-refout (Visual Basic)
The -refout option specifies a file path where the reference assembly should be output.
Every compiler option is available in two forms: -option and /option. The documentation only shows the -option form.
Syntax
-refout:filepath
Arguments
filepath
The path and filename of the reference assembly. It should generally be in a sub-folder of the primary assembly. The recommended convention (used by MSBuild) is to place the reference assembly in a "ref/" sub-folder relative to the primary assembly. All folders in filepath must exist; the compiler does not create them.
Remarks
Visual Basic supports the -refout switch starting with version 15.3.
Reference assemblies are a special type of assembly that contain only the minimum amount of metadata required to represent the library's public API surface. They include declarations for all members that are significant when referencing an assembly in build tools, but exclude all member implementations and declarations of private members that have no observable impact on their API contract. For more information, see Reference assemblies in .NET Guide.
The -refout and -refonly options are mutually exclusive.
