We are using nuget to package an older library (dll) file for use in our enterprise nuget share. We have done this successfully with numerous other libraries.
With the current one I'm packaging, there is a license file (.lic file) that must be copied along with the dll and xml files, but which is not getting included with the build output. Here is my <files> section from .nuspec:
<files>
<file src="Lic\test.lic" target="lib" />
<file src="net4.0\test.dll" target="lib" />
<file src="net4.0\test.XML" target="lib" />
</files>
This results in all three files being packaged in the lib folder of .nupkg file (as expected). However, when the consuming project is built, the .lic file is missing from the \bin folder:
licence file missing from output
I've tried many variations of the <file> tag, and have even tried variations of the <contentFiles><files...> tag.
Does anyone have any idea how to get the .lic file to be copied with the compiled output?
Edit 6/30/2020:
Ok I have tried the technique suggested by #thatguy, but it is not working. The .lic file is not getting included in the bin folder when the project is compiled; it is not even referenced in the .nupkg file when I unzip it.
I verified my visual studio project is using PackageReferences by opening the project file. That the .lic file is missing from the .nupkg suggests an error in the .nuspec file content. Here is screenshot of my nuspec file. Is there still something awry with the tags or content?
Screenshot of my .nuspec content
If you use PackageReference instead of packages.config, then you can use the contentFiles tag. It has to be contained in the metadata tag. Place content files like test.lic in a subfolders any\any\, otherwise it will not work. The following snippet will cause the content files to be copied to the output folder when building the project.
<contentFiles>
<files include="any/any/test.lic" buildAction="None" copyToOutput="true" />
</contentFiles>
You can upgrade existing .NET Framework projects to use PackageReference. .NET Core projects will have it by default. If you cannot upgrade or you do not want to use contentFiles because of its contraints, you can also use props and targets files for MS Build. One the one hand, it is much more complex to implement and get right, on the other hand, it offers maximum flexibility and enable you to use features of MS Build which is much more beyond copying files. You can find an example for your use-case here.
The title says it all. I have files that I want to nest during the installation of a NuGet package but can't use PowerShell scripts since they won't be run any longer (see here).
Are there any other ways to achieve this goal?
UPDATE: By nested I mean like *.resx and *.Designer.cs or *.xaml and code-behind files *.xaml.cs. I know I can achieve that by adding a <DependentUpon> element in the *.csproj file but I don't know how I can add that element without using PowerShell.
UPDATE2: init.ps1 runs the first time a package is installed in a solution. That won't cut it though. I would need the script to run when the package is installed into a project just like install.ps1 was run up to NuGet3.
UPDATE3: What I want to do is to add 3 files into the Properties folder of the target projects (Resources.resx, Resources.tt and Resources.Designer.cs). They are a replacement for the usual resources implementation. These files are installed by the nuget package when it is added to the project.
This is the part of the *.nuspec file that adds them to the Content folder of the package. As only one of them is actually content (the others being an Embedded Resource and Compile respectively) it would be nice to be able to set their build actions accordingly but one step at a time.
<files>
<file src="Properties\Resources.resx" target="content\Properties\Resources.resx" />
<file src="Properties\Resources.tt.pp" target="content\Properties\Resources.tt.pp" />
<file src="Properties\Resources.Designer.cs" target="content\Properties\Resources.Designer.cs" />
</files>
As these files are added to the projects I want the nesting inside the *.csproj file and not happen via a separate *.props file if that is somehow possible.
Packages can add MSBuild items like this to a project by using a .props file in the package. It would contain the same content that you would put into the .csproj file.
The down side of this is that the content cannot be modified by the user. If you need to modify the user's actual project file and copy content to the project folder you would have to include a .targets file in your package and set BeforeTargets="Build" on your target. This would give you a chance to run before build and make changes as needed.
The build folder works for both packages.config and PackageReference (NETCore SDK) projects. You can find more out about it here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/nuget/create-packages/creating-a-package#including-msbuild-props-and-targets-in-a-package
I'm trying to automate creating a NuGet package to include .js files within my web project via Visual Studio 2013 when builds are run. I have done this using the NuGet Package Explorer but this needs to be automated.
I have used the Nuget package "CreateNewNuGetPackageFromProjectAfterEachBuild" and this seems close but the CreateNuGetPackage.ps1 script restricts to csproj files. Has anyone done this? I have searched and read that a powershell solution may be needed.
Does anyone know if this has been solved yet? At this point I'm ready to learn how to write a powershell script.
I suggest you to create proper nuspec file with wildchars like below:
<files>
<file src="bin\Debug\*.dll" target="lib" />
<file src="bin\Debug\*.pdb" target="lib" />
<file src="tools\**\*.*" exclude="**\*.log" />
</files>
and run just: nuget.exe pack yournuspec.nuspec
Let's say I have a project with this structure:
MyLibrary\
MyLibrary.sln
MyLibrary.Core\
MyLibrary.Core.csproj
MyLibrary.Extensions\
MyLibrary.Extensions.csproj
MyLibrary.Tests\
MyLibrary.Tests.csproj
I want to create a single NuGet package which packages MyLibrary.Core.dll and MyLibrary.Extensions.dll. I can't seem to figure out how to get NuGet to do this. I've tried building a spec file manually and I've tried building one using "nuget spec MyLibrary.Core.csproj". I've tried adding all of the DLLs to a lib/ folder which I understand to be the convention-based mechanism for adding DLLs to the package. In every case I can get the MyLibary.Core.dll to get into the package but the MyLibrary.Extensions.dll does not end up packaged along with it.
TLDR: What is the best practice for creating a NuGet package with multiple projects / assemblies? Is there a tutorial out there that focuses on this? The tutorials I've found all focus on simple single-project demos.
You'll run NuGet on a single project (or nuspec file), but it supports pointers to other projects via the file element. This element uses the names of your project's References, so you avoid having to a) find the location of other project files, and b) copy files to a particular place as a post-build step.
Supposing you have a nuspec file for MyLibrary.Core.csproj, and it references MyLibrary.Extensions and MyLibrary.Tests such that they end up in the bin directory after a build:
<package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/packaging/2010/07/nuspec.xsd">
<metadata>
...
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="bin\Release\MyLibrary.Extensions.dll" target="lib\net40" />
<file src="bin\Release\MyLibrary.Tests.dll" target="lib\net40" />
</files>
</package>
With this setup, all of your references should end up in the appropriate place in the NuGet package. You still have the hard-coded 'Release' in there, but I'd wager most probably don't distribute NuGet packages of their debug builds anyway.
Did you generate a blank nuspec file with:
nuget spec
If you use that file and then put your dlls in a folder under it named lib, it will package them up.
I had a little trouble with trying to generate a nuspec file from a project or dll. Also, if you manually reference any files in the nuspec file, the conventions are not used. This is probably the problem with nuspecs generated from dlls or projects.
Also, if you are trying to run this from a build script that executes in a different folder, you can tell nuget the location of your .\lib folder via the -BasePath command line:
build\nuget.exe pack nuget\Company.Project.nuspec -BasePath nuget\
Have you tried NuGet Package Explorer? Might be the easiest way:
http://nuget.codeplex.com/releases/view/59864
It seems your problem is the same as this question: Why doesn't nuget include the referenced project when packing?. If so, you can use the -includereferencedprojects option (See http://docs.nuget.org/docs/reference/command-line-reference#Pack_Command).
I recently published a solution for this...
My solution enables automatic creation of NuGet packages when you build the solution where each package can contain multiple assemblies, references to both external NuGets and NuGets created during the same build and even include the source code for debugging.
In your case, all you will need to do is add a new class library project to your solution, reference the projects you want to package, then add a post build event.
You can find an article with a walk-through guide here
and the source code here.
i have some tutorial how i did it with windows and visual studio:
create local folder and call it packages like: c:/packages//lib - important to create another folder in folder call it lib and past there dll.
open nuget package explorer - https://npe.codeplex.com/downloads/get/clickOnce/NuGetPackageExplorer.application
the ui very intuitive just add dll and export it to /lib (for tutorial https://blog.zwezdin.com/2014/building-nuget-packages-with-gui-tool/ it in russian but see on pictures the flow it's about 3 clicks)
it will create nuspec file
open GIT BASH - https://git-for-windows.github.io/ and navigate to: cd c: => cd packages (the path of )
*maybe on windows you will need provide developer options for windows's linux stuff (https://www.howtogeek.com/249966/how-to-install-and-use-the-linux-bash-shell-on-windows-10/)
in GIT BASH enter command: nuget add -source [options]
where: : the full name of nuspec (include .nuspec)
and: the path of folder lib in folder (c:/packages//lib)
after the action ended successfully
in GIT BASH enter another command:
nuget pack .nuspec
not in this folder you have .nupkg file.
How to install a Nuget Package .nupkg file locally? - tutorial how to add it to visual studio.
I had the same problem and I decided to create Nuget which will allow to create other nugets from chosen project.
Package is deployed on the Nuget.org site. After referencing it in the project You need to add nuspeck file to the projects which should generate the projects.
Project with the required nuspeck file
Last thing which should be done by you is invoke command Create-Nuspec in Package Manager. Than the powershell module will take all libraries which are result of the build it will add also the required dependencies and create the nuget in the output directory.
Description about this package is placed here.
I had an issue when adding extra dlls references to a Nuget packages, and testing the package on a sample project, the extra dlls was not being added apparently, no matter the way that I create the Nuget Package.
Then I released that when you uninstall and install again a local Nuget Package with the same version number the changes no take effect, the extra dlls are not added.
So each time you uninstall the package, close visual studio and clear the Nuget Cache,
How to clear NuGet package cache using command line?
Then open again Visual Studio and reinstall the local package to make the change takes effect.
Or make the package version to increase each time to be for Visual Studio to recognize your changes.
For example:
Package-1.0.0
Package-1.0.1
Package-1.0.2
.....
To create a Nuget package from a sample project there are some ways, for example:
Right click to your Visual Studio project and choose the "Pack" option
Then install the nuget package explorer:
https://www.microsoft.com/es-ec/p/nuget-package-explorer/9wzdncrdmdm3?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
And add manually your extra references (dlls files) to your specific targets.
Create a nuget package using a .nuspec file how specified in the documentation:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/nuget/guides/create-packages-for-xamarin
<files>
<file src="Plugin.LoggingLibrary\bin\Release\Plugin.LoggingLibrary.dll" target="lib\netstandard1.4\Plugin.LoggingLibrary.dll" />
<file src="Plugin.LoggingLibrary\bin\Release\Plugin.LoggingLibrary.xml" target="lib\netstandard1.4\Plugin.LoggingLibrary.xml" />
<file src="Plugin.LoggingLibrary.iOS\bin\Release\iOsDependence.dll" target="lib\Xamarin.iOS10\iOsDependence.dll" />
<file src="Plugin.LoggingLibrary.Android\bin\Release\AndroidDependence.dll" target="lib\MonoAndroid10\AndroidDependence.dll" />
</files>
In your files part add your .dll files.
And dont forget, each time you uninstall and install again the nuget package from your local source.
Or you increase the version of the package each time:
Or close Visual Studio, clean the nuget cache and Rebuild your project.
In order to take effect the changes.
My VSIX extension has project templates with custom project file. This file contains a reference to my .targets file which is installed as a part of VSIX extension (so it's in my extension's folder). My problem is that I can't find any variable that indicates the VS extensions path, which is needed to find a target for the projects file.
If there is still something like:
<Import Project="$(VSExtensionsPath)\MyCompany\MyExtension\MyLang.targets" />
that would be great.
If not, is there any other way? Maybe I can run a script during vsix installation?
<Import Project="$([System.IO.Directory]::GetFiles($([System.IO.Path]::Combine($([System.Environment]::GetFolderPath(SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData)), `Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\Extensions`)), `Your.targets`, System.IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories))" />
No, custom MSBuild targets aren't supported in VSIX in VS 2010. There is no way to do a "custom action" during VSIX install time.
One possible solution (may not be good for your situation though) would be including the targets directly in the project file template.
If this isn't feasible, then unfortunately you won't be able to use VSIX to deploy your extension.