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michael_baum
Level 3

Getting Error when using MSBuild from the command line, but building fine within VS

Hi,

I have an Installshield 2018 Lite project that I'm trying to build from the command line. It builds correctly when I build in Visual Studio, but when I use MSBuild, I get hundreds of identical errors.

The error is :

No outputs for project "" were provided, but the installation project references ".".


And I'm not omitting any project names from that, it's just empty and a period respectively.

Is there any idea on what could be causing this error?

Thanks,
Michael
Labels (1)
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(6) Replies
Jenifer
Flexera Alumni

michael.baum wrote:
Hi,

I have an Installshield 2018 Lite project that I'm trying to build from the command line. It builds correctly when I build in Visual Studio, but when I use MSBuild, I get hundreds of identical errors.

The error is :

No outputs for project "" were provided, but the installation project references ".".


And I'm not omitting any project names from that, it's just empty and a period respectively.

Is there any idea on what could be causing this error?

Thanks,
Michael


Hi,

Can you mention the command line you used for building InstallShield solution?

Can you post complete error log to give more insight on where it can go wrong?

One more quick check would be:Verify these files(InstallShield.targets &InstallShield.Tasks.dll) of InstallShield listed under C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\\


Thanks,
Jenifer
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michael_baum
Level 3

Hi Jenifer,

My command line was:


MSBuild.exe "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" /property:Configuration=SingleImage /verbosity:d /flp:logfile=C:\Temp\mylog.log /noconlog


Here is my log file, all the errors are in one spot, where I put ###ERRORS###:


Build started 2/27/2019 5:37:01 PM.
Project "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" on node 1 (default targets).
Building with tools version "4.0".
Target "Build" in file "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.targets" from project "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" (entry point):
Task "Error" skipped, due to false condition; ('$(MSBuildToolsVersion)' < '3.5') was evaluated as ('4.0' < '3.5').
Task "AssignProjectConfiguration" skipped, due to false condition; ( '$(BuildingSolutionFile)' == 'true' and '@(ProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' == 'true' and '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_PrimaryOutput)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_DebugSymbols)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_Documentation)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_Satellites)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_SourceFiles)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ContentFiles)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(ProjectFolderReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Using "CreateItem" task from assembly "Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a".
Task "CreateItem"
Done executing task "CreateItem".
Using "Message" task from assembly "Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a".
Task "Message"
Project Output Files:
InstallShieldPath='C:\Program Files (x86)\InstallShield\2018 Lite\System'
Project='C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isl'
ProductConfiguration='Express'
ReleaseConfiguration='SingleImage'
PatchConfiguration=''
ReleaseFlags=''
OutputGroups=''
MergeModulePath=''
ProductVersion=''
PropertyOverrides=''
PathVariables=''
PreprocessorDefines=''
PrerequisitePath=''
RunMsiValidator=''
InstallShieldVerboseOutput=''
MSIPackageFileName=''
SummaryInfoComments=''

Done executing task "Message".
Using "InstallShield" task from assembly "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.Tasks.dll".
Task "InstallShield"
Checking path C:\Program Files (x86)\InstallShield\2018 Lite\System for InstallShield System Folder
Found IsWiBuild.dll.
Loaded IsWiBuild.dll.
InstallShield (R) Limited
Release Builder
Copyright (c) 2018 Flexera Software LLC.

All Rights Reserved.
Using Release Flags:
Stop at first error: False
Building Product Configuration: Express
Building Release: SingleImage
Only Upgrading: False
Allowing upgrade validation: True
Building project: C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isl
Created release folders
AdminExecuteSequence table successfully built
AdminUISequence table successfully built
AdvtExecuteSequence table successfully built
AdvtUISequence table successfully built
InstallExecuteSequence table successfully built
InstallUISequence table successfully built
Directory table successfully built
Feature table successfully built
FeatureComponents table successfully built
Component table successfully built
Loading File table
Building File table
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
File table successfully built
Building MsiFileHash table
MsiFileHash table successfully built
Class table successfully built
Extension table successfully built
ActionText table successfully built
AppSearch table successfully built
CCPSearch table successfully built
Condition table successfully built
AppId table successfully built
Property table successfully built
Embedding file C:\Program Files (x86)\InstallShield\2018 Lite\Redist\Language Independent\x64\ISBEW64.exe into isregsvr.dll
Started signing isregsvr.dll ...
Binary table successfully built
CompLocator table successfully built
ControlCondition table successfully built
ControlEvent table successfully built
CreateFolder table successfully built
CustomAction table successfully built
Error table successfully built
DrLocator table successfully built
DuplicateFile table successfully built
Environment table successfully built
EventMapping table successfully built
Font table successfully built
ProgId table successfully built
ISIISItem table successfully built
ISIISProperty table successfully built
ISSelfReg table successfully built
IniFile table successfully built
IniLocator table successfully built
LaunchCondition table successfully built
MIME table successfully built
MoveFile table successfully built
MsiAssembly table successfully built
MsiAssemblyName table successfully built
MsiDigitalCertificate table successfully built
MsiDigitalSignature table successfully built
MsiPackageCertificate table successfully built
MsiPatchCertificate table successfully built
MsiShortcutProperty table successfully built
PatchPackage table successfully built
PublishComponent table successfully built
RegLocator table successfully built
Registry table successfully built
RemoveFile table successfully built
RemoveIniFile table successfully built
RemoveRegistry table successfully built
ReserveCost table successfully built
SelfReg table successfully built
ServiceControl table successfully built
ServiceInstall table successfully built
Shortcut table successfully built
Signature table successfully built
TextStyle table successfully built
TypeLib table successfully built
UIText table successfully built
Upgrade table successfully built
Verb table successfully built
_Validation table successfully built
Searching project for extract-at-build components...
Building scanned MsiAssembly records
Building scanned MsiAssemblyName records
Validating Custom Action sequencing
Embedding manifest SetupExe.Highest.manifest into setup.exe
Dialog AdminChangeFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog AdminNetworkLocation for language English (United States) built
Dialog AdminWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog CancelSetup for language English (United States) built
Dialog CustomSetup for language English (United States) built
Dialog CustomSetupTips for language English (United States) built
Dialog CustomerInformation for language English (United States) built
Dialog DatabaseFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog DestinationFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog DiskSpaceRequirements for language English (United States) built
Dialog FilesInUse for language English (United States) built
Dialog InstallChangeFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog InstallWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog LicenseAgreement for language English (United States) built
Dialog MaintenanceType for language English (United States) built
Dialog MaintenanceWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog MsiRMFilesInUse for language English (United States) built
Dialog OutOfSpace for language English (United States) built
Dialog PatchWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog ReadmeInformation for language English (United States) built
Dialog ReadyToInstall for language English (United States) built
Dialog ReadyToRemove for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupCompleteError for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupCompleteSuccess for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupError for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupInitialization for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupInterrupted for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupProgress for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupResume for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupType for language English (United States) built
Dialog SplashBitmap for language English (United States) built
Resolving strings...
Language English (United States) built
Building .cab files...
Data1.cab built
Files built
Media table successfully built
Started signing certificate.msi ...
Started signing Outlook Add-In.msi ...
Setup.exe created
Started signing setup.exe ...
Automatic update notification disabled
Express\SingleImage - 0 error(s), 0 warning(s)
Log file has been created:

Done executing task "InstallShield" -- FAILED.
Done building target "Build" in project "OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" -- FAILED.
Done Building Project "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.



And I verified that both

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.targets
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.Tasks.dll

exists and are on my machine.

Thanks for your help,
Michael
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Jenifer
Flexera Alumni

michael.baum wrote:
Hi Jenifer,

My command line was:


MSBuild.exe "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" /property:Configuration=SingleImage /verbosity:d /flp:logfile=C:\Temp\mylog.log /noconlog


Here is my log file, all the errors are in one spot, where I put ###ERRORS###:


Build started 2/27/2019 5:37:01 PM.
Project "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" on node 1 (default targets).
Building with tools version "4.0".
Target "Build" in file "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.targets" from project "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" (entry point):
Task "Error" skipped, due to false condition; ('$(MSBuildToolsVersion)' < '3.5') was evaluated as ('4.0' < '3.5').
Task "AssignProjectConfiguration" skipped, due to false condition; ( '$(BuildingSolutionFile)' == 'true' and '@(ProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' == 'true' and '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_PrimaryOutput)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_DebugSymbols)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_Documentation)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_Satellites)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_SourceFiles)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "MSBuild" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ConfiguredProjectReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(_ContentFiles)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Task "CreateItem" skipped, due to false condition; ( '@(ProjectFolderReference)' != '' ) was evaluated as ( '' != '' ).
Using "CreateItem" task from assembly "Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a".
Task "CreateItem"
Done executing task "CreateItem".
Using "Message" task from assembly "Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a".
Task "Message"
Project Output Files:
InstallShieldPath='C:\Program Files (x86)\InstallShield\2018 Lite\System'
Project='C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isl'
ProductConfiguration='Express'
ReleaseConfiguration='SingleImage'
PatchConfiguration=''
ReleaseFlags=''
OutputGroups=''
MergeModulePath=''
ProductVersion=''
PropertyOverrides=''
PathVariables=''
PreprocessorDefines=''
PrerequisitePath=''
RunMsiValidator=''
InstallShieldVerboseOutput=''
MSIPackageFileName=''
SummaryInfoComments=''

Done executing task "Message".
Using "InstallShield" task from assembly "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.Tasks.dll".
Task "InstallShield"
Checking path C:\Program Files (x86)\InstallShield\2018 Lite\System for InstallShield System Folder
Found IsWiBuild.dll.
Loaded IsWiBuild.dll.
InstallShield (R) Limited
Release Builder
Copyright (c) 2018 Flexera Software LLC.

All Rights Reserved.
Using Release Flags:
Stop at first error: False
Building Product Configuration: Express
Building Release: SingleImage
Only Upgrading: False
Allowing upgrade validation: True
Building project: C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isl
Created release folders
AdminExecuteSequence table successfully built
AdminUISequence table successfully built
AdvtExecuteSequence table successfully built
AdvtUISequence table successfully built
InstallExecuteSequence table successfully built
InstallUISequence table successfully built
Directory table successfully built
Feature table successfully built
FeatureComponents table successfully built
Component table successfully built
Loading File table
Building File table
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
###ERRORS###
File table successfully built
Building MsiFileHash table
MsiFileHash table successfully built
Class table successfully built
Extension table successfully built
ActionText table successfully built
AppSearch table successfully built
CCPSearch table successfully built
Condition table successfully built
AppId table successfully built
Property table successfully built
Embedding file C:\Program Files (x86)\InstallShield\2018 Lite\Redist\Language Independent\x64\ISBEW64.exe into isregsvr.dll
Started signing isregsvr.dll ...
Binary table successfully built
CompLocator table successfully built
ControlCondition table successfully built
ControlEvent table successfully built
CreateFolder table successfully built
CustomAction table successfully built
Error table successfully built
DrLocator table successfully built
DuplicateFile table successfully built
Environment table successfully built
EventMapping table successfully built
Font table successfully built
ProgId table successfully built
ISIISItem table successfully built
ISIISProperty table successfully built
ISSelfReg table successfully built
IniFile table successfully built
IniLocator table successfully built
LaunchCondition table successfully built
MIME table successfully built
MoveFile table successfully built
MsiAssembly table successfully built
MsiAssemblyName table successfully built
MsiDigitalCertificate table successfully built
MsiDigitalSignature table successfully built
MsiPackageCertificate table successfully built
MsiPatchCertificate table successfully built
MsiShortcutProperty table successfully built
PatchPackage table successfully built
PublishComponent table successfully built
RegLocator table successfully built
Registry table successfully built
RemoveFile table successfully built
RemoveIniFile table successfully built
RemoveRegistry table successfully built
ReserveCost table successfully built
SelfReg table successfully built
ServiceControl table successfully built
ServiceInstall table successfully built
Shortcut table successfully built
Signature table successfully built
TextStyle table successfully built
TypeLib table successfully built
UIText table successfully built
Upgrade table successfully built
Verb table successfully built
_Validation table successfully built
Searching project for extract-at-build components...
Building scanned MsiAssembly records
Building scanned MsiAssemblyName records
Validating Custom Action sequencing
Embedding manifest SetupExe.Highest.manifest into setup.exe
Dialog AdminChangeFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog AdminNetworkLocation for language English (United States) built
Dialog AdminWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog CancelSetup for language English (United States) built
Dialog CustomSetup for language English (United States) built
Dialog CustomSetupTips for language English (United States) built
Dialog CustomerInformation for language English (United States) built
Dialog DatabaseFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog DestinationFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog DiskSpaceRequirements for language English (United States) built
Dialog FilesInUse for language English (United States) built
Dialog InstallChangeFolder for language English (United States) built
Dialog InstallWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog LicenseAgreement for language English (United States) built
Dialog MaintenanceType for language English (United States) built
Dialog MaintenanceWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog MsiRMFilesInUse for language English (United States) built
Dialog OutOfSpace for language English (United States) built
Dialog PatchWelcome for language English (United States) built
Dialog ReadmeInformation for language English (United States) built
Dialog ReadyToInstall for language English (United States) built
Dialog ReadyToRemove for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupCompleteError for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupCompleteSuccess for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupError for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupInitialization for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupInterrupted for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupProgress for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupResume for language English (United States) built
Dialog SetupType for language English (United States) built
Dialog SplashBitmap for language English (United States) built
Resolving strings...
Language English (United States) built
Building .cab files...
Data1.cab built
Files built
Media table successfully built
Started signing certificate.msi ...
Started signing Outlook Add-In.msi ...
Setup.exe created
Started signing setup.exe ...
Automatic update notification disabled
Express\SingleImage - 0 error(s), 0 warning(s)
Log file has been created:

Done executing task "InstallShield" -- FAILED.
Done building target "Build" in project "OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" -- FAILED.
Done Building Project "C:\DevMichael\OutlookAddIn\OutlookAddInSetup\OutlookAddInSetup.isproj" (default targets) -- FAILED.



And I verified that both

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.targets
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\InstallShield\2018 Lite\InstallShield.Tasks.dll

exists and are on my machine.

Thanks for your help,
Michael


Hi,

Thanks for your reply.I couldn't see any specific error in the log you had updated.In fact installshield outputs 0 errors:
Express\SingleImage - 0 error(s), 0 warning(s)
Log file has been created:

But generic reason for this error "No outputs for project " were provided, but the installation project references "would be:
InstallShield-derived MSBuild isn't known to the project/option/configuration you had appended.

One more quick check is:Make sure you run MSBuild from the path "c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\\MSBuild\15.0\Bin>


Thanks,
Jenifer
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michael_baum
Level 3

I have been running MSBuild from "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319>", but I just ran from your suggested path and I'm still getting the errors.

It seems that it is only an issue with how MSBuild interprets the isproj, because the project ends up building a working installer.

The only issue is that because of these errors, I have to check the logs each time the project is built to see if these are the only errors or if there are actually harmful errors.

Can you explain more what you mean by "InstallShield-derived MSBuild isn't known to the project/option/configuration you had appended."?

Thanks for your help so far,
Michael
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Christopher_Pai
Level 16

Maybe this old thread will help:

https://community.flexerasoftware.com/showthread.php?191551-MSBuild-No-outputs-for-project-x-were-provided-but-the-installation-project


Last time I checked InstallShield requires 32bit MSBuild.
0 Kudos
michael_baum
Level 3

Christopher Painter wrote:
Maybe this old thread will help:

https://community.flexerasoftware.com/showthread.php?191551-MSBuild-No-outputs-for-project-x-were-provided-but-the-installation-project


Last time I checked InstallShield requires 32bit MSBuild.


Thanks for the suggestion.

I checked my .isl and .isproj files, but none of the project paths or file names were being cutoff. The only thing I saw was that, in the Files table, the key column had names that got cut off. The Component, File Name, and ISBuildSourcePath were all correct though. I assumed that the key just needs to match the keypath in another table, which they all do, and the number of errors doesn't correlate with the number being cutoff.
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