Custom MsBuild Task Template

Creating customs tasks for MsBuild is relatively easy provided you follow a few steps.

The example below assumes you are familiar with .Net - specifically C# in this case - and Visual Studio:

1. Create a new class library project

2. Add references to MsBuild

Microsoft.Build.Framework Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0 Microsoft.Build.Utilities.v4.0

3. Add a new class derived from Task

Add required input properties and override the Execute method using Microsoft.Build.Framework; using Microsoft.Build.Utilities; public class MyTask : Task { [Required] public ITaskItem[] Files { get; set; }

[Required] public ITaskItem OutputFolder { get; set; }

public override bool Execute() { var files = new List();

if (this.Files.Length > 0) { for (int i = 0; i < this.Files.Length; ++i) { ITaskItem item = this.Files[i]; string path = item.GetMetadata("FullPath");

if (File.Exists(path)) { files.Add(path); } } }

if (!files.Any()) { Log.LogWarning("No files found to transform"); }

string outputFolder = string.Empty;

if (this.OutputFolder != null) { outputFolder = this.OutputFolder.GetMetadata("FullPath"); }

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(outputFolder)) { if (!Directory.Exists(outputFolder)) { Log.LogMessage("Creating folder: "{0}"", outputFolder); Directory.CreateDirectory(outputFolder); } }

// other useful stuff...

return true; } }

4. Use it in your scripts