Perform XSLT Transform as Build-Step

Question

During a Visual Studio build, I need to have an XML file generated from another XML file. It is obvious to me an XSLT template and transform is exactly what I need.

The way I prefer to accomplish this is to use the "Custom Tool" property found on project files. Is there already a built-in tool I can use for this purpose? My next option might be to use a pre-build step of the csproj. Again, is there a (Visual Studio or MSBUILD) pre-existing or pre-installed tool that I can invoke from a pre-build step to do this?

Finally, if need be, I could have modify the .csproj file itself to add a MSbuild Task which performs the transform (I think MSBuild comes with such a Task - if not I know they are available for download).

Overall, I'd just like to know the easiest way to get this done, and how to do it. I already know how to write XSL templates. :)

score 22 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 08 '11 at 11:09

22

If you're using VS2010 you can use the built-in XslTransformation task of MSBuild 4 in a post build step.

<Target Name="AfterBuild">
  <XslTransformation
    XslInputPath="transform.xslt"
    XmlInputPaths="in.xml"
    OutputPaths="out.xml" />
</Target>

answered Aug 08 '11 at 11:09

Thomas Gerstendörfer

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This is what I had concluded over the weekend. :) – Brent Arias Aug 08 '11 at 17:19
Do the "debug" and "optimization" settings in a web.config alter the way the build occurs or are they only used when compiling/pre-compiling the site? I ask just to make sure that transformations shouldn't occur before the build begins. – James White Sep 12 '13 at 14:34
My next comment will be how to code "Parameters", since that was tricky – granadaCoder Mar 16 '18 at 17:15
1

– granadaCoder Mar 16 '18 at 17:15
@granadaCoder How you figured that out from the VS documentation is beyond my comprehension. – Jeff G May 10 '19 at 22:25
You're right. That was some serious voodoo right there. – granadaCoder May 11 '19 at 07:56

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 05 '11 at 21:20

1

I'd personally go with installing the MSBuild Community Tasks and invoking msbuild.exe from the PostBuild Event in the project settings.

A shudder just went down my spine at the thought of XSLT files too! :P

answered Aug 05 '11 at 21:20

Paul Carroll

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I will install MSBuild Community Tasks if I must (I use those in other circumstances), but I'm really hoping to find an already-installed tool that fits the need. – Brent Arias Aug 05 '11 at 22:38
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In that case if you're using VS2010 you could use the config transforms stuff... but that really just works on deply AFAIK – Paul Carroll Aug 07 '11 at 09:26

Perform XSLT Transform as Build-Step

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