How to build multiple configurations?

Question

I want to build the SLN from command line. I have tried

D:\>msbuild MySolution.sln

Problem is that it fails to build project C which is targeted for x86, while projects A and B are built right. It gives error:

Project "D:.....\MySolution.sln" (1) is building "D:.....\MySolution\ToolC\C.csproj" (4) on node 0 (default targets).
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\Microsoft.Common.targets(539,9): error : The OutputPath property is not set for this project. Please check to make sure that you have specified a valid Configuration/Platform combination. Configuration='Debug' Platform='AnyCPU'
Done Building Project "D:.....\MySolution\ToolC\C.csproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.

Why is it building C for target "Any CPU"?


Details
I have 1 SLN file with 3 C# projects, say, A, B, C.

Projects A and B are default targeted for "Any CPU". Project C is targeted for "x86"

Here is the content of SLN file (only Global section):

Global
    GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
        Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
        Debug|x86 = Debug|x86
        Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
        Release|x86 = Release|x86
    EndGlobalSection
    GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|x86
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|x86.Build.0 = Debug|x86
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|x86
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Release|x86.Build.0 = Release|x86
    EndGlobalSection
    GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
        HideSolutionNode = FALSE
    EndGlobalSection
EndGlobal

And, here is the CSPROJ file content for project C:

  <PropertyGroup>
    <Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
    <Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
    ....
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|x86' ">
    <OutputPath>bin\x86\Debug\</OutputPath>
    <PlatformTarget>x86</PlatformTarget>
    ....
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|x86' ">
    <OutputPath>bin\x86\Release\</OutputPath>
    <PlatformTarget>x86</PlatformTarget>
    ....
  </PropertyGroup>

I also tried this, but the problem remains same:

<Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">x86</Platform>

Answer 1

Your default configuration of C project is anycpu|debug but there isn't a propertygroup section for that config in what you've show or default values, therefore no Outputpath property exists. Fix that, either add some defaults or a new property group. Then make sure you've got the right configuration setup in Build->Configuration Manager in VS.

Its hard to know what actual targets you want to build under what configuration in your sln but this sln works for me with standard csprojs (console):

Global
    GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
        Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
        Debug|x86 = Debug|x86
        Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
        Release|x86 = Release|x86
    EndGlobalSection
    GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|x86
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Debug|x86.Build.0 = Debug|x86
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|x86
        {AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|x86
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|x86
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Debug|x86.Build.0 = Debug|x86
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|x86
        {BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|x86
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|x86.ActiveCfg = Debug|x86
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Debug|x86.Build.0 = Debug|x86
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|x86
        {CCCCCCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCC-CCCCCCCCCCCC}.Release|x86.ActiveCfg = Release|x86
    EndGlobalSection
    GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
        HideSolutionNode = FALSE
    EndGlobalSection
EndGlobal

I had to add targets for "Any CPU" to the csproj thru configuration manager, i can give you those to if that helps. This builds fine using either:

msbuild Your.sln /t:Rebuild /p:Platform="Any CPU"

or

msbuild ConsoleApplication1.sln /t:Rebuild /p:Platform=x86

If you wanted to build both platforms.. You could add a target to your csproj like:

<Target Name="AllPlatforms" Outputs="$(TargetPath)">
    <ItemGroup>
      <AllPlatforms Include="AnyCPU,x86"/>
    </ItemGroup>

    <Message Text="Building All platform %(AllPlatforms.Identity)"/>
    <MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectFullPath)" Properties="Platform=%(AllPlatforms.Identity)"/>

  </Target>

But it think youd have to call msbuild on your cspoj rather than sln. So you might as well call it twice using an external script. Its all a bit hacky. Besides you need to alter the output paths for each platform to get the output.