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How to get a list of nuget packages installed via MSBuild macro?

From following question How do I list all installed NuGet packages?
I need to get a list of nuget packages from MSBuild itself.
What I try to do:
<Target Name="test" AfterTargets="ResolveReferences">
<ItemGroup>
<BuildOutputInPackage Include="#(ReferenceCopyLocalPaths)"/>
</ItemGroup>
<Message Text="Files #(BuildOutputInPackage -> '%(identity)', ', ')" Importance="high"/>
</Target>
Above code return all references whether its nuget or project references dlls. How exactly to return a list of nuget package that currently project *.csproj used?
Format i.e: packageid:Portable.BouncyCastle version = "1.9.0"
I use old classic non-sdk csproj template and .NET 4.8 and <PackageReference> not packages.config files.
Its very bad to read *.csproj and do regex to get a list of <packageReferences. Maybe there's a recommended MSBuild macro to do this like code shown above <Target....

ReferenceCopyLocalPaths is only "Paths to files that should be copied to the local directory." It is not all resolved references.
Yes, don't regex the project file. There is no need. PackageReference is an ItemGroup.
<Target Name="DisplayPackageReference">
<Message Text="#(PackageReference ->'packageid:%(identity) version = "%(version)"', '%0d%0a')" />
</Target>
But note that PackageReference is what the project is asking for and the version can be floating, e.g Version="3.6.*". PackageReference won't give you the package version that the package reference was resolved to.
If you need to know the specific version used, then you may need to install dotnet, use an exec task to run dotnet list "$(MSBuildProjectFile)" package, and parse the command's output.

Very thankful to Jonathan Dodds for his answer above. I combined some approach with his #(PackageReference) idea to get a version of currently referenced nuget package in old classic csproj template. Because a referenced version will not work with #(PackageReference) only. Also dotnet list not worked well in old classic csproj template (non-sdk).
A code below do following:
(Note this approach is not 100% organic, MSBuild should provide a simple target for that):
Get all references that maybe be nuget or non-nuget (DLLs, etc).
Get only references that included inside #(PackageReference). Jonathan Doods approach above.
Get .nuspec file for that package to know exactly what version current *.csproj referenced.
Create a new nuspec file for current project. with a list of dependencies.
You can then call nuget.exe pack ProjectPath.csproj a ProjectName.nupkg nuget will generated.
Use this code inside Directory.Build.targets or within your .csproj file.
<Target Name="GenerateNuspecFile">
<ItemGroup>
<!-- Get all references -->
<MyReference Include="#(ReferenceCopyLocalPaths)" Condition="%(extension) == '.dll'">
<FirstDir>$([System.IO.Directory]::GetParent(%(RelativeDir)))</FirstDir>
<LibDir>$([System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension(%(MyReference.FirstDir)))</LibDir>
<SecondDir>$(FirstDir)</SecondDir>
<SecondDir Condition="$(LibDir) != 'lib'">$([System.IO.Directory]::GetParent(%(MyReference.FirstDir)))</SecondDir>
<VersionDir>$([System.IO.Directory]::GetParent(%(MyReference.SecondDir)))</VersionDir>
<PackageDir>$([System.IO.Directory]::GetParent(%(MyReference.VersionDir)))</PackageDir>
<PackageID>$([System.IO.Path]::GetFileName(%(MyReference.PackageDir)))</PackageID>
<NuspecFile>%(MyReference.VersionDir)\%(MyReference.PackageID).nuspec</NuspecFile>
</MyReference>
<!-- Get Non nuget references -->
<ExcludedReference Condition="#(MyReference) != ''" Include="#(MyReference -> '%(PackageID)')" Exclude="#(PackageReference -> '%(identity)')"/>
<!-- Get nuget references after exclude non-nuget references -->
<MyPackage Condition="#(MyReference) != ''" Include="#(MyReference -> '%(PackageID)')" Exclude="#(ExcludedReference -> '%(identity)')"/>
<!-- Read Nuspec File -->
<NuspecContent Condition="#(NuspecFile) != ''" Include="%(MyPackage.NuspecFile)">
<Content>$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText(%(fullpath)))</Content>
<PackageIDRegex><id>(.*?)</id></PackageIDRegex>
<PackageID>$([System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::Match('%(NuspecContent.Content)', '%(NuspecContent.PackageIDRegex)' ))</PackageID>
<PackageID>$([System.String]::Copy('%(NuspecContent.PackageID)').Replace('<id>','').Replace('</id>', '').Trim())</PackageID>
<VersionRegex><version>(.*?)</version></VersionRegex>
<Version>$([System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::Match('%(NuspecContent.Content)', '%(NuspecContent.VersionRegex)' ))</Version>
<Version>$([System.String]::Copy('%(NuspecContent.Version)').Replace('<version>','').Replace('</version>', '').Trim())</Version>
</NuspecContent>
</ItemGroup>
<!-- Generate Nuspec File with dependencies-->
<PropertyGroup>
<NewLine>%0d%0a</NewLine>
<Space2>%20%20</Space2>
<Space4>$(Space2)$(Space2)</Space4>
<Space6>$(Space4)$(Space2)</Space6>
<HasDependencies>false</HasDependencies>
<HasDependencies Condition="#(MyPackage) != ''">true</HasDependencies>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)<package >$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space2)<metadata>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<id>$id$</id>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<version>$version$</version>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<title>$title$</title>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<authors>$author$</authors>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<owners>$author$</owners>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<licenseUrl>https://Your Company.com</licenseUrl>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<icon>PackageIcon.png</icon>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<projectUrl>http://Your Company.com</projectUrl>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<description>$description$</description>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<releaseNotes>$description$</releaseNotes>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<copyright>$copyright$</copyright>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<tags>$title$ Your Company Your Company.com</tags>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<dependencies>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec Condition="$(HasDependencies)">$(Nuspec)$(Space6)<group targetFramework=".NETFramework4.8">$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec Condition="$(HasDependencies)">$(Nuspec)#(NuspecContent -> '$(Space6)<dependency id="%(PackageID)" version="%(Version)"/>', '$(NewLine)')$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec Condition="$(HasDependencies)">$(Nuspec)$(Space6)</group>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)</dependencies>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space2)</metadata>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space2)<files>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space4)<file src="..\**\PackageIcon.png"/>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)$(Space2)</files>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
<Nuspec>$(Nuspec)</package>$(NewLine)</Nuspec>
</PropertyGroup>
<WriteLinesToFile Lines="$(Nuspec)" File="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\$(MSBuildProjectName).nuspec" Overwrite="true"/>
</Target>
The generated .nuspec file will be:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<package >
<metadata>
<id>$id$</id>
<version>$version$</version>
<title>$title$</title>
<authors>$author$</authors>
<owners>$author$</owners>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<licenseUrl>https://company.com</licenseUrl>
<icon>PackageIcon.png</icon>
<projectUrl>http://company.com</projectUrl>
<description>$description$</description>
<releaseNotes>$description$</releaseNotes>
<copyright>$copyright$</copyright>
<tags>$title$ company company.com</tags>
<dependencies>
<dependency id="Company.Globals" version="2022.7.19"/>
<dependency id="Portable.BouncyCastle" version="1.9.0"/>
</dependencies>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="..\**\PackageIcon.png"/>
</files>
</package>
Its really to hard to achieve anything with MSBuild. Maybe you can create a console app for that and just call console app directly with <Exec Command =""/>. But current approach is friendly with MSBuild. Its not 100% organic approach. MSBuild should provide us a target to get a referenced nuget packages with its referenced version.

dotnet pack command along with nuspec file not including project's DLL

I have a .NET Standard 2.0 project called ProjectName.Logging with a ProjectName.Logging.nuspec file.
This file file is referenced in the .csproj of my project
<PropertyGroup>
<TargetFramework>netstandard2.0</TargetFramework>
<RestoreProjectStyle>PackageReference</RestoreProjectStyle>
<NuspecFile>ProjectName.Logging.nuspec</NuspecFile>
</PropertyGroup>
Here is my .nuspec
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package >
<metadata>
<id>ProjectName.Logging</id>
<version>1.2.1</version>
<authors>Jérôme MEVEL</authors>
<description>Just a logging component</description>
<dependencies>
<dependency id="Dapper" version="1.50.5" />
<dependency id="Another.Project" version="1.1.1" />
<dependency id="Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection" version="2.1.1" />
<dependency id="Microsoft.Extensions.Logging" version="2.1.1" />
<dependency id="Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions" version="2.1.1" />
<dependency id="NLog" version="4.5.8" />
<dependency id="NLog.Extensions.Logging" version="1.2.1" />
<dependency id="NLog.Web.AspNetCore" version="4.6.0" />
<dependency id="System.Data.SqlClient" version="4.5.1" />
</dependencies>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="bin\Release\netstandard2.0\ProjectName.Logging.dll" target="lib/netstandard2.0/ESHCloud.Logging.dll" />
<file src="ProjectName.Logging.targets" target="build/ProjectName.Logging.targets" />
<file src="NLog/Nlog.config" target="content/Nlog.config" />
</files>
</package>
As you can see I manually include the ProjectName.Logging.dll file and I even have to include Release because the usage of the MsBuild variable $(Configuration) doesn't work in my .nuspec file.
I pack the project by executing this command in my project's directory
dotnet pack --output C:/Nuget --force
and if I remove the <files> element from my .nuspec when I run the dotnet pack command, my generated Nuget package is completely empty.
On the other hand if I run the dotnet pack command without a .nuspec file, absolutely everything in my project is included in the Nuget package.
So what's the deal with the dotnet pack command? I don't understand what am I doing wrong.
How to include my project's DLL in the Nuget package without having to specify the configuration (Debug or Release)?
One last thing: I don't want to use the nuget pack command.
I played enough with Nuget on our VSTS servers (recently renamed Azure DevOps) and I don't have full control over these build servers (my manager has but he seems too busy to care about it).
So to sum up, nuget pack is not an option for me. I want to use dotnet pack along with a .nuspec file.
Thank you

To add your DLL without specifying the configuration use a glob pattern:
<file src="runtimes\**" target="runtimes/"/>
If you use nuget.exe you could use a replacement token:
<file src="bin\$configuration$\netstandard2.0\*.dll" target="lib\netstandard2.0\"/>
If you really need to use the nuspec file you're better off using nuget.exe. If you don't want to use nuget.exe drop the nuspec. I've done a fair amount of work with dotnet and nupkgs the last few weeks and mixing nuspec with project files is fiddly.
You can put the majority of the nupkg meta-data directly in the csproj:
<PropertyGroup>
<PackageId>Subor.nng.NETCore</PackageId>
<PackageVersion>0.0.2</PackageVersion>
<Authors>Subor</Authors>
...
</PropertyGroup>
This is the recommended approach when using the dotnet CLI. Likewise for msbuild with the PackageReference format.
Here's an example of a project I've been working on. dotnet pack builds a package bin/Debug/ and dotnet pack --configuration Release builds this nuget.org package.
Everything in the project should not get copied into the nupkg. In Visual Studio check the Properties of the files and make sure everything isn't flagged as "Content", etc.. Also check the project files to see if files are getting added that shouldn't be. Look for (miss-)use of <PackagePath> and <IsPackable>.
Without knowing the particulars of your project, I'll mention trying some of the arguments to dotnet pack.

Nuget: Including an exe as a Run-time dependency

I have an .exe app that I need to distribute with my C# app when it builds. I am trying to use Nuget to package it so that it will be included in the build root directory when building but am having trouble getting the behaviour I want.
Here is what I've got in my .nuspec file:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package>
<metadata>
<id>my.id</id>
<version>1.0.0</version>
<authors>me</authors>
<owners>me</owners>
<licenseUrl>myurl</licenseUrl>
<projectUrl>myurl</projectUrl>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<description>A copy of an .exe so we can easily distribute it
with our applications without needing to include it in our VCS repo</description>
<releaseNotes>Initial test version</releaseNotes>
<copyright>Copyright 2018</copyright>
<dependencies>
</dependencies>
<packageTypes>
</packageTypes>
<contentFiles>
<files include="any\any\myexe.exe" buildAction="None" copyToOutput="true" />
</contentFiles>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="content\myexe.exe" target="content" />
</files>
</package>
This puts the myexe.exe file to my VS project when I install the Nuget Package but it does not copy the file when I build. What I'd like is for the file to by installed with my other app files when building and to keep it out of my VS project.
I've been reading docs here but am not sure how to make the nuspec file.
More Details:
Nuget 4.5.1
Visual Studio 2015
Note: the <files> and <contentFiles> might seem to be duplicating functionality. I'd like to employ both as I understand this will future-proof it for VS2017

Nuget: Including an exe as a Run-time dependency
First, I know you want to use some technologies for the future, but we have to know that these future-oriented technologies often have certain constraints and conditions.
For example, <contentFiles> is used for NuGet 4.0+ with PackageReference, neither of them is supported by Visual Studio 2015. See Using the contentFiles element for content files for some details.
If you are interested in the <contentFiles>, you can read the blog NuGet is now fully integrated into MSBuild.
Go back to our question now, according to above info, we should not use <contentFiles> when we use Visual Studio 2015. To resole this issue, we need to add a .targets file in the nuget package when you build the project:
The content of .targets file:
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<ItemGroup>
<None Include="$(ProjectDir)myexe.exe">
<Link>myexe.exe</Link>
<CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
<CustomToolNamespace></CustomToolNamespace>
</None>
</ItemGroup>
</Project>
The .nuspec file like following:
<files>
<file src="build\YouNuGetPackageName.targets" target="build\YouNuGetPackageName.targets" />
<file src="content\myexe.exe" target="content\myexe.exe" />
</files>
Note: The name of the .targets file should be same as your nuget package name.
With this way, when you build your project, MSBuild/VS would copy the file myexe.exe to the output folder.
Besides, if you want to copy the file myexe.exe to other destination, you can replace the content of .targets file with a copy task, like:
<Project DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<Target Name="CopyMyexe" BeforeTargets="Build">
<Message Text="Copy CopyMyexe to the folder."></Message>
<Copy
SourceFiles="$(ProjectDir)myexe.exe"
DestinationFolder="xxx\xxx\xx\myexe.exe"
/>
</Target>
</Project>
See Creating native packages and similar issue for some helps.
Hope this helps.

Copy files to Android project on NuGet installation

Desired output
We want to distribute a .dll (NetStandard project) and some files through the NuGet package installation. When installing it in a Xamarin.Android project:
A file (Directory.Buil.props) is copied to the solution folder
An executable (config.exe) is copied to the project folder
A directory (Files) and its contents are copied in the project folder
Problems
Projects using PackageReference will not get the files copied (content not supported)
For some reason, when using a .nuspec file; source files, obj, bin etc. are packed too
Solution
Ideally, we would like to:
only use a .csproj file (without .nuspec)
not have both content and contentFiles packed in the .nupkg
easily access the .dll from the .csproj
when installing a newer .nupkg version, old files will be overwritten
Questions
(1) Is this doable with PackageReference and contentFiles ?
(2) What's the best approach you can think of ?
Thanks.
Responses
Leo:
When installing the package in an Android project, the files don't appear in the project. Not to mention that the files are just referenced and not copied (even if I had copyToOutput="true"):
Leo (edit):
I cannot use the new SDK csproj format. Taken from your link:
Disclaimer: this only works for a small set of project types.
class library projects
console apps
ASP.NET Core web apps
.NET Core
If you are building ASP.NET 4 (i.e not ASP.NET Core), WPF, Universal Windows, or Xamarin projects, you’ll have to stick with the old format

(1) Is this doable with PackageReference and contentFiles ?
I am afraid you could not add those files to the Android project, but I would like provide an alternative solution here, add those files to the output folder.
You could use PackageReference and contentFiles directly for the latter two requirements, config.exe and Files. But for the first requirement Directory.Buil.props, we need do more things, since it is copied to the solution folder rather than project folder.
For the latter two requirements, config.exe and Files, we could use .nuspec file with contentFiles to including them, need set copyToOutput="true", like:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/packaging/2011/08/nuspec.xsd">
<metadata>
<id>MyTestCore</id>
<version>4.0.0</version>
<authors>TestContentFile</authors>
<owners>TestContentFile</owners>
<requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
<description>Package Description</description>
<contentFiles>
<files include="any/any/config.exe" buildAction="content" flatten="true" copyToOutput="true"/>
<files include="any/any/Files/1.txt" buildAction="content" flatten="true" copyToOutput="true"/>
<files include="any/any/Files/2.txt" buildAction="content" flatten="true" copyToOutput="true"/>
</contentFiles>
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="contentFiles/any/any/config.exe" target="contentFiles/any/any/config.exe" />
<file src="contentFiles/any/any/Files/1.txt" target="contentFiles/any/any/Files" />
<file src="contentFiles/any/any/Files/2.txt" target="contentFiles/any/any/Files" />
</files>
</package>
After packing this .nuspec and install the generated package to the project.
However, we could not find those files under the References node. That because the project still use the old csproj with packagereference not using the new sdk csproj.
Old csproj to new csproj: Visual Studio 2017 upgrade guide
Besides, copying files into the project's source directory is not supported and has been a discouraged practice for classic projects. The contentFiles section controls the msbuild items that are generated for these files into the obj\projectname.csproj.nuget.g.props file. And check the project.assets.json file you can find:
"targets": {
"MonoAndroid,Version=v7.1": {
"MyTestCore/5.0.0": {
"type": "package",
"contentFiles": {
"contentFiles/any/any/Files/1.txt": {
"buildAction": "Content",
"codeLanguage": "any",
"copyToOutput": true,
"outputPath": "1.txt"
},
"contentFiles/any/any/Files/2.txt": {
"buildAction": "Content",
"codeLanguage": "any",
"copyToOutput": true,
"outputPath": "2.txt"
},
"contentFiles/any/any/config.exe": {
"buildAction": "Content",
"codeLanguage": "any",
"copyToOutput": true,
"outputPath": "config.exe"
}
}
See: nuspec contentFiles not added to a project
Then we need build this project, those files will copied to the output folder.
For the first requirement, in order to add the Directory.Buil.props to the solution folder, we need create a custom copy target in the YourPackageName.targets file, then add this .targets file into the \build folder, the .targets file looks like:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<ItemGroup>
<MySourceFiles Include="<FilePath>\Directory.Buil.props"/>
</ItemGroup>
<Target Name="CopyFiles" BeforeTargets="Build">
<Copy
SourceFiles="#(MySourceFiles)"
DestinationFolder="<SolutionFolder>"
/>
</Target>
</Project>
The .nuspec file like:
<files>
<file src="<>\xxx.targets" target="build" />
</files>
Hope this helps.

Pack targets into nuget for clients

I'm creating nuget package that have some targets that should be installed for developers that use my package, i.e. in file my-targets.targets I have this lines:
<Target Name="CleanGenerated" AfterTargets="Clean">
... do smthing ...
</Target>
<Target Name="Generate" BeforeTargets="Build">
... do smthing ...
</Target>
How should I embeded this file with nuget so other developers would have those 2 build steps?

In the documentation, section "Including MSBuild props and targets in a package" you can read that you need to create a file with a ".targets" extension. Place that file in a "build" directory below the project root. In the NuSpec file you need to add a reference to that section:
<metadata>
...
</metadata>
<files>
<file src="build\**" target="build" />
</files>
Depending on your NuGet version the installation of the package will behave differently; see the documentation for more details.