post build copy file

Question

I am having a .net WPF application. After build is complete I want to copy a .dll to target directory.
For this I am writing following in the - Post Build Event Command Line

copy "$(prjname.pkgname)\mydll.dll" $(TargetDir)"

Due to "." it fails by giving error exit code 1.

If I hardcode the path like below it works

copy "c:\myprjpath\mydll.dll" $(TargetDir)"

Please suggest?

Answer 1

That isn't a valid macro so you cannot use it in command. In the project properties where you generally add the post-build event there is an option to see the allowed macros. You are limited to them or env variables that may be defined at the point the post-build event runs.

It is unclear to me what your pkgname variable is supposed to represent. In general I recommend that if you have binaries that your app depends on then place them into some sort of "Dependencies" folder as part of the project. Then your post-build event can copy all the files from the "Dependencies" to the target directory.

   xcopy /q /y "$(ProjectDir)dependencies\*.*" "$(TargetDir)"  

If you need to use mutiple macros then join them.

   xcopy /q /y "$(ProjectDir)dependencies\$(ConfigurationName)*.*" "$(TargetDir)"  

Note that directory macros already have the ending slash so you don't need to include them. Refer to the master list of available macros here.