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Pre-build Event/Post-build Event Command Line Dialog Box

Visual Studio 2010

You can type pre- or post-build events for the Build Events Page, Project Designer (C#) directly in the edit box, or you can select pre- and post-build macros from a list of available macros.

NoteNote

Pre-build events do not run if the project is up to date and no build is triggered.

Command line edit box

Contains the events to run either for pre-build or post-build.

Note Note

Add a call statement before all post-build commands that run .bat files. For example, call C:\MyFile.bat or call C:\MyFile.bat call C:\MyFile2.bat.
Macros

Expands the edit box to display a list of macros to insert in the command line edit box.

Macro table

Lists the available macros and its value. See Macros below for a description of each. You can select only one macro at a time to insert into the command line edit box.

Insert

Inserts into the command line edit box the macro selected in the macro table.

Macros

You can use any of these macros to specify locations for files, or to get the actual name of the input file in the case of multiple selections. These macros are not case-sensitive.

Macro

Description

$(ConfigurationName)

The name of the current project configuration, for example, "Debug|Any CPU".

$(OutDir)

Path to the output file directory, relative to the project directory. This resolves to the value for the Output Directory property. It includes the trailing backslash '\'.

$(DevEnvDir)

The installation directory of Visual Studio 2010 (defined with drive and path); includes the trailing backslash '\'.

$(PlatformName)

The name of the currently targeted platform. For example, "AnyCPU".

$(ProjectDir)

The directory of the project (defined with drive and path); includes the trailing backslash '\'.

$(ProjectPath)

The absolute path name of the project (defined with drive, path, base name, and file extension).

$(ProjectName)

The base name of the project.

$(ProjectFileName)

The file name of the project (defined with base name and file extension).

$(ProjectExt)

The file extension of the project. It includes the '.' before the file extension.

$(SolutionDir)

The directory of the solution (defined with drive and path); includes the trailing backslash '\'.

$(SolutionPath)

The absolute path name of the solution (defined with drive, path, base name, and file extension).

$(SolutionName)

The base name of the solution.

$(SolutionFileName)

The file name of the solution (defined with base name and file extension).

$(SolutionExt)

The file extension of the solution. It includes the '.' before the file extension.

$(TargetDir)

The directory of the primary output file for the build (defined with drive and path). It includes the trailing backslash '\'.

$(TargetPath)

The absolute path name of the primary output file for the build (defined with drive, path, base name, and file extension).

$(TargetName)

The base name of the primary output file for the build.

$(TargetFileName)

The file name of the primary output file for the build (defined as base name and file extension).

$(TargetExt)

The file extension of the primary output file for the build. It includes the '.' before the file extension.
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$(ConfigurationName) only contains $(Configuration)
When I was experimenting with post-build events, it appeared that $(ConfigurationName) only contained "Debug" or "Release", not the "Debug|Any Cpu" or "Release|Any Cpu" as documented.  I ended up using $(Configuration) for just the "Debug" or "Release" which is what is used in the MSBuild (.csproj) file.
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Incorrect information.
Contrary to the claims in this article, pre-build events always run, no matter what. This can dramatically slow down a build, as it can cause every project that depends on the one with the pre-build event to always recompile even if they haven't changed.
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