Creating a build for Visual Studio Deployment Project via command prompt

Question

I am having issues with trying to create a Visual Studio Deployment Project via command prompt.

I have a visual studio 2015 installer I am trying to create, I am running the following command:

devenv.exe <SolutionName>.sln /Build "Release|Any CPU" /Project "<InstallerProjectName>.vbproj" /ProjectConfig "Release|Any CPU"

I also read that maybe the dependent projects need to be built as well, so I have also tried that as follows:

devenv.exe <SolutionName>.sln /Build "Release|Any CPU" /Project "<ProjectName>.vbproj" /ProjectConfig "Release|Any CPU" /Project "<InstallerProjectName>.vbproj" /ProjectConfig "Release|Any CPU"

No matter what I have tried the installer project does not build and it gives an error (pop's up the Microsoft visual studio helper window)

If I run the code without the installer such as the follow that project will be built just fine.

devenv.exe <SolutionName>.sln /Build "Release|Any CPU" /Project "<ProjectName>.vbproj" /ProjectConfig "Release|Any CPU"

What I am missing to get the installer project to build?

clarity: - for devenv.exe I am pointing straight to the devenv.exe for VS 2015, I do have multiple versions of VS installed - I am using "" around the locations paths to deal with the spaces in the names - language is VB.Net

Answer 1

Suggestions that help to locate the cause of issue and then resolve it.

1.Try using devenv.com instead of devenv.exe, so that you can quickly get output info.

See this: Using devenv.exe directly prevents output from appearing on the console.

2.For installer project, it doesn't have platform like Any Cpu. See this:

For Release|Any Cpu solution configuration, the installer project(Setup1) doesn't have Any CPU project platform by default. Which mean your /ProjectConfig "Release|Any CPU" is not valid. I think it can build if you changes it to be /ProjectConfig Release

3.And make sure your path is all right. For me, I opened Developer Command Prompt for VS2015 and then navigate to solution folder by cd C:/solutionPath. Then i use command like this to build the installer project:

Normally the project file is in SolutionPath/ProjectName(one folder)/projectName.vdproj, so I use InstallerProjectName\InstallerProjectName.vdproj instead of InstallerProjectName.vdproj. (You may need to correct the InstallerProjectName.vbproj to InstallerProjectName.vdproj in your question...)

And now the devenv command will actually try to build the installer project. And if you meet HRESULT='8000000A', it's known issue about installer project. Check my another issue for more details to resolve that. (For VS2015, you should use corresponding way of VS2015)

Hope it helps:)