Use packages.config to install local NuGet package? - visual-studio

I want to install a NuGet package (so a .nukpg file) that I have stored in a directory. This is easy to do with a batch script, using the NuGet command line, but is there a way to do this using the built in "packages.config" file?

Yes, you can reference a local file from your packages.config. You need to update your NuGet.Config file and add something like this to the <packageSources> section:
<packageSources>
<add key="MyLocalPackages" value="external/packages" />
</packageSources>
value is the path to where your packages can be found.
Then in your packages.config just reference the version that is in your local package directory, like:
<package id="Foobar" version="1.1.5-alpha" targetFramework="net45" />

Related

How to change the NuGet-package reference in a Visual Studio project to use Nuget.config

I have a Visual Studio project file with the extension .csproj. Inside it are references like this:
<Import Project="..\packages\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.1.0.0\build\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.props"....
I have now made a NuGet.config file in the parent folder of from the solution folder. And I removed the local "packages" folder. In the new nuget.config I set up a common location for storing packages.
nuget.config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<config>
<add key="repositoryPath" value="D:\Data\NuGet" />
</config>
<packageRestore>
<add key="enabled" value="True" />
</packageRestore>
</configuration>
When I building I now get this error:
This project references NuGet package(s) that are missing on this computer. Use NuGet Package Restore to download them. For more information...
The missing file is ..\packages\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.1.0.0\build\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.props.
How can I solve this?
If I manually have to replace the (Import Project="..\packages...) elements in the project file, what should I change it to, so that it follows the configuration from the Nuget.config?
If I manually have to replace the (Import Project="..\packages...)
elements in the project file, what should I change it to, so that it
follows the configuration from the Nuget.config?
Since you use the new nuget.config file which changed the path of the local nuget reference(like this <add key="repositoryPath" value="xxxxxx" />).
And Restore will only restore the missing nuget packages but will not change to use the new nuget package location in xxx.csproj.
So you can follow my steps to resolve the issue:
Solution
1) Tools-->Nuget Package Manager-->Package Manager Console-->
type Update-Package -reinstall to reinstall these packages to reference the new right path.
2) enter the xxxx.csproj file, delete these duplicate, old import info like these:
<Import Project="..\packages\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.1.0.0\build\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.props" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\..\..\..\installed_packages\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.1.0.0\build\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.props')" />
<Error Condition="!Exists('..\packages\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.1.0.0\build\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\packages\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.1.0.0\build\Microsoft.Net.Compilers.props'))" />
3) Then rebuild your project and will solve this issue.
Update 1
The new Nuget.config file will specify that the newly installed nuget packages use the new reference address, but for previously installed nuget packages, the reference address in the xxx.csporj file will remain the old address. The Restore procedure only restores the nuget package under the new path, but it does not make any changes to the nuget reference in xxx.csproj file, so it can only be reinstalled.
Besides, the import node is created by Microsoft.Net.Compilers props file from the build folder in the microsoft.net.compilersnuget package. And it is a nuget mechanism which can do some operation in xxx.csproj file when you install the nuget package.
However, this file is also special and when you change the nuget reference path.
Because nuget enabled the new address mechanism, during the uninstallation process, the old address of Microsoft.Net.Compilers.props is still not recognized, so it cannot be uninstalled. In fact, when you execute the reinstall nuget package, a new address has been created in the xxx.csproj file. See this:
So you should just delete duplicate files from the old address.
Visual Studio option to change the Nuget Package References
In Visual Studio Tools=> Nuget Package Manager => Package Sources.
You can change the package sources here.

Manage Nuget Packages Outside Visual Studio

My organization wants to segregate all the development machines on a network without internet access.
I found this article that gives that gives some nuget host product, so that the packages are available offline.
My problem is that I can't find a way to manage the package update, because the machines that have and internet access won't have Visual studio installed.
I was looking if there is a tool that reads a folder where all nupkg files are stored and check if a newer version is available and downloads it, or otherwise reads a manually created packages.config file checks for newer version and download them on a folder.
Does anyone have an idea how to manage nuget packages in this way? I spent the last week trying to find a way but I had no look.
Does anyone have an idea how to manage nuget packages in this way?
According to the NuGet CLI reference:
The update command also updates assembly references in the project
file, provided those references already exist.
So when we use NuGet.exe update the package, we are not only need the packages.config but also need the solution/project, otherwise, you will get the error:
"Unable to locate project file for 'D:\NuGetServer\packages.config'
You can copy a simple project from the machine, which have Visual Studio installed, then use below command line to update the nuget package in the package.config file:
nuget update "YourProjectPath\packages.config"
But NuGet will update the packages into the packages folder under the solution folder by default, so we need change the packages folder to the folder where all nupkg files are stored before update packages.
Detail steps:
Download the nuget.exe from nuget.org, set it to your local machines.
Create a NuGet folder under the path %appdata%, add the NuGet.Config file and change the packages folder by repositoryPath, just set it "D:\NuGetServer":
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<packageSources>
<add key="nuget.org" value="https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json" protocolVersion="3" />
</packageSources>
<config>
<add key="repositoryPath" value="D:\NuGetServer" />
</config>
</configuration>
Copy a solution from other machine, add the packages in to the package.config file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<packages>
<package id="EntityFramework" version="6.1.0" targetFramework="net45" />
<package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="8.0.3" targetFramework="net45" />
<package id="NUnit" version="3.7.0" targetFramework="net45" />
</packages>
Open a CMD file, switch to the path where NuGet is stored in step 1, then use the update command:
You will find packages in the packages.config are updated to the latest version.

NuGet packages getting installed to the wrong folder

I'm working on a Xamarin.Forms PCL mobile app in Visual Studio 2017, using project.json for package management (I'm not using PackageReference, since Visual Studio 2017 is required for that, and some of our team are still using Visual Studio 2015). I have multiple projects within the solution, and I have multiple branches of the project, like so:
MobileApp/
packages/ <<--- (I want nuget packages to be installed here)
Branches/
DevBranchSolution/
MobileApp.sln
nuget.config
ProjectA/
ProjectB/
I want all my (projects / solutions / branches) to be able to reference packages from a single location, so you'll notice I've added the packages folder at the root level in the MobileApp folder. I have a nuget.config file per solution that looks something like:
nuget.config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<config>
<add key="repositoryPath" value="..\..\packages" />
</config>
<packageSources>
<clear />
<add key="nuget.org" value="https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json" />
<add key="CustomPackagesLocation" value="..\..\packages" />
</packageSources>
<disabledPackageSources />
</configuration>
In Visual Studio when I right-click on the solution, click "Manage NuGet Packages For Solution...", and install a package (e.g. Newtonsoft.Json), I would expect that it would install those package files inside my MobileApp/packages/ folder, the location I set in the solution's nuget.config. But it doesn't. Instead the files are getting put into the global NuGet packages location, which is %USERPROFILE%\.nuget\packages.
Why? Shouldn't my nuget.config file be overriding that? I have verified that when I go to Package Manager Settings, the location of CustomPackagesLocation is correct, but apparently the repositoryPath setting doesn't seem to affect anything.
I also noticed that inside the project.json.lock and Project.nuget.targets files, the package folder is set to the global NuGet packages location (the %USERPROFILE%/.nuget/packages one). Why? Where is it pulling this value from??
Why? Where is it pulling this value from??
The default packages directory for Project.json file is %USERPROFILE%/.nuget/packages and project.json project doesn't support repositoryPath config now. This is the reason why you have changed the repositoryPath, but NuGet still put packages into the global NuGet packages location. You can refer to the same issue on GitHub.
If you want to change packages default location for project.json, you can set "NUGET_PACKAGES" environment variable. Just Set "NUGET_PACKAGES" = "....\packages". Or you can place a NuGet.Config file next to the solution with the following content:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<config>
<add key="globalPackagesFolder" value="..\..\packages" />
</config>
</configuration>
See NuGet.Config reference for details on config section.
I had a very similar problem where it wasn't using the packages folder for a class library. For some reason my csproj file had set for a few assemblies. I removed this line and did a update-package -reinstall -project myclasslibrary and it worked again just fine.
I'm not sure what set the HintPath in the first place.

Use a .nuspec file/script to automatically install nuget packages into a new project

I am trying to automate the process of installing nuget packages into new visual studio projects. My idea is to reduce the time it takes to source all the packages via the nuget package manager, by specifying the packages in a custom file that can be run to install these packages. Therefore only requiring every new project to include this file and running it each time. I'm very new to nuget and have been assigned this task without much prior knowledge. I was advised that .nuspec route would lead me in the right direction, since it contains the meta data about a package. Although since consumers don't have direct access to the .nuspec file of a package, I am failing to understand how it can be used as part of this automation. I have also heard about automatic package restore, but since that only works for lost reference, I don't see how it will help in new projects that haven't necessarily referenced anything to do with that project.
note that you cannot simply drop a pre-built packages.config file into a new project and expect it to work. When installing, NuGet modifies the project file (.csproj) to include references and uses packages.config for downloading missing files (and update/conflict logic).
Using VS 2017 (released stable versions 15.2 and higher) and the PackageReference style of referencing projects, you can simply drop a Directory.Build.props file into the root of your solution containing all the projects you need:
<Project>
<ItemGroup>
<PackageReference Include="Autofac" Version="3.5.2 />
<PackageReference Include="Topshelf" Version="3.2.0 />
</ItemGroup>
</Project>
This will add these NuGet packages to all new projects in the solution without the need for the .csproj files to be modified. (note that after adding/editing this file, you need to close and re-open the solution. this should be fixed in the upcoming VS 2017 15.3 update for editing the file).
Nuget already supports automation of installation and we can use nuget commandline to achieve this
Everytime you add a nuget package in Visual Studio,it gets add to a file called packages.config file.
E.g. will look like this
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<packages>
<package id="Autofac" version="3.5.2" targetFramework="net451" />
<package id="Microsoft.Owin" version="3.1.0" targetFramework="net452" />
<package id="Microsoft.Owin.Host.HttpListener" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
<package id="Microsoft.Owin.Hosting" version="3.1.0" targetFramework="net452" />
<package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="9.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
<package id="Owin" version="1.0" targetFramework="net451" />
<package id="Topshelf" version="3.2.0" targetFramework="net451" />
</packages>
Every project you have in your solution will have packages.config file. You can go to the parent folder of all the projects and simply run comand 'nuget restore', it will get all the packages for you.
For this to work, nuget.exe needs to be downloaded separately .More details on the nuget command line can be found here and here's the commandline reference
Edit:
Thanks #Martin Ullrich pointing out.Just to be clear, The above method will not add the references to project file automatically,it will only get the packages to the packages folder.In VS2017,the support is there which #Martin's answer addresses.
Hope this helps!

How to deal with relative NuGet packages paths to facilitate easy pckages dir relocation with NuGet.Config?

We moved NuGet's packages folder to some other place and created a NuGet.Config file at the slns level:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<config>
<add key="repositoryPath" value="../.nugetPackages" />
</config>
</configuration>
We also have this in few of our csproj files:
<Import Project="..\..\..\Proj\packages\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.1.7.1\build\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\Proj\packages\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.1.7.1\build\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.targets')" />
<Target Name="EnsureNuGetPackageBuildImports" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
<PropertyGroup>
<ErrorText>This project references NuGet package(s) that are missing on this computer. Use NuGet Package Restore to download them. For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=322105. The missing file is {0}.</ErrorText>
</PropertyGroup>
<Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\Proj\packages\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.1.7.1\build\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\Proj\packages\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.1.7.1\build\Microsoft.Azure.DocumentDB.targets'))" />
</Target>
And this too:
<Import Project="..\..\packages\PostSharp.4.2.17\tools\PostSharp.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\packages\PostSharp.4.2.17\tools\PostSharp.targets')" />
<Target Name="EnsurePostSharpImported" BeforeTargets="BeforeBuild" Condition="'$(PostSharp30Imported)' == ''">
<Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\packages\PostSharp.4.2.17\tools\PostSharp.targets')" Text="This project references NuGet package(s) that are missing on this computer. Enable NuGet Package Restore to download them. For more information, see http://www.postsharp.net/links/nuget-restore." />
<Error Condition="Exists('..\..\packages\PostSharp.4.2.17\tools\PostSharp.targets')" Text="The build restored NuGet packages. Build the project again to include these packages in the build. For more information, see http://www.postsharp.net/links/nuget-restore." />
</Target>
My question is how to deal with such relative package paths in the csproj files to keep things generic (so we could easily move the package folder anytime anywhere)?
Is there maybe some variable we can use like $NuGetPackagesDir or something like that?
(We use Vs2015, NuGet 5.3 and TeamCity build server [I don't remember current version..])
You cannot really have a generic path and still use the NuGet tooling within Visual Studio since when you update a package the hint path will be updated by NuGet back to a relative path if you are using a packages.config file.
Whilst you could specify a global packages folder the hint paths will be relative to that path depending on where you put the solution.
The hint path problem goes away when you use a project.json file or have a new .NET Core style project that uses PackageReference elements in the .csproj file. If you are using a packages.config file then your .csproj file will have hint paths pointing to assemblies within the packages folder.

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