How to override vbproj DebugSymbols with msbuild?

Question

Regardless of the DebugSymbols setting in my various vbproj files I want to generate .pdb files.

I have a msbuild project named FX.proj that looks like this:

<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003"&gt;
  <ItemGroup>
    <ProjectReferences Include="C:\product\forms.vbproj" />
    <ProjectReferences Include="C:\product\core.vbproj" />
    <ProjectReferences Include="C:\product\fx.vbproj" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <Target Name="Build">
    <MSBuild Projects="@(ProjectReferences)" Targets="Build" />
  </Target>
</Project>

I call it from the command line like this:

msbuild /t:Build /v:Minimal /nologo "/p:OutputPath=%~dp0bin;Configuration=Release" /fl /flp:LogFile=FX.log;Verbosity=Normal FX.proj

I want to override the DebugSymbols property in each vbproj.

I have attempted to add it to the command line like this:

msbuild /t:Build /v:Minimal /nologo "/p:OutputPath=%~dp0bin;Configuration=Release;DebugSymbols=true" /fl /flp:LogFile=FX.log;Verbosity=Normal FX.proj

AND to the MSBuild target Properties like this:

<Target Name="Build">
  <MSBuild Projects="@(ProjectReferences)" Targets="Build" Properties="DebugSymbols=true" />
</Target>

but neither seems to work. Whatever is set in the vbproj for the specified Configuration is what happens.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

I just did this exact thing, and inserted the target

  <Target Name="AfterBuild">
    <Message Text="DebugSymbols: $(DebugSymbols)" Importance="high" />
  </Target>

Into every .vbproj file (after the import statement). Here is my entire FX.proj file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="3.5" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003"&gt;

  <ItemGroup>
    <ProjectReferences Include="WindowsApplication1\WindowsApplication1.vbproj"/>
    <ProjectReferences Include="ClassLibrary1\ClassLibrary1.vbproj"/>
    <ProjectReferences Include="ClassLibrary2\ClassLibrary2.vbproj"/>
  </ItemGroup>

  <Target Name="Build">

    <Message Text="Building for DebugSymbols=false" Importance="high"/>
    <MSBuild Projects="@(ProjectReferences)"
             Properties="DebugSymbols=false"/>

    <Message Text="Building for DebugSymbols=true" Importance="high"/>
    <MSBuild Projects="@(ProjectReferences)"
             Properties="DebugSymbols=true"/>
  </Target>

</Project>

You can download my files at http://www.sedodream.com/Content/binary/DebSymbols.zip. BTW you may want to consider renaming the item from ProjectReference to something else, maybe Projects. ProjectReference has a specific meaning so it may be confusing.