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Spelunking Through Binlogs
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binlog-spelunking.md

Spelunking Through Binlogs

This stuff ain't easy, so here's a WIP "get you up to speed" doc.

Setup

  • Install the MSBuild Log Viewer or use the online viewer.

  • File->Start Page, make sure this box is checked

    image

    When you search, you should see a breadcrumb trail like so:

    image

The Basics

  • Take a moment to read the notes under the search box, it's very useful. image

TL;DR: $property foo would find all properties named foo, or with the value of foo. I also find under(foo.csproj) to be very useful. Combining them can be powerful: $property foo under(bar.csproj), for example.

Finding The Definition of a Property

We can take advantage of XML here. Under the Find in Files tab, search <YourProperty. This would show you every single instance where YourProperty was being defined, no matter the file it was defined in.

Note: Properties are "last one wins," this includes Properties set in Targets. See How MSBuild builds projects for more info.

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