How to include referenced nuget debugging symbols (PDBs) into .vsix package

Question

I've read the How to include debugging symbols to .vsix package question and answer and Daniel Cazzulino's post but those ignore the fact that one's VSIX needs to include PDBs from other sources like nuget packages.

For example: I have a VSIX project, name it MyExtension.vsix. It references a nuget package, name it SomeNuget which in turn consists of SomeNuget.dll and SomeNuget.pdb.

I'd like to include that SomeNuget.pdb into my MyExtension.vsix.

If there an answer for that?

Answer 1

Thanks to a confirmed problem in nuget packaging workflow I got myself a workaround:

Appending this:

  <PropertyGroup>
    <CopyLocalLockFileAssemblies>true</CopyLocalLockFileAssemblies>  
    <IncludeAssemblyInVSIXContainer>true</IncludeAssemblyInVSIXContainer>
    <IncludeDebugSymbolsInVSIXContainer>true</IncludeDebugSymbolsInVSIXContainer>
    <IncludeDebugSymbolsInLocalVSIXDeployment>true</IncludeDebugSymbolsInLocalVSIXDeployment>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <Target Name="_ResolveCopyLocalNuGetPackagePdbs" 
          Condition="$(CopyLocalLockFileAssemblies) == true" 
          AfterTargets="ResolveReferences"
          BeforeTargets="GetVsixSourceItems">
    <ItemGroup>
      <VSIXCopyLocalReferenceSourceItem 
        Include="@(ReferenceCopyLocalPaths->'%(RootDir)%(Directory)%(Filename).pdb')" 
        Condition="Exists('%(RootDir)%(Directory)%(Filename).pdb')" />
    </ItemGroup>
  </Target>

into the vsix.csproj file seals the deal. For me this works in all versions of visual studio I build extensions for:

• 2010
• 2015
• 2017
• 2019
• 2022