CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++visual-studiomsbuild
roybj
roybj

Reputation: 278

View effective properties in VS C++ project when using MSBuild targets file?

I am importing MSBuild targets file to set properties to a VS C++ project - namely the include and libs folders. (I am using Nuget for native packages, and this is how it is done there). I couldn't find a way to view in the IDE, the effective properties values that the project get from the properties file. when I look at the project properties (e.g. include folders), they are empty. but the targets file is working, since I am able to use the include, lib folders that are specified there successfully.

How can I view the values from the IDE?

Here are the rest of the details: I installed the Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility (1.0.19) Nuget package in an empty C++ project. this results in the following sections added to the vcxproj file: 

    <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionTargets">
    <Import Project="..\packages\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.1.0.19\build\native\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.targets" Condition="Exists('..\packages\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.1.0.19\build\native\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.targets')" />
</ImportGroup>
<Target Name="EnsureNuGetPackageBuildImports" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
    <PropertyGroup>
        <ErrorText>This project references NuGet package(s) that are missing on this computer. Use NuGet Package Restore to download them.  For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=322105. The missing file is {0}.</ErrorText>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\packages\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.1.0.19\build\native\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\packages\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.1.0.19\build\native\Microsoft.Azure.C.SharedUtility.targets'))" />
</Target>

And the targets file itself is:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" InitialTargets="Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init">
  <PropertyGroup Label="Default initializers for properties">
    <Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init Condition="'$(Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init)' == ''">static</Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init>
    <CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil Condition="'$(CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil)' == ''">cdecl</CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil>
  </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemDefinitionGroup>
    <ClCompile>
      <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/include/;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
    </ClCompile>
    <ResourceCompile>
      <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/include/;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
    </ResourceCompile>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="Win32Debug" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'Win32' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/Win32/Debug/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="Win32Release" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'Win32' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/Win32/Release/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="Win64Debug" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'x64' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/x64/Debug/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="Win64Release" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'x64' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/x64/Release/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="ARMDebug" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'ARM' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/arm/Debug/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="ARMRelease" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'ARM' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/arm/Release/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="ARM64Debug" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'ARM64' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/arm64/Debug/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <ItemDefinitionGroup Label="ARM64Release" Condition="(( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 ) And ('$(Platform)' == 'ARM64' ) )">
    <Link>
      <AdditionalDependencies>Secur32.lib;Ws2_32.lib;$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../../build/native/arm64/Release/aziotsharedutil.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
    </Link>
  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
  <UsingTask TaskName="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains" AssemblyFile="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0.dll" TaskFactory="CodeTaskFactory">
    <ParameterGroup>
      <Text Output="false" ParameterType="System.String" />
      <Library Output="false" Required="true" ParameterType="System.String" />
      <Value Output="false" Required="true" ParameterType="System.String" />
      <Result Output="true" ParameterType="System.String" />
    </ParameterGroup>
    <Task>
      <Code>Result = ((Text ?? "").Split(';').Contains(Library) ) ? Value : String.Empty;</Code>
    </Task>
  </UsingTask>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init">
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="Linkage-dynamic" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="dynamic" Condition="'$(Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="Linkage-static" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="static" Condition="'$(Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="Linkage-ltcg" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="ltcg" Condition="'$(Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="Linkage-sxs" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="sxs" Condition="'$(Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="Linkage-Microsoft_Azure_C_SharedUtil_Init" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="CallingConvention-cdecl" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="cdecl" Condition="'$(CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="CallingConvention-stdcall" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="stdcall" Condition="'$(CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="CallingConvention-fastcall" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="fastcall" Condition="'$(CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="CallingConvention-thiscall" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="thiscall" Condition="'$(CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
    <Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains Text="CallingConvention-clrcall" Library="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" Value="clrcall" Condition="'$(CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util)'==''">
      <Output TaskParameter="Result" PropertyName="CallingConvention-Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util" />
    </Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_Contains>
  </Target>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild" AfterTargets="AfterBuild" />
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_Win32_and_Debug" Label="Win32 and Debug" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'win32' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_Win32_and_Release" Label="Win32 and Release" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'win32' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_Win64_and_Debug" Label="Win64 and Debug" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'x64' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_Win64_and_Release" Label="Win64 and Release" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'x64' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_ARM_and_Debug" Label="ARM and Debug" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'ARM' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_ARM_and_Release" Label="ARM and Release" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'ARM' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>  
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_ARM64_and_Debug" Label="ARM64 and Debug" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'ARM64' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) &gt; -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>
  <Target Name="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild_ARM64_and_Release" Label="ARM64 and Release" Condition="'$(Platform.ToLower())' == 'ARM64' And ( $(Configuration.ToLower().IndexOf('debug')) == -1 )" AfterTargets="Microsoft_Azure_Shared_Util_redist_AfterBuild">
  </Target>  
</Project>

The project works fine, includes from the right folders and references the right libs, but I cannot see the effective values in the IDE.

Thanks, Roy.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1086

Answers (1)

stijn
stijn

Reputation: 35901

As said in the comment, this looks like a bug (or maybe feature) in VS: for some reason when the imported file is imported after the project's own ItemDefinitionGroups where it has the compiler/linker settings, it's content isn't reflected in the IDE even though it is used in the build, as per standard msbuild evaluation rules.

The workaround is simple enough: move the Import higher in the project file. In fact as you can see the Import is now in an ImportGroup labelled 'ExtensionTargets' but higher in the file there's also a group labelled 'ExtensionSettings' which seems tailored for usage like this - and VS will show the resulting settings properly, and they can be overrided by user settings when needed via the standard project property system.

Arguably (though I can't find documentation to back it up) the most sensible thing to do here is to provide 2 imports: the actual targets file which as the name implies contains msbuild Targets, imported under 'ExtensionTargets', and a seperate file with compiler/linker settings imported under 'ExtensionSettings'. The latter wouldn't have a .targets extension but a .props extension as that is the convention used most.

Upvotes: 1

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