Visual Studio External Tools Argument problem

Question

Visual studio 2005: I am moving from post build event to using the external tools menu with a batch file.

Previously I had

cd "$(ProjectDir).."
for /f "tokens=2,3,4 delims=/ " %%a in ('date /t') do set bdate=%%c.%%a.%%b
pkzipc -add -overwrite -dir=current "Z:\Technology\VisualStudio2005\Project Zips\$(ProjectName)_%bdate%_%username%.zip" "$(ProjectDir)*"

When I try to use this as an external tool it wraps "" around the projectname and adds an extra \ on SolutionDirectory (I am not sure if I want project or solution dir going forward, neither seems to be working)

The code I'm attempting to use:

pkzipc -add -overwrite -dir=current Z:\Technology\VisualStudio2005\Project Zips\%2\%2_%bdate%_%username%.zip %1*

this code doesn't work I think the first part stripping the outside "" is answered, which leaves the extra \ on the end of the projectdir variable. How can I fix that?

Answer 1

I'm not sure I'm following you (and there's no direct question), but if you have a parameter surrounded by quotes and you want to drop them, you could use another variable:

set THEDIR=%1
set THEDIR=%THEDIR:"=%

Answer 2

You can also trim the last char off like this:

SET SOMEVAR=%SOMEVAR:~0,-1%

If the quotes and the \ appear in the same variable, you could do this instead:

SET SOMEVAR=%SOMEVAR:~1,-2%

Answer 3

You probably setting the external tool wrong, you need to put full path to pkzipc in the Command: field, and put the arguments in the Arguments:.
Also you don't have access to script params so %1 %2 would not work, you argaument field should be then:

-add -overwrite -dir=current "Z:\..\$(ProjectName)_%bdate%_%username%.zip" "$(ProjectDir)*"

Answer 4

I wound up using a custom built .net application instead of the command line for this, since it was less complicated that way.