[How Do I:] Use MSBuild to Automate the ASP.NET Compiler and Merge Utilities

by Chris Pels

In this video Chris Pels shows how to create an MSBuild project that orchestrates the execution of the aspnet_compiler and aspnet_merge utilities for an ASP.NET web site. First, learn the fundamentals of the compilation process for an ASP.NET web site and the role of the two command line utilities. Next, see how to create an MSBuild project file and the primary elements such as PropertyGroup and Target. Then learn the details of how to execute the aspnet_compiler and aspnet_merge utilities from the MSBuild project. Lastly, several potential expansions of the core concepts are discussed.

▶ Watch video (31 minutes)