Using MSBuild, how to construct a dynamic string from iterating over files in an ItemGroup?

Question

I need to create multiple /testcontainer: parameters to feed into a task that exec's MsTest.

I have the following :

  <ItemGroup>
    <TestFiles Include="$(ProjectPath)\**\UnitTest.*.dll" />
  </ItemGroup>

for each match in TestFiles I would like to build a string like so:

"/testcontainer:UnitTest.SomeLibrary1.dll"
"/testcontainer:UnitTest.SomeLibrary2.dll"
"/testcontainer:UnitTest.SomeLibrary3.dll"

I am trying to use the internals of MSBuild without having to create a custom task, is this possible ?

TIA

Answer 1

Try this:?

<Message Text="TestFiles= @(TestFiles-> '&quot;%(Fullpath)&quot;', ' ')" />

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References:

• MSBuild transforms
• MSBuild: How to display an item list, separated by a comma.

Answer 2

It really depends on the usage of this afterwards. For example the task that you are sending it to, does it accept in an item list and do you want to invoke it once or multiple times?

If you want to invoke it once then you use the @(...) syntax, and if you want to invoke it many times then you do batching with the %(...) syntax.

To invoke once

<Message Text="Test Files: @(TestFiles->'/testcontainer:%(RecursiveDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')"/>

To invoke many times

<Message Text="Test Files: /testcontainer:%(TestFiles.RecursiveDir)%(TestFiles.Filename)%(TestFiles.Extension)"/>

More info on batching at http://sedotech.com/Resources#batching