MSBuild Task Reference

Tasks provide the code that runs during the build process. This section explains the library of common tasks that is provided with MSBuild.

In addition to the parameters listed in the topics in this section, each task also has the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
Condition	Optional String parameter. Boolean expression the MSBuild engine uses to determine whether or not this task will be executed. For information on the conditions supported by MSBuild, see MSBuild Conditions.
ContinueOnError	Optional Boolean parameter Boolean value that specifies whether the remaining tasks in the target run if this task fails. The task fails because the Execute method either throws an exception or returns false. If ContinueOnError is set to true, the remaining tasks run and the failed task does not cause the entire target to fail. If ContinueOnError is set to false, the remaining tasks do not run and the entire target fails. By default, ContinueOnError is false.

In This Section

• AL (Assembly Linker) Task
  Describes the AL task and its parameters.

• AspNetCompiler Task
  Wraps aspnet_compiler.exe, a utility to precompile ASP.NET applications.

• AssignCulture Task
  Assigns culture identifiers to items.

• CallTarget Task
  Invokes a target in the project file.

• Copy Task
  Describes the Copy task and its parameters.

• CreateItem Task
  Describes the CreateItem task and its parameters.

• CreateProperty Task
  Describes the CreateProperty task and its parameters.

• Csc Task
  Describes the Csc task and its parameters.

• Delete Task
  Describes the Delete task and its parameters.

• Error Task
  Stops a build and logs an error based on an evaluated conditional statement.

• Exec Task
  Describes the Exec task and its parameters.

• FindUnderPath Task
  Determines which items in the specified item collection exist in the specified folder and all of its subfolders.

• GenerateApplicationManifest Task
  Describes the GenerateApplicationManifest task and its parameters.

• GenerateBootstrapper Task
  Provides an automated way to detect, download, and install an application and its prerequisites.

• GenerateDeploymentManifest Task
  Describes the GenerateDeployManifest task and its parameters.

• GenerateResource Task
  Converts .txt and .resx files to common language runtime binary .resources files.

• GetAssemblyIdentity Task
  Retrieves the assembly identities from the specified files and outputs the identity information.

• GetFrameworkPath Task
  Retrieves the path to the .NET Framework assemblies.

• GetFrameworkSdkPath Task
  Retrieves the path to the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK).

• LC Task
  Describes the LC task and its parameters.

• MakeDir Task
  Describes the MakeDir task and its parameters.

• Message Task
  Logs a message during a build.

• MSBuild Task
  Describes the MSBuild task and its parameters.

• ReadLinesFromFile Task
  Reads a list of items from a text file.

• RegisterAssembly Task
  Describes the RegisterAssembly task and its parameters.

• RemoveDir Task
  Describes the RemoveDir task and its parameters.

• ResGen Task
  Describes the ResGen task and its parameters.

• ResolveAssemblyReference Task
  Describes the ResolveAssemblyReference task and its parameters.

• ResolveComReference Task
  Describes the ResolveCOMReference task and its parameters.

• ResolveKeySource Task
  Determines the strong name key source

• ResolveNativeReference Task
  Resolves native references.

• SGen Task
  Creates an XML serialization assembly for types in the specified assembly.

• SignFile Task
  Signs the specified file using the specified certificate.

• Touch Task
  Describes the Touch task and its parameters.

• UnregisterAssembly Task
  Describes the UnregisterAssembly task and its parameters.

• Vbc Task
  Describes the Vbc task and its parameters.

• VCBuild Task
  Describes the VCBuild task and its parameters.

• Warning Task
  Logs a warning during a build based on an evaluated conditional statement.

• WriteLinesToFile Task
  Writes the specified items to the specified text file.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Write a Task

Concepts

MSBuild Tasks

Other Resources

MSBuild Reference