Targets in Directory.Build.targets or .props not shown

[solvingj]

If a custom target is defined in either of the following implicitly imported files, it does not appear in MsBuildTaskExplorer

• Directory.Build.targets
• Directory.Build.props

If instead, I move the target definition to a separate .targets file and import that targets file in Directory.Build.targets, it is shown properly.

[Serg046]

Where are those files located? MsBuildTaskExplorer scans the solution folder only.

[solvingj]

They're outside the solution folder. That explains the issue.

[Serg046]

@solvingj if MsBuild itself understands your files in that folder, maybe it is worth scanning that (and similar ones) folder as well. Just let me know if you are interested in that and we can support it somehow.

[solvingj]

Thanks for taking an interest. If you haven't read about them already, here's an overview of the files I was using:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild/customize-your-build?view=vs-2019

It does probably make sense to support them if it's not too difficult.

[Serg046]

Thanks for the link, looks like we should go to the root level by level

c:\users\username\code\test\case1
c:\users\username\code\test
c:\users\username\code
c:\users\username
c:\users
c:\

[solvingj]

Yes that seems like one way you could approach it. To be honest though, I'm surprised there's no internal project API for enumerating all loaded targets regardless of the props file they're in, and/or enumerating all props file's that have been loaded during evaluation phase. If you haven't looked for such a thing already, perhaps consider it.

[Serg046]

I totally agree, I even thought that we do something like that but based on what I saw, when I was checking, we just look for the files manually. Thank you for highlighting it, hope there is a way to do it like you said.

[solvingj]

thanks for all your hard work!