VS2017 msbuild / nuget pack

Question

I am having a problem with nuget (version 4.3.0.4406) and msbuild (version 15.3.409.57025). I am using VS2017 to create class library. Using the pack capability of VS2017 i can successfully create a nuget package (that i can install in another solution). Now i want to add an install.ps1 script to the package in the tools folder that runs when the nuget is installed.

In the csproj file i am specifying multiple target frameworks:

<TargetFrameworks>net45;net452</TargetFrameworks>

I cannot figure out how to do this. I've created a nuspec file using the nuget -spec command which generates a simple nuspec file. When i use the msbuild command with the /t:pack and /p:Nuspecfile=path.to.nuspec I get the following errors:

NuGet.Build.Tasks.Pack.targets(141,5): error : Value cannot be null or an empty string.

I have nuspec files from other projects (from VS2015 solutions) that work without problem, and the structure of the one i am using now is basically the same. Can anyone let me know whether i am trying something that cannot be done?

Martin Ullrich Martin Ullrich · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-17T07:39:44

You can pack any item by updating its metadata in the csproj file:

<ItemGroup>
  <None Update="install.ps1" CopyToOutputDirectory="PreserveNewest" Pack="true" PackagePath="\tools" />
</ItemGroup>

Note that the ps1 file is only run for projects using packages.config to reference the NuGet package and you should investigate alternative ways to accomplish what you are trying to do with the script as PackageReference is now more likely to be used instead.

VS2017 msbuild / nuget pack

1 Answers