nuspec contentFiles Example

@Timothy,

You were right. It is a combination having a metadata/contentFiles element as well as a definition in the files element. I have a C# test utility library that needs to include PowerShell files in a projects output/bin folder when it is referenced using a PackageReference. I will include the XML below for you. I think you will be able to derive what you need from it.

Special Note: Be sure to get your language and framework values right in the path (i.e. yours will something like cs/net45/YourFile.cs). I'm using any/any/MyFile.psm1 because I want the file to be treated as language and platform agnostic. If I don't, I get code analysis errors on build.

Additionally, placing the files in a 'contentFiles' directory is important.

(language and framework options defined in the .nuspec reference documentation) https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/nuget/reference/nuspec#including-content-files

<package>
  <metadata>
    <id>SomeLibrary</id>
    <version>$version$</version>
    <title>SomeLibrary</title>
    <authors>Somebody</authors>
    <owners>Somebody</owners>
    <requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
    <description>Some library that does things I enjoy.</description>
    <releaseNotes />
    <copyright>Copyright 2017</copyright>
    <tags>PowerShell Testing</tags>
    <contentFiles>
      <files include="any/any/SomePS.psd1" buildAction="none" copyToOutput="true" />
      <files include="any/any/SomePS.psm1" buildAction="none" copyToOutput="true" />
    </contentFiles>
  </metadata>
  <files>
    <file src="*.dll" target="lib\net461" />
    <file src="*.pdb" target="lib\net461" />
    <file src="SomePS.psd1" target="contentFiles\any\any" />
    <file src="SomePS.psm1" target="contentFiles\any\any" />
  </files>
</package>

The "/" matters in the node. It will not work if used:

<files include="any/any/x.dll" buildAction="None" copyToOutput="true" flatten="true" />

It must be:

<files include="any\any\x.dll" buildAction="None" copyToOutput="true" flatten="true" />

But it doesn't work for .NET framework??!

Element <contentFiles> has to be inside <metadata> according to NuSpec reference. So it should look like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<package>
    <metadata minClientVersion="3.3">
        <id>Hello.world</id>
        <version>1.0.0</version>
        <title>Greeting library</title>
        <authors>Timothy Klenke</authors>
        <description>Greetings for the world</description>
        <contentFiles>
            <files include="*" />
        </contentFiles> 
    </metadata>
</package>