How to build a solution using c# code in .NET 4.5 and retrieve the build result

Following is the code using which you can perform automated compilation of visual studio solutions through C#. First of all let’s retrieve the executing assembly path to write the output log of build activity performed using C#.

//retrieve assembly execution path

string assemblyExecutionPath = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location;

string logFilePath = assemblyExecutionPath.Remove(assemblyExecutionPath.LastIndexOf("\\") + 1) + "build.log";

Let’s create a collection to hold the output –

OutputHeaderRow = new List<string>();

OutputItemRow = new List<string>();

Let’s say the path of the solution to build using C# code is present in following variable - string artifactPath = @"C:\Kunal_AppDev\New folder\Test Data Solution\ MySolution.sln"

Following is the remaining complete code –

try

{

                    // Instantiate a new FileLogger to generate build log

                    FileLogger logger = new FileLogger(); 

                    // Set the logfile parameter to indicate the log destination

                    logger.Parameters = @"logfile=" + logFilePath; 

                    ProjectCollection pc = new ProjectCollection(); 

                    Dictionary<string, string> GlobalProperty = new Dictionary<string, string>();

                    GlobalProperty.Add("Configuration", "Debug");

                    GlobalProperty.Add("Platform", "Any CPU"); 

                    BuildRequestData buildRequest = new BuildRequestData(artifactPath, GlobalProperty, null, new string[] { "Build" }, null); 

                    //register file logger using BuildParameters

                    BuildParameters bp = new BuildParameters(pc);

                    bp.Loggers = new List<Microsoft.Build.Framework.ILogger> { logger }.AsEnumerable();

                    //build solution

                    BuildResult buildResult = BuildManager.DefaultBuildManager.Build(bp, buildRequest); 

                    //Unregister all loggers to close the log file               

                    pc.UnregisterAllLoggers(); 

                    //read lines from log file having project build output details

                    string[] solutionBuildOutputs = File.ReadAllLines(logFilePath); 

                    //write the result of solution build to html report

                    OutputHeaderRow.Add("Artifact;Build Result"); 

                    //split the contents of logger file to retrieve project build details

                    string[] splitter = { "__________________________________________________" };

                    string loggerOutput = File.ReadAllText(logFilePath);

                    string[] projectResults = loggerOutput.Split(splitter, StringSplitOptions.None);

                    foreach (string projectBuildDetails in projectResults)

                    {

                        if (projectBuildDetails.Contains("(default targets):"))

                        {

                            if (projectBuildDetails.Contains("Done building project \""))

                            {

                                //write the result of failed projects build to html report

                                string[] lines = projectBuildDetails.Split("\n".ToCharArray());

                                string buildFailedProjectName = lines.Where(x => x.Contains("Done building project \"")).FirstOrDefault();

                                buildFailedProjectName = buildFailedProjectName.Replace("Done building project ", string.Empty).Trim();

                                buildFailedProjectName = buildFailedProjectName.Replace("\"", string.Empty);

                                buildFailedProjectName = buildFailedProjectName.Replace(" -- FAILED.", string.Empty);

                                OutputItemRow.Add(buildFailedProjectName + ";FAILED");

                            }

                            else

                            {

                                //write the result of successfully built projects to html report

                                string[] lines = projectBuildDetails.Split("\n".ToCharArray());

                                string buildSuccededProjectName = lines.Where(x => x.Contains(" (default targets):")).FirstOrDefault().Replace("\" (default targets):", "");

                                string finalProjectName = buildSuccededProjectName.Substring(buildSuccededProjectName.LastIndexOf("\\") + 1);

                                OutputItemRow.Add(finalProjectName + ";SUCCEEDED");

                            }

                        }

                    }

                }

                catch (Exception ex)

                {

                    throw ex;

                }

                finally

                {

                    //delete log file

                    File.Delete(logFilePath);

                }

Following screenshot shows the build result output in debug mode contained in string collection. This you can write to file or show in grid and anything as per your requirement –

 

Hope this helps.

Cheers…

Happy Building!!