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.NET Development
.NET Framework 3.5
ToolTask Class
ToolTask Methods
 GenerateCommandLineCommands Method
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This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
ToolTask..::.GenerateCommandLineCommands Method

Returns a string value containing the command line arguments to pass directly to the executable file.

Namespace:  Microsoft.Build.Utilities
Assembly:  Microsoft.Build.Utilities (in Microsoft.Build.Utilities.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
Protected Overridable Function GenerateCommandLineCommands As String
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim returnValue As String

returnValue = Me.GenerateCommandLineCommands()
C#
protected virtual string GenerateCommandLineCommands()
Visual C++
protected:
virtual String^ GenerateCommandLineCommands()
JScript
protected function GenerateCommandLineCommands() : String

Return Value

Type: System..::.String
A string value containing the command line arguments to pass directly to the executable file.

This method is called after ValidateParameters and SkipTaskExecution.

The following example creates a ToolTask that runs MSIL Assembler (Ilasm.exe). The CommandLineBuilder, ToolLocationHelper, and TaskLoggingHelper classes are used to generate the information needed to run the task.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Text
Imports Microsoft.Build.Utilities
Imports Microsoft.Build.Framework

Namespace MSBuildTasks

    ''' <summary>
    ''' A very simple and incomplete ToolTask to wrap the ILASM.EXE tool.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Class ILAsm
        Inherits ToolTask

        ''' <summary>
        ''' Parameter bag.
        ''' </summary>
        Protected Friend ReadOnly Property Bag() As Hashtable
            Get
                Return propertyBag
            End Get
        End Property

        Private propertyBag As New Hashtable()

        ''' <summary>
        ''' The Source file that is to be compled (.il)
        ''' </summary>
        Public Property [Source]() As ITaskItem
            Get
                Return Bag("Source")
            End Get
            Set(ByVal value As ITaskItem)
                Bag("Source") = value
            End Set
        End Property

        ''' <summary>
        ''' Either EXE or DLL indicating the assembly type to be generated
        ''' </summary>
        Public Property TargetType() As String
            Get
                Return Bag("TargetType")
            End Get
            Set(ByVal value As String)
                Bag("TargetType") = value
            End Set
        End Property '

        Protected Overrides ReadOnly Property ToolName() As String
            Get
                Return "ILAsm.exe"
            End Get
        End Property

        ''' <summary>
        ''' Use ToolLocationHelper to find ILASM.EXE in the Framework directory
        ''' </summary>
        Protected Overrides Function GenerateFullPathToTool() As String
            ' Ask ToolLocationHelper to find ILASM.EXE - it will look in the latest framework directory available
            Return ToolLocationHelper.GetPathToDotNetFrameworkFile(ToolName, TargetDotNetFrameworkVersion.VersionLatest)
        End Function

        ''' <summary>
        ''' Construct the command line from the task properties by using the CommandLineBuilder
        ''' </summary>
        Protected Overrides Function GenerateCommandLineCommands() As String
            Dim builder As New CommandLineBuilder()

            ' We don't need the tool's logo information shown
            builder.AppendSwitch("/nologo")

            Dim targetType As String = Bag("TargetType")
            ' Be explicit with our switches
            If Not (targetType Is Nothing) Then
                If [String].Compare(targetType, "DLL", True) = 0 Then
                    builder.AppendSwitch("/DLL")
                ElseIf [String].Compare(targetType, "EXE", True) = 0 Then
                    builder.AppendSwitch("/EXE")
                Else
                    Log.LogWarning("Invalid TargetType (valid values are DLL and EXE) specified: {0}", targetType)
                End If
            End If
            ' Add the filename that we want the tool to process
            builder.AppendFileNameIfNotNull(Bag("Source"))

            ' Log a High importance message stating the file that we are assembling
            Log.LogMessage(MessageImportance.High, "Assembling {0}", Bag("Source"))

            ' We have all of our switches added, return the commandline as a string
            Return builder.ToString()
        End Function
    End Class
End Namespace
C#
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Text;
using Microsoft.Build.Utilities;
using Microsoft.Build.Framework;

namespace MSBuildTasks
{
    /// <summary>
    /// A very simple and incomplete ToolTask to wrap the ILASM.EXE tool.
    /// </summary>
    public class ILAsm : ToolTask
    {
        #region Member Data
        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the collection of parameters used by the task class.
        /// </summary>
        /// <value>Parameter bag.</value>
        protected internal Hashtable Bag
        {
            get
            {
                return bag;
            }
        }

        private Hashtable bag = new Hashtable();
        #endregion

        #region ILAsm Task Properties
        /// <summary>
        /// The Source file that is to be compled (.il)
        /// </summary>
        public ITaskItem Source
        {
            get { return Bag["Source"] as ITaskItem; }
            set { Bag["Source"] = value; }
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Either EXE or DLL indicating the assembly type to be generated
        /// </summary>
        public string TargetType
        {
            get { return Bag["TargetType"] as string; }
            set { Bag["TargetType"] = value; }
        }
        #endregion

        #region ToolTask Members
        protected override string ToolName
        {
            get { return "ILAsm.exe"; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Use ToolLocationHelper to find ILASM.EXE in the Framework directory
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        protected override string GenerateFullPathToTool()
        {
            // Ask ToolLocationHelper to find ILASM.EXE - it will look in the latest framework directory available
            return ToolLocationHelper.GetPathToDotNetFrameworkFile(ToolName, TargetDotNetFrameworkVersion.VersionLatest);
        }
        #endregion

        #region ILAsm Task Members
        /// <summary>
        /// Construct the command line from the task properties by using the CommandLineBuilder
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        protected override string GenerateCommandLineCommands()
        {
            CommandLineBuilder builder = new CommandLineBuilder();

            // We don't need the tool's logo information shown
            builder.AppendSwitch("/nologo");

            string targetType = Bag["TargetType"] as string;
            // Be explicit with our switches
            if (targetType != null)
            {
                if (String.Compare(targetType, "DLL", true) == 0)
                {
                    builder.AppendSwitch("/DLL");
                }
                else if (String.Compare(targetType, "EXE", true) == 0)
                {
                    builder.AppendSwitch("/EXE");
                }
                else
                {
                    Log.LogWarning("Invalid TargetType (valid values are DLL and EXE) specified: {0}", targetType);
                }
            }

            // Add the filename that we want the tool to process
            builder.AppendFileNameIfNotNull(Bag["Source"] as ITaskItem);

            // Log a High importance message stating the file that we are assembling
            Log.LogMessage(MessageImportance.High, "Assembling {0}", Bag["Source"]);

            // We have all of our switches added, return the commandline as a string
            return builder.ToString();
        }
        #endregion
    }
}

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0
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