get list of subdirectories in msbuild

Question

Given a list of directories:

<ItemGroup>
  <Dirs Include="Foo\Dir1" />
  <Dirs Include="Foo\Dir2" />
</ItemGroup>

How can I get a list of all subdirectories.

Transforming this list with "$(Identity)\**" does not match anything and transforming with "$(Identity)\**\*" and then with RelativeDir yields only directories that contain files.

Currently I have to resort to C#:

<UsingTask TaskName="GetSubdirectories" TaskFactory="CodeTaskFactory"
    AssemblyFile="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0.dll">
    <ParameterGroup>
        <Directories ParameterType="Microsoft.Build.Framework.ITaskItem[]" Required="true" />
        <SubDirectories ParameterType="Microsoft.Build.Framework.ITaskItem[]" Output="true" />
    </ParameterGroup>
    <Task>
        <Code Type="Fragment" Language="cs"><![CDATA[
            var result = new List<ITaskItem>();
            foreach (var dirItem in Directories) {
                foreach (var dir in Directory.GetDirectories(dirItem.ItemSpec, "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories)) {
                    if (dir.Contains(@"\.svn\") || dir.EndsWith(@"\.svn")) continue;
                    result.Add(new TaskItem(dir));
                }
            }
            SubDirectories = result.ToArray();
        ]]></Code>
    </Task>
</UsingTask>

<GetSubdirectories Directories="@(Dirs)">
    <Output TaskParameter="SubDirectories" ItemName="SubDirs" />
</GetSubdirectories>

But I would like to know if there is an easier way.

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 02 '11 at 15:02

3

Excerpted from the book "MSBuild Trickery":

<Import Project="EnableAllPropertyFunctions.tasks" />

<Target Name="GetSubdirectories">
   <ItemGroup>
      <Dirs Include="$([System.IO.Directory]::
         EnumerateDirectories(
            `.\Foo`,
            `*`,
            System.IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories))"
            />
   </ItemGroup>

   <Message Text="%(Dirs.Identity)" />
</Target>

You'll need to first enable the extended property function set by ensuring that the environment variable MSBuildEnableAllPropertyFunctions is set to the value 1 (that is what the imported .tasks file accomplishes, with an inline task).

Once @(Dirs) is set up, you can filter it with the Remove attribute to get rid of the Subversion folders.

answered Sep 02 '11 at 15:02

Brian Kretzler

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I assume that inline task will call `Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable`, but who calls the task ? Also, if you count that file, it is even more code than in my example :) – Marcin Wisnicki Sep 03 '11 at 21:54
The task is automatically run with an InitialTargets declaration in the import. True, it does add some lines of code, but they're added in a reusable import file which expands the entire set of available property functions, so if your build needs any other extensions you'll be ready. Not a big improvement but perhaps a step in the right direction? (the book covers this in depth) – Brian Kretzler Sep 03 '11 at 22:09

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 11 '13 at 16:12

<CreateItem Include="$(OutputFolder)\*\*.*">
  <Output TaskParameter="Include" ItemName="FilesInSubFolders" />
</CreateItem>

<RemoveDuplicates Inputs="@(FilesInSubFolders->'%(RelativeDir)')">
  <Output TaskParameter="Filtered" ItemName="SubDirs"/>
</RemoveDuplicates>

<Message Text="@(SubDirs)"/>

This will put all the immediate subfolder paths into @(SubDirs). If you change Include="$(OutputFolder)\*\*.*" to Include="$(OutputFolder)\**\*.*", it'll include all subfolders recursively.

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

To expand on Brian's answer with a fully self-contained example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="GetSubdirectories">
  <UsingTask TaskName="SetEnvironmentVariable"
             TaskFactory="CodeTaskFactory"
             AssemblyFile="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v$(MSBuildToolsVersion).dll">
    <ParameterGroup>
      <Name ParameterType="System.String" Required="true" />
      <Value ParameterType="System.String" Required="true" />
    </ParameterGroup>
    <Task>
      <Using Namespace="System" />
      <Code Type="Fragment" Language="cs"><![CDATA[
        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(Name, Value);
      ]]></Code>
    </Task>
  </UsingTask>

  <Target Name="GetSubdirectories">
    <SetEnvironmentVariable Name="MSBuildEnableAllPropertyFunctions" Value="1" />
    <ItemGroup>
      <Dirs Include="$([System.IO.Directory]::EnumerateFiles('.\Stuff', '*', System.IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories))"/>
    </ItemGroup>
    <Message Text="%(Dirs.Identity)" />
  </Target>
</Project>

I got the UsingTask example from this answer.

get list of subdirectories in msbuild

3 Answers3