How can I force files in my project so that they always copy to output directory

Question

I am using a visual studio c# library project to contain static resources that are needed as deployment artifacts. (in my case SQL files that are run with a combination of RoundhousE and Octopus deploy). By convention all files in the project must have their properties set so that the "Build action" is "Content" and "Copy to output directory" is "Copy always".

If someone on the team adds a file but forgets to set these properties we see deployment errors. This is usually picked up in an internal environment, but I was hoping to find a way to enforce this in the CI build.

So is there a way to either fail the build or better still override these properties during the build with an MS Build task? Am I tackling this the wrong way? Any suggestions welcomed.

Answer 1

You are going to have to parse the project files and check for Content without CopyToOutputDirectory set to Always, I doubt there is another way.

That can be done using whatever scripting language you want, or you could even write a small C# tool that uses the classes from the Microsoft.Build.Evaluation namespace. Here is a possible PowerShell implementation - the hardest part is getting the regexes right. First one checks for Content without any metadata, second one for Content where CopyToOutputDirectory does not start with "A" (which I assume should be "Always", no idea how to match that whole word).

FindBadContentNodes.ps1 :

param([String]$inputDir)

Function FindBadContent()
{
  $lines = Get-Content $input
  $text = [string]::Join( "`n", $lines )
  if( $text -match "<Content Include.*/>" -Or
      $text -match "<Content Include.*`n\s*<CopyToOutputDirectory>[^A]\w*<.*" )
  {
    "Found file with bad content node"
    exit 1
  }
}

Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Include *.csproj -Path $inputDir | FindBadContent

Call this from MsBuild:

<Target Name="FindBadContentNodes">
  <Exec Command="Powershell FindBadContentNodes.ps1 -inputDir path\to\sourceDir"/>
</Target>

Note you mention or better still override these properties during the build. I'd stay away from such a solution: you're just burying the problem and relying on the CI to produce correct builds, so local builds using just VS would not be the same. Imo making the build fail is better, especially since most CI systems have a way of notifying the developper that is responsible anyway so the fix should be applied quickly.

Another possibility would be to have the CI apply the fix and then commit the changes so at least everyone has the correct version.