MSBuild task reference

Tasks provide the code that runs during the build process. The tasks in the following list are included with MSBuild. When the C++ workload is installed, additional tasks are available that are used to build C++ projects. For more information, see C++ tasks.

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. A Boolean expression that the MSBuild engine uses to determine whether this task will be executed. For information about the conditions that are supported by MSBuild, see Conditions.
ContinueOnError	Optional parameter. Can contain one of the following values: - WarnAndContinue or true. When a task fails, subsequent tasks in the Target element and the build continue to execute, and all errors from the task are treated as warnings. - ErrorAndContinue. When a task fails, subsequent tasks in the Target element and the build continue to execute, and all errors from the task are treated as errors. - ErrorAndStop or false (default). When a task fails, the remaining tasks in the Target element and the build aren't executed, and the entire Target element and the build is considered to have failed. Versions of the .NET Framework before 4.5 supported only the true and false values. For more information, see How to: Ignore errors in tasks.

In this section

• Task base class

Adds several parameters to the tasks that derive from the Task class. Not intended to be used directly.

• TaskExtension base class

Adds several parameters to the tasks that derive from the TaskExtension class. Not intended to be used directly.

• ToolTaskExtension base class

Adds several parameters to the tasks that derive from the ToolTaskExtension class. Not intended to be used directly.

• AL (Assembly Linker) task

Creates an assembly with a manifest from one or more files that are either modules or resource files.

• AspNetCompiler task

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

• AssignCulture task

Assigns culture identifiers to items.

• AssignProjectConfiguration task

Accepts a list of configuration strings and assigns them to specified projects.

• AssignTargetPath task

Accepts a list of files and adds <TargetPath> attributes if they are not already specified.

• CallTarget task

Invokes a target in the project file.

• CombinePath task

Combines the specified paths into a single path.

• ConvertToAbsolutePath task

Converts a relative path or reference into an absolute path.

• Copy task

Copies files to a new location.

• CreateCSharpManifestResourceName task

Creates a C#-style manifest name from a given .resx file name or other resource.

• CreateItem task

Populates item collections from the input items, allowing items to be copied from one list to another.

• CreateProperty task

Populates properties from the input values, allowing values to be copied from one property or string to another.

• CreateVisualBasicManifestResourceName task

Creates a Visual Basic-style manifest name from a given .resx file name or other resource.

• Csc task

Invokes the Visual C# compiler to produce executables, dynamic-link libraries, or code modules.

• Delete task

Deletes the specified files.

• DownloadFile task

Downloads a file to the specified location.

• Error task

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

• Exec task

Runs the specified program or command with the specified arguments.

• FindAppConfigFile task

Finds the app.config file, if any, in the provided lists.

• FindInList task

Finds an item in a specified list that has the matching itemspec.

• FindUnderPath task

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

• FormatUrl task

Converts a URL to a correct URL format.

• FormatVersion task

Appends the revision number to the version number.

• GenerateApplicationManifest task

Generates a ClickOnce application manifest or a native manifest.

• GenerateBootstrapper task

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

• GenerateDeploymentManifest task

Generates a ClickOnce deployment manifest.

• GenerateResource task

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

• GenerateTrustInfo task

Generates the application trust from the base manifest, and from the TargetZone and ExcludedPermissions parameters.

• GetAssemblyIdentity task

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

• GetFileHash task

Computes checksums of the contents of a file or set of files.

• GetFrameworkPath task

Retrieves the path to the .NET Framework assemblies.

• GetFrameworkSdkPath task

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

• GetReferenceAssemblyPaths task

Returns the reference assembly paths of the various frameworks.

• LC task

Generates a .license file from a .licx file.

• MakeDir task

Creates directories and, if necessary, any parent directories.

• Message task

Logs a message during a build.

• Move task

Moves files to a new location.

• MSBuild task

Builds MSBuild projects from another MSBuild project.

• ReadLinesFromFile task

Reads a list of items from a text file.

• RegisterAssembly task

Reads the metadata within the specified assembly and adds the necessary entries to the registry.

• RemoveDir task

Removes the specified directories and all of its files and subdirectories.

• RemoveDuplicates task

Removes duplicate items from the specified item collection.

• RequiresFramework35SP1Assembly task

Determines whether the application requires the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.

• ResGen Task

Obsolete. Use the GenerateResource task task to convert .txt and .resx files to and from common language runtime binary .resources files.

• ResolveAssemblyReference task

Determines all assemblies that depend on the specified assemblies.

• ResolveComReference task

Takes a list of one or more type library names or .tlb files and resolves those type libraries to locations on disk.

• ResolveKeySource task

Determines the strong name key source

• ResolveManifestFiles task

Resolves the following items in the build process to files for manifest generation: built items, dependencies, satellites, content, debug symbols, and documentation.

• ResolveNativeReference task

Resolves native references.

• ResolveNonMSBuildProjectOutput task

Determines the output files for non-MSBuild project 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

Sets the access and modification times of files.

• UnregisterAssembly task

Unregisters the specified assemblies for COM interop purposes.

• Unzip task

Unzips a .zip archive to the specified location.

• UpdateManifest task

Updates selected properties in a manifest and resigns.

• Vbc task

Invokes the Visual Basic compiler to produce executables, dynamic-link libraries, or code modules..

• VerifyFileHash task

Verifies that a file matches the expected file hash.

• Warning task

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

• WriteCodeFragment task

Generates a temporary code file by using the specified generated code fragment. Does not delete the file.

• WriteLinesToFile task

Writes the specified items to the specified text file.

• XmlPeek task

Returns values as specified by XPath query from an XML file.

• XmlPoke task

Sets values as specified by an XPath query into an XML file.

• XslTransformation task

Transforms an XML input by using an Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT) or compiled XSLT and outputs to an output device or a file.

• ZipDirectory task

Creates a .zip archive from the contents of a directory.

See also

• MSBuild reference
• Task writing
• Tasks