The definitive way to use PowerShell from an msbuild script

Test.csproj

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <!-- #1 Place this line at the top of any msbuild script (ie, csproj, etc) -->
  <PropertyGroup><PowerShell># 2>nul || type %~df0|find /v "setlocal"|find /v "errorlevel"|powershell.exe -noninteractive -&amp; exit %errorlevel% || #</PowerShell></PropertyGroup>
 
  <!-- #2 in any target you want to run a script -->
  <Target Name="default" >

    <PropertyGroup> <!-- #3 prefix your powershell script with the $(PowerShell) variable, then code as normal! -->
      <myscript>$(PowerShell)
      #
      # powershell script can do whatever you need.
      #
      dir ".\*.cs" -recurse |% {
        write-host Examining file named:  $_.FullName
        # do other stuff here...
      } 
      $answer = 2+5
      write-host Answer is $answer !
      </myscript>
    </PropertyGroup>
  
    <!-- #4 and execute the script like this -->
    <Exec Command="$(myscript)" EchoOff="true" /> 
    
    <!-- 
    Notes:
    ======
    - You can still use the standard Exec Task features! (see: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x8zx72cd.aspx)
    - if your powershell script needs to use < > or & characters, just place the contents in a CDATA wrapper:
    
        <script2><![CDATA[  $(PowerShell)
          # your powershell code goes here!
          write-host "<<Hi mom!>>"
        ]]></script2>
    
    - if you want return items to the msbuild script you can get them:
        
        <script3>$(PowerShell)
          # your powershell code goes here!
          (dir "*.cs" -recurse).FullName
        </script3>
    
        <Exec Command="$(script3)" EchoOff="true" ConsoleToMSBuild="true"> 
            <Output TaskParameter="ConsoleOutput" PropertyName="items" />
        </Exec>

        <Touch Files="$(items)" /> <- see! then you can use those items with another msbuild Task
    
    -->

  </Target>
</Project>

  <Target Name="Trigger" AfterTargets="Generate" >
    <PropertyGroup>
      <PowerShellCommand Condition=" '$(OS)' == 'Windows_NT' " >powershell</PowerShellCommand>
      <PowerShellCommand Condition=" '$(OS)' == 'Unix' " >pwsh</PowerShellCommand>
      <ClientGenTriggerScript>$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\..\..\.build\client_gen.ps1</ClientGenTriggerScript>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <Exec Command="$(PowerShellCommand) -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -NoProfile -File $(ClientGenTriggerScript) -parameter1 p1 -parameter2 $(p2) --Verbose" />
  </Target>

I use it this way.