Inherit Post-Build-Event in Visual Studio?

After finding this solution and looking at the other post. I found it impossible to understand why the VC++ team would leave this feature out.

After looking through the Macros for the property pages you can include the command from the previous properties using the %(Command) macro / environment variable. This works for all build events.

PropertySheet1.props

copy some.dll $(OutputPath)
%(Command)

PropertySheet2.props

copy other.dll $(OutputPath)
%(Command)

Results in all commands being executed.


Based on this post, it doesn't seem possible. You posted your question a while ago; did you manage to find a feasible alternative?


Edited after feedback: A potentially messy alternative would be to define your command as a macro:

<!-- CommandX.props -->
<PropertyGroup>
  <CommandX>bar</CommandX>
</PropertyGroup>

Then you could add $(CommandX) to the post-build command of the project or to another property sheet. If $(CommandX) doesn't exist, it is quietly ignored.

If you add this macro to another property sheet, then you'd have to Import your CommandX property sheet so that $(CommandX) inherits a value:

<!-- Some-Other-Property-Sheet.props -->
<ImportGroup Label="PropertySheets">
  <Import Project="CommandX.props" />
</ImportGroup>

After learning a bit more about the build process, I'd like to recommend using MSBuild tasks; in particular, the Exec task might offer the most feasible solution.