How to get t4 files to build in visual studio?

Question

When I build my c# solution the .tt files will not create the .cs file outputs. But if I right click the .tt files one at a time in solution explorer and select "Run Custom Tool" the .cs is generated, so the build tool setting is correct. What do I do to get the overall solution build to force the custom tool to run on the .tt files?

Answer 1

Paul, you can also generate code at build time with TextTransform.exe or Elton Stoneman's MSBuild task. Just keep in mind that behavior of the built-in directives, like assembly and include is different when T4 runs in Visual Studio vs. the command-line host.

Answer 2

Answering my own question, they are supposed to be generated at design time as per this discussion:

https://web.archive.org/web/20081227142303/http://www.olegsych.com/2008/02/t4-template-directive/

Answer 3

In Visual Studio 2013, I was able to get the .tt files to regenerate their targets by just adding these lines to the .csproj file:

<PropertyGroup>
  <!-- Get the Visual Studio version – defaults to 10: -->
  <VisualStudioVersion Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == ''">10.0</VisualStudioVersion>
  <!-- Keep the next element all on one line: -->
  <VSToolsPath Condition="'$(VSToolsPath)' == ''">$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)</VSToolsPath>
</PropertyGroup>
<!-- To enable build tasks on your development computer, install Modeling SDK for Visual Studio. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40754 -->
<Import Project="$(VSToolsPath)\TextTemplating\Microsoft.TextTemplating.targets" />
<!-- Run the Transform task at the start of every build -->
<PropertyGroup>
  <TransformOnBuild>true</TransformOnBuild>
</PropertyGroup>
<!-- Overwrite files that are read-only, for example because they are not checked out -->
<PropertyGroup>
  <OverwriteReadOnlyOutputFiles>true</OverwriteReadOnlyOutputFiles>
</PropertyGroup>
<!-- Transform every template every time -->
<PropertyGroup>
  <TransformOutOfDateOnly>false</TransformOutOfDateOnly>
</PropertyGroup>

However, for this to work, you'll need to have installed the Modeling SDK for Visual Studio. I found all of this information, along with a more complete description of the options available, on this page: Code Generation in a Build Process.

Answer 4

In Visual Studio 2017 (probably next versions too), you should add this in Pre-build event:

"$(DevEnvDir)TextTransform.exe" -out "$(ProjectDir)YourTemplate.cs" "$(ProjectDir)YourTemplate.tt"

p.s. The only solution that worked for me.

p.s.s. Change path to your template if it's located not in root project directory.