MSBuild removing backslash in Directory field from batch processing of ItemGroup

Question

I have a .csproj file I'm trying to configure to perform a build of a couple of projects, map drives to point to the output of the projects along with some support documents, build an installer, then unmap the drives. I keep getting erros when I call subst to map the drive due to a trailing backslash in path. Here's the building and mapping targets

  <Target Name="BuildApps">
    <MSBuild Projects="..\MsApp\MsApp.csproj; ..\AvApp\AvApp.csproj"
             Targets="Build">
      <Output TaskParameter="TargetOutputs"
              ItemName="PackageOutput"            
              />
    </MSBuild>
  </Target>

  <Target Name="MapDrives">
    <Exec Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'MsApp'" Command="subst O: &quot;%(PackageOutput.Rootdir)%(PackageOutput.Directory)&quot;" WorkingDirectory="C:" ContinueOnError="true" />
    <Exec Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'AvApp'" Command="subst P: &quot;%(PackageOutput.Rootdir)%(PackageOutput.Directory)&quot;" WorkingDirectory="C:" ContinueOnError="true" />
  </Target>

In researching the problem, I came across this question on removing the backslash. When I modify the target to

  <Target Name="MapDrives">
    <PropertyGroup Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'MsApp'">
      <MsDirectory>%(PackageOutput.Directory)</MsDirectory>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <PropertyGroup Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'AvApp'">
      <AvDirectory>%(PackageOutput.Directory)</AvDirectory>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <Exec Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'MsApp'" Command="subst O: &quot;%(PackageOutput.Rootdir)$(MsDirectory.TrimEnd('\'))&quot;" WorkingDirectory="C:" ContinueOnError="true" />
    <Exec Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'AvApp'" Command="subst P: &quot;%(PackageOutput.Rootdir)$(AvDirectory.TrimEnd('\'))&quot;" WorkingDirectory="C:" ContinueOnError="true" />
  </Target>

I get the error

error MSB4190: The reference to the built-in metadata "Filename" at position 1 is not allowed in this condition "'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'MsApp'"

Researching this error, I ran across this and the fact that properties are evaluated before items which may play a factor in the error. So, my question is there an easy way to remove the backslash by either converting this item list to a property or a way to perform a string operation on an item?

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 14 '14 at 00:02

I managed to get this to work with the following syntax:

<Exec Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'MsApp'" Command="subst O: &quot;@(PackageOutput->Replace('\MsApp.exe', ''))&quot;" WorkingDirectory="C:" ContinueOnError="true" />
<Exec Condition="'%(PackageOutput.Filename)' == 'AvApp'" Command="subst P: &quot;@(PackageOutput->Replace('\AvApp.exe', ''))&quot;" WorkingDirectory="C:" ContinueOnError="true" />

MSBuild removing backslash in Directory field from batch processing of ItemGroup

1 Answers1