use:

$(VS80COMNTOOLS)..\IDE\devenv.com</Devenv>

**************************************** -->

< Exec Command = " " C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE/devenv.com " " .\LP\LP.SLN

" /build " Release " /project ..\LPSetup\LPSetup.vdproj /projectconfig " Release " " />

< OnError ExecuteTargets = " RecoverFromError " />

</ Target >

< Target Name = " CheckInDeliverables " >

<!-- ****************************************

You could use the same item as you used in the BuildTasks.CheckOutFromVSS

step here.

**************************************** -->

< Message Text = " ------ CHECKING IN CHANGED FILES " Importance = " high " />

< BuildTasks.CheckInIntoVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/LP/BuildNumberLP.txt "

WorkingDirectory = " LP "

<!-- ****************************************

Since you are performing two different actions CheckIn and UndoCheckout

you would need another piece of metadata on the item lets say, i.e. CheckInAfterEdit,

then on your CheckInIntoVSS task usage you would place the condition

Condition="'%(FilesToCheckOut.CheckInAfterEdit)'=='true'"

that way you would create a batch of files to check in and pass it to the task.

On your UndoCheckOut you would jus inver the == to !=.

**************************************** -->

<!-- revese the assemblies and script files to the "search marker" that

gets updated on patching by the build version -->

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/DatabaseScripts/DatabasePackages.sql "

WorkingDirectory = " LP/DatabaseScripts "

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/LP/AssemblyInfo.cs "

WorkingDirectory = " LP "

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/LPinstaller/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs "

WorkingDirectory = " LPinstaller/Properties "

< BuildTasks.CheckInIntoVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/Release/LPSetup.msi "

WorkingDirectory = " LPSetup/Release "

< BuildTasks.CheckInIntoVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/Release/setup.exe "

WorkingDirectory = " LPSetup/Release "

< BuildTasks.LabelInVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) "

FilePathInVSS = " $ "

Label = " Revision $(BuildNumber) "

< Message Text = " ------ CHECKING IN CHANGED FILES... DONE " Importance = " high " />

< OnError ExecuteTargets = " ErrorOnCheckIn " />

</ Target >

< Target Name = " RecoverFromError " >

< Message Text = " An error has occurred, reversing checkouts " />

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) " IgnoreError = " true "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/LP/AssemblyInfo.cs "

WorkingDirectory = " LP "

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) " IgnoreError = " true "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/LP/BuildNumberLP.txt "

WorkingDirectory = " LP "

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) " IgnoreError = " true "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/DatabaseScripts/DatabasePackages.sql "

WorkingDirectory = " LP/DatabaseScripts "

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) " IgnoreError = " true "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/LPinstaller/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs "

WorkingDirectory = " LPinstaller/Properties "

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) " IgnoreError = " true "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/Release/LPSetup.msi "

WorkingDirectory = " LPSetup/Release "

< BuildTasks.UndoCheckOutFromVSS

DatabasePath = " $(VSSDatabasePath) " IgnoreError = " true "

FilePathInVSS = " $/Some/Path/Here/Release/setup.exe "

WorkingDirectory = " LPSetup/Release "

</ Target >

< Target Name = " ErrorOnCheckIn " >

<!-- ****************************************

Does this actually show a message box? If so you should place a condition on this task

usage here to make sure that this can be disabled so that the builds can be automated.

**************************************** -->

< BuildTasks.ShowMessageBox Message =

" Build process failed to check in the files for the new build or reverse checkouts.

Make sure that all files are checked in and retry the build. " />

</ Target >

</ Project >

Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi

Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi - MSBuild, Web Deploy (MSDeploy), ASP.NET - review

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