GenerateDeploymentManifest Task

Note

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Generates a ClickOnce deployment manifest. A ClickOnce deployment manifest describes the deployment of an application by defining a unique identity for the deployment, identifying deployment traits such as install or online mode, specifying application update settings and update locations, and indicating the corresponding ClickOnce application manifest.

Parameters

The following table describes the parameters for the GenerateDeploymentManifest task.

Parameter	Description
AssemblyName	Optional String parameter. Specifies the Name field of the assembly identity for the generated manifest. If this parameter is not specified, the name is inferred from the EntryPoint or InputManifest parameters. If the name cannot be inferred, the task throws an error.
AssemblyVersion	Optional String parameter. Specifies the Version field of the assembly identity for the generated manifest. If this parameter is not specified, the task uses the value "1.0.0.0".
CreateDesktopShortcut	Optional Boolean parameter. If true, an icon is created on the desktop during ClickOnce application installation.
DeploymentUrl	Optional String parameter. Specifies the update location for the application. If this parameter is not specified, no update location is defined for the application. However, if the UpdateEnabled parameter is true, the update location must be specified. The specified value should be a fully qualified URL or UNC path.
Description	Optional String parameter. Specifies an optional description for the application.
DisallowUrlActivation	Optional Boolean parameter. Specifies whether the application should be run automatically when it is opened through a URL. If this parameter is true, the application can only be started from the Start menu. The default value of this parameter is false. This input applies only when the Install parameter value is true.
EntryPoint	Optional ITaskItem[] parameter. Indicates the entry point for the generated manifest assembly. For a ClickOnce deployment manifest, this input specifies the ClickOnce application manifest. In Visual Studio 2005, the GenerateApplicationManifest Task required an EntryPoint to generate an application manifest. (Assembly or native manifests do not require an EntryPoint.) This requirement was enforced with the build error: "MSB3185: EntryPoint not specified for manifest." MSBuild does not issue this error when the EntryPoint task parameter is not specified. Instead, the <customHostSpecified> tag is inserted as a child of the <entryPoint> tag, for example: <entryPoint xmlns="urn:schemas- microsoft-com:asm.v2"> <co.v1:customHostSpecified /> </entryPoint> You can add DLL dependencies to the application manifest by using the following steps: 1. Resolve the assembly references with a call to ResolveAssemblyReference. 2. Pass the output of the previous task and the assembly itself to ResolveManifestFiles. 3. Pass the dependencies by using the Dependencies parameter to GenerateApplicationManifest.
ErrorReportUrl	Optional [String]() parameter. Specifies the URL of the Web page that is displayed in dialog boxes during ClickOnce installations.
InputManifest	Optional ITaskItem parameter. Indicates an input XML document to serve as a base for the manifest generator. This enables structured data, such as custom manifest definitions, to be reflected in the output manifest. The root element in the XML document must be an assembly node in the asmv1 namespace.
Install	Optional Boolean parameter. Specifies whether the application is an installed application or an online-only application. If this parameter is true, the application will be installed on the user’s Start menu, and can be removed by using the Add or Remove Programs dialog box. If this parameter is false, the application is intended for online use from a Web page. The default value of this parameter is true.
MapFileExtensions	Optional Boolean parameter. Specifies whether the .deploy file name extension mapping is used. If this parameter is true, every program file is published with a .deploy file name extension. This option is useful for Web server security to limit the number of file name extensions that must be unblocked to enable ClickOnce application deployment. The default value of this parameter is false.
MaxTargetPath	Optional String parameter. Specifies the maximum allowed length of a file path in a ClickOnce application deployment. If this parameter is specified, the length of each file path in the application is checked against this limit. Any items that exceed the limit will cause a build warning. If this input is not specified or is zero, no checking is performed.
MinimumRequiredVersion	Optional String parameter. Specifies whether the user can skip the update. If the user has a version that is less than the minimum required, he will not have the option to skip the update. This input only applies when the value of the Install parameter is true.
OutputManifest	Optional ITaskItem parameter. Specifies the name of the generated output manifest file. If this parameter is not specified, the name of the output file is inferred from the identity of the generated manifest.
Platform	Optional String parameter. Specifies the target platform of the application. This parameter can have the following values: - AnyCPU - x86 - x64 - Itanium The default value is AnyCPU.
Product	Optional String parameter. Specifies the name of the application. If this parameter is not specified, the name is inferred from the identity of the generated manifest. This name is used for the shortcut name on the Start menu and is part of the name that appears in the Add or Remove Programs dialog box.
Publisher	Optional String parameter. Specifies the publisher of the application. If this parameter is not specified, the name is inferred from the registered user, or the identity of the generated manifest. This name is used for the folder name on the Start menu and is part of the name that appears in the Add or Remove Programs dialog box.
SuiteNamel	Optional String parameter. Specifies the name of the folder on the Start menu where the application is located after ClickOnce deployment.
SupportUrl	Optional String parameter. Specifies the link that appears in the Add or Remove Programs dialog box for the application. The specified value should be a fully qualified URL or UNC path.
TargetCulture	Optional String parameter. Identifies the culture of the application, and specifies the Language field of the assembly identity for the generated manifest. If this parameter is not specified, it is assumed that the application is culture invariant.
TrustUrlParameters	Optional Boolean parameter. Specifies whether URL query-string parameters should be made available to the application. The default value of this parameter is false, which indicates that parameters will not be available to the application.
UpdateEnabled	Optional Boolean parameter. Indicates whether the application is enabled for updates. The default value of this parameter is false. This parameter only applies when the value of the Install parameter is true.
UpdateInterval	Optional Int32 parameter. Specifies the update interval for the application. The default value of this parameter is zero. This parameter only applies when the values of the Install and UpdateEnabled parameters are both true.
UpdateMode	Optional String parameter. Specifies whether updates should be checked in the foreground before the application is started, or in the background as the application is running. This parameter can have the following values: - Foreground - Background The default value of this parameter is Background. This parameter only applies when the values of the Install and UpdateEnabled parameters are both true.
UpdateUnit	Optional String parameter. Specifies the units for the UpdateInterval parameter. This parameter can have the following values: - Hours - Days - Weeks This parameter only applies when the values of the Install and UpdateEnabled parameters are both true.

Remarks

In addition to the parameters listed above, this task inherits parameters from the GenerateManifestBase class, which itself inherits from the Task class. For a list of the parameters of the Task class, see Task Base Class.

See Also

Tasks
GenerateApplicationManifest Task
SignFile Task
Task Reference