How to create NuGet package that includes XML intellisense data - visual-studio-2010

This link How do I create an XML Intellisense file for my DLL? explains how to build your dlls so that an XML file is included containing all your documentation headers so that they are available in those IntelliSense popups.
In my company we frequently distribute our own dlls using an internal NuGet package source. When I create NuGet packages for the package source, how do I ensure that someone else gets the dll from the package source, IntelliSense displays the documentation headers for them?

If you distribute your XML files with your NuGet package in the same folder as your Dlls then Visual Studio will then find these XML files and show IntelliSense for your assemblies.
To distribute the IntelliSense XML files you will need to add them to your .nuspec file, for example:
<files>
<file src="bin\IronPython.dll" target="lib\Net40" />
<file src="bin\IronPython.xml" target="lib\Net40" />
</files>

tl;dr documentation files need to be .xml not .XML
I was able to get the XML files included by first enabling the production using the Build tab, checking XML Documentation File in the Output section. Note: for some reason I had to manually change the extension from .XML to lowercase .xml. YMMV. This is the same as the question you referenced, How do I create an XML Intellisense file for my DLL?.
Once done, I created the Nuspec file in the project directory. Here's a sample, you can also generate it with nuget spec MyAssembly.dll - but make sure to edit it and set the values appropriately.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package >
<metadata>
<id>$id$</id>
<version>1.0.0</version>
<title>Title for your package</title>
<authors>Package Author</authors>
<owners>Package Owner</owners>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<description>A description of your library</description>
<releaseNotes>Release notes for this version.</releaseNotes>
<copyright>Copyright 2013</copyright>
<tags>tag1 tag2</tags>
</metadata>
</package>
Once that was done, I used Nuget to package. Note I had to specify the platform because I'm using a 64-bit OS, but I don't have any targets in the project for x64, only AnyCPU
nuget pack MyAssembly.csproj -Prop Configuration=Release;Platform=AnyCPU -build
The assembly and it's associated documentation were automatically included in the package. In addition any packages that you've used in your project are added to the dependency list.
See http://docs.nuget.org/docs/creating-packages/creating-and-publishing-a-package for more information.

Related

Cannot copy folder with nuget package in .net core

I Create a NuGet package and install into another project. but don't copy a file into the location project. only my file reference to NuGet package and I change the code, The package also changes! I want to copy the package to the target project.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package>
<metadata minClientVersion="3.3.0">
<id>MyPackage</id>
<version>1.0.0</version>
<authors>Meysam</authors>
<owners>Meysam</owners>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<description>Package description</description>
<releaseNotes>Summary of changes made in this release of the package.</releaseNotes>
<copyright>Copyright 2018</copyright>
<tags>Tag1 Tag2</tags>
<contentFiles>
<files include="cs/*.*/**" buildAction="Compile" />
</contentFiles>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="ConsoleApp1\CustomClass\CustomClass.cs" target="contentFiles\cs\any\CustomClass" />
</files>
</package>
Copying files into the project that uses a nuget package is only supported when using packages.config, which isn't supported by SDK-style projects, which are required for .NET Core projects. As your screenshots show, contentFiles in PackageReferences projects are included at build time. The little arrow icon in the bottom right corner of the C# and folder icons you pointed to in your screenshot are visual indicators that the file and folder are different to the other files and folders in your project. In fact, that little icon overlay is similar to what Windows adds for shortcuts, so if you understand a shortcut is a file that "points to" another file, it should make sense that these are shortcuts to files outside your project, but are included as part of your project.
Anyway, it's working as designed.
You'll need to find another way to do whatever you want, but you didn't describe why you're trying to include a file in the project that references your package, so I can't give direct advice. My best advice, if you are experienced with ASP.NET and ASP.NET Core is think about how ASP.NET used to read a lot of settings directly from web.config, but ASP.NET Core instead uses a builder pattern, so that users are not forced to store settings in web.config and can store settings anywhere they want. If what you're doing is similar, your package users will have a better experience if you provide them with a configuration builder that they can override, rather than having a file in their project that they must edit and gets overwritten every time they upgrade to a new version of your package.
Cannot copy folder with nuget package in .net core
Yes, just like zivkan said:
Copying files into the project that uses a nuget package is only
supported when using packages.config
But, we could use a workaround to resolve this issue. We could add a copy task in the xx.targets file, and set this file in the \build folder in the .nuspec file.
The content of mypackage.targets file:
<Target Name="CopyFile" AfterTargets="AfterBuild">
<ItemGroup>
<CopyFiles Include="$(NuGetPackageRoot)\mypackage\4.0.0\cs\*.*\**" />
</ItemGroup>
<Copy
SourceFiles="#(CopyFiles)"
DestinationFolder="$(ProjectDir)"
/>
</Target>
And the .nuspec file:
<file src="xxx\xxx\mypackage.targets" target="build" />
Hope this helps.

Internally distribute a Visual Studio Template using Nuget and SVN

Suppose we have a Visual Studio template that we would like to distribute within our organization. This template is hosted on an SVN server. I would like users to be able to point Nuget to the SVN location and get the template installed in the proper location just like any other package. Is this possible?
Is this possible?
We can do it but individuals do NOT recommend it.
How
According to the NuGet document:
Put simply, a NuGet package is a single ZIP file with the .nupkg
extension that contains compiled code (DLLs), other files related to
that code, and a descriptive manifest that includes information like
the package's version number. Developers with code to share create
packages and publish them to a public or private host. Package
consumers obtain those packages from suitable hosts, add them to their
projects, and then call a package's functionality in their project
code. NuGet itself then handles all of the intermediate details.
However, the Visual Studio Template is a file with the .zip extension, which could not be recognized by NuGet. Even if we point NuGet to the SVN location, NuGet still can not recognize it.
To resolve this issue, we have to create a NuGet package to include this Visual Studio Template .zip file, like:
<files>
<file src="TestDemo.zip" target="Tools\TestDemo.zip" />
</files>
Besides, there is another question, when we install this nuget package to the project, this Visual Studio Template .zip file would be downloaded to the \packages folder in the solution folder. We have to move it to the Visual Studio Templates folder.
So, we have to add .targets with copy task in that nuget package to copy zip file to the Visual Studio Templates folder.
The content of .targets file:
<Project DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<Target Name="CopyTemplate" BeforeTargets="Build">
<Message Text="Copy Template to template folder."></Message>
<Copy
SourceFiles="$(SolutionDir)packages\MyTemplatePackage.1.0.0\Tools\TestDemo.zip"
DestinationFolder="$(USERPROFILE)\Documents\Visual Studio 2017\Templates\ProjectTemplates"
/>
</Target>
</Project>
Finally, the .nuspec file like following:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package >
<metadata>
<id>MyTemplatePackage</id>
<version>1.0.0</version>
<authors>Tester</authors>
<owners>Tester</owners>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<description>Package description</description>
<releaseNotes>Summary of changes made in this release of the package.</releaseNotes>
<copyright>Copyright 2018</copyright>
<tags>Tag1 Tag2</tags>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="TestDemo.zip" target="Tools\TestDemo.zip" />
<file src="MyTemplatePackage.targets" target="Build\MyTemplatePackage.targets" />
</files>
</package>
Then pack this .nuspec file, add this nuget package to the SVN location, add the SVN location to the nuget package source, you can install this nuget package to the project, and build the project, Visual Studio will download that nuget package and copy .zip file to the Visual Studio Templates folder.
I have created a sample test nuget package and it work fine on my side with Visual Studio 2017, you can test it on VS2017: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ai1sp_yvodHf2Vax7TzuC6HQUD5w
Why not recommend
Just as you can see above, it is not easy and simple to do this, we have to do a lot of things to create that nuget package. What`s more, in order to get the template we have to create a project and install that package and build the project. It pulls in too many extra operations. Besides, when you change anything in the template, you have to re-create this package and install it.
Since this template is hosted on an SVN server, you can just check it to the Visual Studio template folder, this will be more effective.
Hope this complicated answer helps.

Unable to step into Nuget package

I have a common project that I build and create a nuget package from, for consumption in my other applications.
The build process for the common project both creates a nuget package, deploys it to our private nuget repo and pushes the symbols to our internal symbol server.
In my "other applications", in this specific case an ASP.NET website, I pull in the nuget package from our repo but when I try to step into code in that assembly it just skips over it. I cleared my local symbol cache and as soon as I start debugging VS pulls in all the symbols from the symbol server so I know that bit is working.
Can anyone help me?
You need to publish Nuget package with symbols and refer to them using the Symbols under Tools->Options->Debugging->Symbols.
See HOW TO DEBUG A .NET CORE NUGET PACKAGE?
Other members also asked the similar issue before:
How to debug code in a nuget package created by me
Update:
Since you want to step into code in the assembly, you still need to provide the source code file in the NuGet package alongside the dll.
As we know:
A symbol is a file containing metadata that represent the link between
your original source code and the machine code that has been
translated by a compiler.
In the Microsoft world, a symbol is represented by a .PDB (Program DataBase) file. It is the heart of the debugging process because thanks to these metadata, the debugging tools are able to correlate the instructions executing in the application to the original source code and providing features like breakpoint or variable watchers.
So if you only provide the dll and .pdb file, you still not step into the code, you also need provide the source code, then add the source code to the Debug Source Files for the solution that references the package:
More detail on providing the source code:
If you're currently packaging without a Nuspec, you'll need to create a Nuspec, then add the pdb to the list of files in the lib folder and source file in the src folder. "NuGet spec" may be a useful command for generating the initial spec as defined in NuGet docs. Below is my .nuspec file, you can check it:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package >
<metadata>
<id>MyTestPackage</id>
<version>1.0.3</version>
<authors>Admin</authors>
<owners>Admin</owners>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<description>Package description</description>
<releaseNotes>Summary of changes made in this release of the package.</releaseNotes>
<copyright>Copyright 2017</copyright>
<tags>Tag1 Tag2</tags>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="bin\Debug\MyTestPackage.dll" target="lib\Net46" />
<file src="bin\Debug\MyTestPackage.pdb" target="lib\Net46" />
<file src="Class1.cs" target="src" />
</files>
</package>
More detail on add the source code to the Debug Source Files:
When you have a solution open, right click on Solution, select Properties...Common Properties...Debug Source Files, and add the root source directory for the relevant binary reference:

Can NuGet install the source of a binary alongside so the reference can be debugged?

I am not very familiar with NuGet and I am wondering if NuGet offers a similar feature to Maven where I can choose to not only install the binary of a dependency but also its source code and documentation.
So, when debugging my solution, I can follow the debugger into code running within a dependency declared and managed with NuGet. This would also have the advantage that when the binary package is updated, NuGet would pull the matching source code.
NuGet supports symbol packages which allow you to debug into a NuGet package's source code in Visual Studio.
However this only works if the creator of the NuGet package published a symbol package.
Yes, it is supported. Here is the relevant documentation:
Creating and Publishing a Symbol Package
Here is an example of our NuSpec-File. It ist so generic, that it's literally the same for every package:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package >
<metadata>
<id>$id$</id>
<title>$title$</title>
<tags>$tags$</tags>
<owners>$owners$</owners>
<authors>$authors$</authors>
<version>$version$</version>
<description>$description$</description>
<copyright>$copyright$</copyright>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>$requireLicenseAcceptance$</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<releaseNotes>$releaseNotes$</releaseNotes>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="readme.txt" />
<file src="\bin\Release\*.pdb" target="lib\net45" />
<file src="**\*.cs" target="src" exclude="obj\**"/>
<file src="**\*.vb" target="src" exclude="obj\**"/>
</files>
</package>
We also use the Visual Studio Extension "NuGet Deploy", you can find it in the VS Gallery.
If you still cannot Step into your package source code, make sure you loaded the symbols. Check it during dubugging in the Pane "DEBUG->Windows->Modules"

Is there a way to add an 'Import' to a project in a VS extension?

I want to add a new <Import> to a project when I detect that a particular type of file has been added to the project. (the <Import> adds a task to the build process that takes the file and performs work during a build).
(Detection of a file having been added to the project is done using IVsSolutionEvents.HandleItemAdded).
I currently have code that uses Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Project to add an Import element to the project. However this is an edit to a project file on disk. If I use this code to add an Import after detecting the addition of a new item to the project I create a conflict between a change on disk (the new Import) and an in-memory change (the addition of the new file). The user is then presented with a dialog where they must choose which change to throw away.
My question is this:
Is there a way to add a new <Import> to a project via the visual studio extensibility API in such a way that the modification to the project would be "in-memory", avoiding a conflict between the addition of the new project item, and the addition of the Import?
For existing project types, I've found the easiest way is leveraging NuGet. You can define a NuGet package which contains the .targets file in a special build/ folder, and NuGet will automatically add the <Import> when it is added to a project within Visual Studio. It will also update the references if you upgrade the package in the future. A full example is the packaging of the Antlr4BuildTasks package, which currently uses the following .nuspec file to create the package. The key here is the section following the <!-- Build Configuration --> comment.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/packaging/2010/07/nuspec.xsd">
<metadata minClientVersion="2.7">
<id>Antlr4</id>
<version>0.0.0</version>
<authors>Sam Harwell, Terence Parr</authors>
<owners>Sam Harwell</owners>
<description>The C# target of the ANTLR 4 parser generator for Visual Studio 2010+ projects. This package supports projects targeting .NET 2.0 or newer, and built using Visual Studio 2010 or newer.</description>
<language>en-us</language>
<projectUrl>https://github.com/sharwell/antlr4cs</projectUrl>
<licenseUrl>https://raw.github.com/sharwell/antlr4cs/master/LICENSE.txt</licenseUrl>
<iconUrl>https://raw.github.com/antlr/website-antlr4/master/images/icons/antlr.png</iconUrl>
<copyright>Copyright © Sam Harwell 2014</copyright>
<releaseNotes>https://github.com/sharwell/antlr4cs/releases/v$version$</releaseNotes>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>true</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<developmentDependency>true</developmentDependency>
<tags>antlr antlr4 parsing</tags>
<title>ANTLR 4</title>
<summary>The C# target of the ANTLR 4 parser generator for Visual Studio 2010+ projects.</summary>
<dependencies>
<dependency id="Antlr4.Runtime" version="$version$" />
</dependencies>
</metadata>
<files>
<!-- Tools -->
<file src="..\tool\target\antlr4-csharp-$CSharpToolVersion$-complete.jar" target="tools"/>
<!-- Build Configuration -->
<file src="..\runtime\CSharp\Antlr4BuildTasks\bin\net40\$Configuration$\Antlr4.net40.props" target="build\Antlr4.props"/>
<file src="..\runtime\CSharp\Antlr4BuildTasks\bin\net40\$Configuration$\Antlr4.net40.targets" target="build\Antlr4.targets"/>
<file src="..\runtime\CSharp\Antlr4BuildTasks\bin\net40\$Configuration$\Antlr4BuildTasks.net40.dll" target="build"/>
</files>
</package>

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