Capture msbuild tf.exe changeset /latest

Question

Within an MSBuild file I would like to extract the changeset number from the output of the following command into a $(parameter) value;

<Exec Command="c:\path\tf.exe changeset /latest /i" />

In my build script I can see the Changeset number in the first line of the result:

Changeset: 7539
User: John Doe Date: 23 September 2015 17:03:19

Comment:
some check-in comment

Items: [[List of items here]]

Work Items: [[List of linked work items here]]

I feel like I am very close and want the simplest solution. I can use MSBuild.ExtensionPack or the MSBuild.Community tasks if there is a better option.

Answer 1

To only get the changeset number, please try the following steps: (code is quoted from this link):

1. Download and install MSBuildExtensionPack on the machine
2. Add the following code to the .csproj file (assume you're working with a C# project). Note that: you need to change the folder path where MSBuild.ExtensionPack.TaskFactory.PowerShell.dll is installed on your machine for the AssemblyFile property.

  <UsingTask TaskFactory="PowershellTaskFactory" TaskName="Changeset" AssemblyFile="C:\Program Files\MSBuild\ExtensionPack\4.0\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.TaskFactory.PowerShell.dll">
    <ParameterGroup>
      <changeset Output="true" />
    </ParameterGroup>
    <Task>
      <![CDATA[  
       $tf = & "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\IDE\tf.exe" history . /r /noprompt /stopafter:1 /version:W 
       $changeset=$tf[2].Split(" ")[0] 
       ]]>
    </Task>
  </UsingTask>
  <Target Name="TestBuild">
    <Changeset>
      <Output TaskParameter="changeset" PropertyName="changeset" />
    </Changeset>
    <Message Importance="High" Text="Changeset:++++++ ::::: $(changeset)" />
  </Target>