Exclude/Remove .csproj through MSBuild argument

Question

I need to exclude abc.Test.csproj from the .sln file during team build compilation.

I have tried using /ignoreprojectextensions=.Test.csproj, but doesnt work for my purpose. Please help me in accomplishing this.

Answer 1

You would create a new Configuration (Debug and Release are the default ones) and in this new Configuration, you would not-build the specified .csproj.

Then you would build to that Configuration.

See:

Does Msbuild recognise any build configurations other than DEBUG|RELEASE

APPEND

WITHOUT doing a new/custom Configuration, this is the only solution I can reason.

Put the below xml'ish code .. in a file called "MyBuild.proj" , save it, and then call

msbuild.exe MyBuild.proj

..

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="AllTargetsWrapped">

    <PropertyGroup>
        <WorkingDirectory>.</WorkingDirectory>
    </PropertyGroup>

    <Target Name="AllTargetsWrapped">
        <CallTarget Targets="ShowReservedProperties" />
        <CallTarget Targets="BuildOtherProjects" />
    </Target>

    <Target Name="BuildOtherProjects">

        <ItemGroup>
            <ProjectReferencesExcludes Include="$(WorkingDirectory)\UnitTests.csproj" />
            <ProjectReferencesExcludes Include="$(WorkingDirectory)\SomeOtherProject.csproj" />
        </ItemGroup>

        <ItemGroup>
            <ProjectReferences Include="$(WorkingDirectory)\**\*.*proj" Exclude="@(ProjectReferencesExcludes)" />
        </ItemGroup>

        <Message Text="List of projs to be built:"/>
        <Message Text="@(ProjectReferences->'&quot;%(fullpath)&quot;' , '%0D%0A')"/>
        <Message Text="   "/>
        <Message Text="   "/>

        <MSBuild
            Projects="@(ProjectReferences)"
            Targets="Build">
            <Output
                TaskParameter="TargetOutputs"
                ItemName="AssembliesBuiltByChildProjects" />
        </MSBuild>

    <Message Text="   "/>
    <Message Text="   "/>           
    <Message Text="List of AssembliesBuiltByChildProjects:"/>
    <Message Text="@(AssembliesBuiltByChildProjects->'&quot;%(fullpath)&quot;' , '%0D%0A')"/>
    <Message Text="   "/>
    <Message Text="   "/>   


    </Target>

    <Target Name="ShowReservedProperties">  

        <Message Text="MSBuild: $(MSBuild)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildBinPath: $(MSBuildBinPath)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildExtensionsPath: $(MSBuildExtensionsPath)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildExtensionsPath32: $(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildExtensionsPath64: $(MSBuildExtensionsPath64)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildLastTaskResult: $(MSBuildLastTaskResult)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildNodeCount: $(MSBuildNodeCount)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildOverrideTasksPath: $(MSBuildOverrideTasksPath)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProgramFiles32: $(MSBuildProgramFiles32)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProjectDefaultTargets: $(MSBuildProjectDefaultTargets)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProjectDirectory: $(MSBuildProjectDirectory)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProjectDirectoryNoRoot: $(MSBuildProjectDirectoryNoRoot)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProjectExtension: $(MSBuildProjectExtension)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProjectFile: $(MSBuildProjectFile)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProjectFullPath: $(MSBuildProjectFullPath)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildProjectName: $(MSBuildProjectName)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildStartupDirectory: $(MSBuildStartupDirectory)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildThisFile: $(MSBuildThisFile)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildThisFileDirectory: $(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildThisFileDirectoryNoRoot: $(MSBuildThisFileDirectoryNoRoot)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildThisFileExtension: $(MSBuildThisFileExtension)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildThisFileFullPath: $(MSBuildThisFileFullPath)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildThisFileName: $(MSBuildThisFileName)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildToolsPath: $(MSBuildToolsPath)"/>
        <Message Text="MSBuildToolsVersion: $(MSBuildToolsVersion)"/>       

    </Target>   





</Project>

Note, that if you put a csproj in the Exclude list BUT another csproj references/depends on it, it will be built (regardless of what you "exclude").