How can i create app package for SharePoint 2013 App Catalog by using MSBuild?

Question

Hi!

I know that I can create an app package in VisualStudio 2012 RC simply by right clicking on App Project and then clicking "Publish". But how I can do the same with MSBuild?

Answer 1

Hi Dmitriv,

You can use the following command to get the packages for publishing:

    msbuild /t:Package <ProjectFileName>

The packages will be generated into the same location as you use "Publish" through VS IDE. It works perfectly for SharePoint-hosted and autohosted apps. The MSBuild currently doesn't support to set parameters for hosting web site, Client ID and Client Secret for provider-hosted apps though.

Thanks,
Xiaoying Guo

---

Xiaoying is a program manager in Microsoft Visual Studio SharePoint Developer Tools team | This post is provided "as-if"

Answer 2

Hello,

I add this as a post-build step:

msbuild /t:Package "$(ProjectName)"

But I get this error:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Microsoft.Common.targets(4264, 5): error MSB3073: The command "msbuild /t:Package "XXX.SharePoint.AdvancedAnalytics"" exited with code 9009. 
Project src\SPXXXFeature\AdvancedAnalytics\XXX.SharePoint.AdvancedAnalytics.csproj failed. 
Project src\FeatureInstaller\CodePlex.SharePointInstaller\CodePlex.SharePointInstaller2013.csproj failed. 
Project src\SharePoint2013.sln failed. 

Any ideas please?

-Dave

Answer 3

Hi Xiaoying, are you able to help me with the following question please:

Does MSBuild 2010 /t:Package switch package an existing SharePoint WebPart or build it first?

In other words can I do the following:

1. MSBuild /p:Configuration=Release /m MyWebPart.csproj
2. Then do something else like ILMerge and sign
3. MSBuild /p:Configuration=Release /m MyWebPart.csproj /t:Package

To package the ILMerged and signed Webpart to a WSP?

Thanks

Answer 4

Hi.

Using a VS2012 developer command prompt, I am getting:

>msbuild /t:Package MyProject.csproj

CreateSandboxedReferenceAssembly:
  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\bin\ildasm.exe" /nobar /
  out="C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Temp\Microsoft.SharePoint.il" "UserCode\a
  ssemblies\Microsoft.SharePoint.dll"
EXEC : error : File 'UserCode\assemblies\Microsoft.SharePoint.dll' not found or
 not a PE file [C:\MyProject\MyProject.csproj]
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\4.0\Microsoft.Common.targets\ImportAfter\Microso
ft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.SandboxedCompilation.targets(39,5): error MSB3073: T
he command ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\bin\ildasm.exe
" /nobar /out="C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Temp\Microsoft.SharePoint.il" "Us
erCode\assemblies\Microsoft.SharePoint.dll"" exited with code 1. [C:\MyProject\MyProject.csproj]
Done Building Project "C:\MyProject\MyProject.csproj" (Package targe
t(s)) -- FAILED.

Not sure where to look.  Also, is there any update on providing the wizard items like ClientID and Secret with msbuild?