CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#asp.net-corenugetdotnet-cli
Konzy262
Konzy262

Reputation: 3097

How to add additional files to a nuget package and reference those files within the nuget package code?

I'm wanting to provide some additional files in a nuget package so that whenever and wherever it is installed, the files are provided and in the correct location.

The problem I'm having is that I have code that needs to reference these files in order to run.

The files are 3 .exe files and a .jar file in a single directory...

enter image description here

This is the code that references that folder location...

var path = Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location) + "\\WebDrivers\\Drivers\\";

I want to be able to package this code and the files up so that whenever this nuget package is installed, this code will point to a valid location.

How do I do this?

First thing I tried was to add the following to the .csproj file

<ItemGroup>
  <None Update="WebDrivers\Drivers\chromedriver.exe">
    <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
  </None>
  <None Update="WebDrivers\Drivers\geckodriver.exe">
    <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
  </None>
  <None Update="WebDrivers\Drivers\msedgedriver.exe">
    <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
  </None>
  <None Update="WebDrivers\Drivers\selenium-server-standalone-3.141.0.jar">
    <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
  </None>
</ItemGroup>

This only works if you reference the project in the same solution. It doesn't work after you have done a dotnet pack and installed the package in a different project/solution.

Second thing I tried was the accepted answer here...

Copy files from Nuget package to output directory with MsBuild in .csproj and dotnet pack command

But I couldn't get any files to copy...

enter image description here

SASelenium.Framework.csproj

  <ItemGroup Label="FilesToCopy">
    <Content Include="SASelenium.Framework.targets" PackagePath="build/SASelenium.Framework.targets" />
    <Content Include="LogFiles\*.config" Pack="true" PackagePath="contentFiles\LogFiles">
      <PackageCopyToOutput>true</PackageCopyToOutput>
    </Content>
  </ItemGroup>

SASelenium.Framework.targets

<ItemGroup>
  <LogFiles Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)\..\contentFiles\LogFiles\*.config" />
</ItemGroup>
<Target Name="CopyLogFiles" BeforeTargets="Build">
  <Copy SourceFiles="@(LogFiles)" DestinationFolder="$(TargetDir)CopiedLogFiles\" />
</Target>

I don't see any files when I build the project where this package is installed.

Even if this did work, how would I ensure the code within the package is always pointing at these files when running from any project?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2636

Answers (1)

Konzy262
Konzy262

Reputation: 3097

I solved this by updating my .csproj to the following for each required file...

<Content Include="WebDrivers\Drivers\chromedriver.exe">
  <CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
  <PackageCopyToOutput>true</PackageCopyToOutput>
  <pack>true</pack>
</Content>

After a dotnet pack I was able to see the files by inspecting package

enter image description here

After adding the nuget package to a new project and building the solution I was able to see the files in the bin folder...

enter image description here

Which means the code to find the file folder based on the currently executing assembly works as hoped.

Upvotes: 3

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