Question

I am using NuGet pack for the first time, using the AfterBuild target in the .csproj file.

<Target Name="AfterBuild">
  <!-- package with NuGet -->
  <Exec WorkingDirectory="$(BaseDir)" Command="$(NuGetExePath) pack -Verbose -OutputDirectory $(OutDir) -Symbols -Prop Configuration=$(Configuration)" />
</Target>

This works fine when building the project itself with msbuild (“msbuild MyProj.csproj”). NuGet is able to find the compiled assemblies in projectdir/bin/Release or projectdir/bin/Debug.

But, this project is one of many in a solution and there is a build file dedicated to building the entire solution. The directory tree is like this:

- project root
  - build
  - src
    - MyProj
      - MyProj.csproj
      - MyProj.nuspec
    - AnotherProj
      - AnotherProj.csproj
      - AnotherProj.nuspec
  - project.proj (msbuild file)

This msbuild file overrides the output path of the Visual Studio build.

<PropertyGroup>
  <CodeFolder>$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\src</CodeFolder>
  <CodeOutputFolder>$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\build\$(Configuration)</CodeOutputFolder>
</PropertyGroup>

<Target Name="Build" DependsOnTargets="CleanSolution">
  <Message Text="============= Building Solution =============" />
  <Message Text="$(OutputPath)" />
  <Message Text="$(BuildTargets)" />
  <MsBuild Projects="$(CodeFolder)\$(SolutionName)" 
           Targets="$(BuildTargets)"
                 Properties="Configuration=$(Configuration);RunCodeAnalysis=$(RunCodeAnalysis);OutDir=$(OutputPath);" />
</Target>

Now that the build redirects the assemblies to the build directory, when I run pack, NuGet can’t find them. How do I get NuGet to find the assemblies in the build directory?

Answer 1

Giving NuGet a TargetPath property for where to find the assembly works for this.

<Target Name="AfterBuild" Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Release' ">
  <!-- package with NuGet -->
  <Exec WorkingDirectory="$(BaseDir)" Command="$(NuGetExePath) pack -OutputDirectory $(OutDir) -Symbols -Prop Configuration=$(Configuration);TargetPath=$(OutDir)$(AssemblyName)$(TargetExt)" />
</Target>