How do I force MSBuild to clean or rebuild?

Question

I am using MSBuild from a script to compile my project. I have noticed that it just does a build and not a clean/rebuild.

I have the following:

<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="4.0">
<Target Name="Build">
    <MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\myproj.csproj" Targets="Build" Properties="OutputPath=$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\bin\" />
 </Target>

How do I force a clean/rebuild?

Florous

What file is this? – Offutt

Answer 1

Change

<MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\myproj.csproj"
  Targets="Build"
  Properties="OutputPath=$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\bin\" />

to

<MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\myproj.csproj"
  Targets="Clean;Build"
  Properties="OutputPath=$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\bin\" />

or

<MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\myproj.csproj" Targets="Rebuild"
  Properties="OutputPath=$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\bin\" />

For more details, look at the MSBuild Task documentation.

Allanson

Seems obvious when you see the answer. Should prob have got that one. Thanks for the answer – Florous

How about the new csproj? – Bleach

Answer 2

"%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\MSBuild" Project.sln /p:Configuration=Release /t:Rebuild

Muzhik

In the question, msbuild is used in a project file. Not directly in the command prompt. – Commonable

In question "I am using msbuild from a script to compile my project" from a script better use command prompt – Muzhik

Whether or not it answers the original question, the snippet helped me get where I needed to go.. thanks! – Camire

Answer 3

Always Try to use

<MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\myproj.csproj"
  Targets="Clean;Build"
  Properties="OutputPath=$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\bin\" />

Because according to this MSDN article, when you have multiple projects in your solution using "Rebuild" as the target, may cause clean and build to happen in parallel manner. Which may cause problems in project dependencies.

But when you use "Clean and Build" as the target, build will start only after all the projects are cleaned.

Unmindful