A Better Way To Show your Build Output: BuildConsole.NET

Sometime ago I built a tool I called Build Console. I was a quick and dirty development but until today we are using it often in our daily building.

Why I needed this tool, well I don’t wanna tell you that VS build report is  really poor but… it is ;) I don’t wanna open a big solution and wait 5 minutes in order to build my solution.

I known I can use msbuild command line but it is so hard to know what is going on with the build process (how many warining, errors, what project fail, etc).

So that I built a very simple tool that just is listening msbuild and show you the in a better way what is going on with your build.

Additionally it save the history of your builds.

 

BuildConsole features:

  • Open BuildFiles and Solution Files
  • Show and Save Build Reports
  • Support for cancellation
  • Verbosity Configuration
    • Build Console solve another small problem that I always have, when building C++ I want a detailed verbosity but for C# projects I need a normal verbosity. BuildConsole assume you want this and if you choose normal when it is building a C++ project it assume detailed. I could be annoying for somebody but I need to know what C++ source is msbuild building and with normal verbosity I can’t see this.
  • Configuration

If you are going to use BuildConsole always with the same build file you can use the .config file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<configuration>

  <appSettings>

    <add key="BuildFile" value="mybuild.msbuild"/>

  </appSettings>

</configuration>

If you need the code just drop me a line. Remember it is dirty code ;)

Download BuildConsole.NET 

I would like to have a better output in Orcas ;)

23 Comments

  • Hi,
    This tool seems pretty interising. I was wondering if you would consider adding it to my MSBuild project at www.codeplex.com/Sedodream.
    If you don't want to don't want to maintain it I can take that over.
    You can email me at (sayed[DOT]hashimi[_AT_]gmail[DOT]com)

    Thanks,
    Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi
    www.sedodream.com

  • Hi Gaston,

    I think this is a really cool tool to run msbuild files!
    I usually run msbuild files with parameters (using /property:=), however your tool does not support this.
    Also, I would be great to see the output in normal mode (not only in detailed mode), because people usually want to see those messages.
    I think this tool could be really helpful when enhanced a little more.

    --Dion

  • Hi,

    Nice tool!

    A few suggestions:
    - the open file dialog should use *.*proj as "msbuild" file pattern, as that is AFAIK the official pattern.
    - I miss the possibility to pass properties to the build file in an interactive way. (Think e.g. source control credentials, or something similar you don't want to check into source control)
    - I'd like to be able to somehow be able to hook on another logger.

  • Been using this and found it quite useful - we use 4 different solutions for different elements of our app and need to build the other parts while working on one and this is solves the problem quite nicely.
    I've been unable to send a personal message for the source so any chance you could post it up for us?
    Thanks
    Alan

  • Great work, Gaston. It's sometimes that our build fails, and reading through the log file isn't, well, comfortable. BuildConsole.NET could help us to see which project (out of 150) actually failed.

  • Please make the source available online, cannot e-mail you
    /morten

  • Thanks for the useful tool Gaston.

  • Seems like a great tool, but you've mentioned some features I can't locate. Firstly, how do I save the build report? Secondly, how do I get it to save build history? It does not appear to save it, as is. Thirdly, my "Open Log File" button is always disabled. How can I get it enabled and how can I get BuildConsole to save my logs?

  • Very nice Tool, but how the heck do I specify the solution file on the command line as parameter ???

  • It would be really good if the tool remembered the location of the build files that have previously been built.

    Thanks in advance ;-)

    Christian

  • Could you post the code, I'd love to see it.

  • Thanks ! This is very useful

  • Hey there, I love buildconsole, but I have moved to VS2008, and it does not work on VS2008 solution files.
    Can you send me the code so I can make the needed changes please.
    Cheers
    Pieter
    pieterj at intergen dot co dot nz

  • Hello Gaston,

    I've seen Pieter's comment above, and I was wondering if there's any progress in porting BuildConsole to .NET 3.5?
    I'm more then willing to help, so you can send me the sources, and I can pick up the work.

    Thanks,
    Refael

  • Nice project, but it doesn't work with VS2008 files. Could you send me a copy of the code?

  • Oh, by the way, my email is:

    maciej dot glowienka at gmx dot net

    Thank You in advance!

    Regards,

    Maciej

  • Any progress for VS2008?
    If not, please send me the code, so I can check that out myself.

    twomm at web dot de

    Thanks,
    Markus

  • Thanks ! This is very useful

  • Hi Gaston.
    Greate Job!!!
    I'd appretiate the source.
    10X, Itai.
    fonio@hotmail.com

  • heyy thankss but not working with vs 2008 solution .
    i hope that you send me the source code.
    ghostrider_gougou@hotmail.com

  • Hey, you made a very nice tool. I would like to get the code to improve and automate application building and backup: zipping and copying if no error, etc.
    I will send you back my umprovements if you are interrested in it.
    Thanks
    Gerard
    gerard at probanx dot com

  • I'd never thought of doing it like this but it's quite logical I suspose

  • I liked the tool, Its really great tool.

    Could u please send me the source code for some improvements to VS2008.


    Thanks and Best Regards
    Veera

    veera.pillariseti@siemens.com

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