MSBuild is the build tool for Microsoft Visual Studio.  Developers use MSBuild to build a Visual Studio project or solution file from a command line, batch file, build tool, or automated script. 

A new version of MSBuild.exe is included with each version of the .NET Framework stored in “%WinDir%Microsoft.NETFramework” on your Windows PC.  The MSBuild.exe path depends on the .NET Framework version used to build your project.  Typically you will want to call the most recent version of MSBuild.exe installed on your computer:

.NET v2.0:
%WinDir%Microsoft.NETFrameworkv2.0.50727MSBuild.exe

.NET v3.5:
%WinDir%Microsoft.NETFrameworkv3.5MSBuild.exe

.NET v4.0:
%WinDir%Microsoft.NETFrameworkv4.0.30319MSBuild.exe

MSBuild Command Line Reference

Microsoft is releasing Visual Studio 2010, .NET Framework 4.0, and Silverlight 4 at the Visual Studio Developer Conference in Las Vegas.  VS 2010 and .NET 4 are available today, and Silverlight 4 will be available to download later this week.

Read more at DevTopics >>

The Release Candidate (RC) for Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4.0 is now available to the public.  The biggest change from Beta 2 is a major improvement to Visual Studio performance, specifically as it relates to loading solutions, typing, building and debugging.  The RC includes a “go-live license” for companies that wish to deploy Visual Studio 2010 in their production environment.

Download VS 2010 and .NET 4.0 RC

Do you need help convincing your boss that your company needs to upgrade to Visual Studio 2010?  Or perhaps you are looking for additional ammo in your .NET vs. Java religious wars with your programming colleagues?

Microsoft has produced a Silverlight-based “Myth Busting Matrix” for Visual Studio.  This nifty web tool details the benefits of upgrading to Visual Studio 2010 and helps dispel some widely-held myths about Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework.  You can browse all three supported versions of Visual Studio (2005, 2008 and 2010) by your areas of interest and click on the myths for more information.

Visual Studio Myth Buster

Zain Naboulsi, a Senior Developer Evangelist at Microsoft, has started the “Tip of the Day” series for Visual Studio 2010, taking the reins from Sara Ford.

Visual Studio 2010 Tip of the Day

The second beta version of Visual Studio 2010 and Microsoft .NET Framework v4.0 are now available.  VS 2010 and .NET 4.0 deliver significant new capabilities and improvements.  The Beta 2 release was focused on performance, stability, and the integration of the overall feature set.  The development team is awaiting our feedback on the product and preparing for the final release candidate (RC).  Beta 2 includes a “go-live” license, which means you can start using these tools for your production projects.

VS 2010 and .NET 4.0 are slated to be released on March 22, 2010.

Download VS 2010 and .NET 4.0 Beta 2
More details about Beta 2 from Scott Gu

If you encounter this warning while compiling a Windows Form application in Visual Studio:

The service System.Windows.Forms.Design.IEventHandlerService already exists in the service container. Parameter name: serviceType

The solution is not very obvious, and the help provides no guidance.  After a little experimenting, I discovered an easy solution:

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Documentation for the next generation of the Visual Studio, the .NET Framework, and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is now publicly available at MSDN.

Visual Studio 2010 Docs
.NET Framework 4 Docs
WPF Docs

Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1 is now available for MSDN Subscribers.  Visual Studio 2010 is a complete suite of tools for building both desktop and team-based enterprise Web applications.  In addition to building high-performing desktop applications, you can use Visual Studio’s powerful component-based development tools and other technologies to simplify team-based design, development, and deployment of enterprise solutions. 

Visual Studio 2010 Product Highlights
MSDN Subscribers Download

More .NET News

Microsoft announced the next version of its developer platform, which will be named Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4.0.  Microsoft said VS10 will focus on five key areas (in marketing-speak): riding the next-generation platform wave, inspiring developer delight, powering breakthrough departmental applications, enabling emerging trends such as cloud computing, and democratizing application life-cycle management (ALM).

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