[Proposal] Windows App SDK projects should be buildable with dotnet CLI

[kant2002]

1. Create blank template application
2. Open folder for App1 in the x64 Dev tools
3. run dotnet run

...\nuget\packages\microsoft.projectreunion.foundation\0.8.0\build\Microsoft.ApplicationModel.Resources.PriGen.targets(386,5): error MSB4062: The "Microsoft.Build.AppxPackage.GetSdkFileFullPath" task could not be loaded from the assembly C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\6.0.100-preview.6.21315.23\\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v16.0\AppxPackage\Microsoft.Build.AppxPackage.dll. Could not load file or assembly 'C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\6.0.100-preview.6.21315.23\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v16.0\AppxPackage\Microsoft.Build.AppxPackage.dll'. The system cannot find the path specified. Confirm that the <UsingTask> declaration is correct, that the assembly and all its dependencies are available, and that the task contains a public class that implements Microsoft.Build.Framework.ITask. [....\repos\App1\App1\App1\App1.csproj]

[StephenLPeters]

@evelynwu-msft do we support building with the dotnet command?

[evelynwu-msft]

No, not for Windows App SDK 1.0.

[kant2002]

Will you accept any contribution to that area?
I personally want that, so I can add support for NativeAOT
If I can build using full blown MSBuild outside of VisualStudio that would be fine probably for me.
If source code for build process open sourced I can hack around and contribute on improving build story. So I would like to be pointed to approximate location where I can start looking.
If this is somehow depends on the external projects (Nuget, MSBuild, whatever) I can go extra mile and start unblocking something in other location. But I need reference to that location and maybe a bit of direction.

So probably my other question would be, will you positively look on this adventure and give me a bit of helping hand?

[evelynwu-msft]

To clarify my earlier statement, building with msbuild on the command line works just fine; it's the dotnet CLI specifically that we do not yet support. Unfortunately, many of the build tasks we depend on are not compatible with dotnet CLI as they target .NET Framework rather than .NET Standard, and as they are closed source (and I can't speak to when they might be open sourced, if ever) I don't think this is something the community can help us with. :(

[JensNordenbro]

@evelynwu-msft ; does things like PublishReadyToRun work ?

[evelynwu-msft]

@JensNordenbro Yes, PublishReadyToRun works.

[evelynwu-msft]

dotnet *build* works as of WinAppSdk 1.0.3. dotnet *run* does not, nor is there a definitive timeline on when it will.

@kant2002 I'll leave it up to you to determine if that satisfies your original feature request. :)

[kant2002]

Thank you! Now it’s time to check how things working and open new issue if needed.

[ianeuman]

I'm still experiencing this same error with dotnet build on WinAppSdk 1.0.4, do you want me to open a new issue?

C:\Users\ianeuman\.nuget\packages\microsoft.windowsappsdk\1.0.4\buildTransitive\MrtCore.PriGen.targets(360,5): error MSB4062: The "Microsoft.Build.AppxPackage.GetSdkFileFullPath" task could not be lo 
aded from the assembly C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\7.0.102\\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v17.0\AppxPackage\Microsoft.Build.AppxPackage.dll. Could not load file or assembly 'C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\7.0. 
102\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v17.0\AppxPackage\Microsoft.Build.AppxPackage.dll'. The system cannot find the path specified. Confirm that the <UsingTask> declaration is correct, that the assembly and al
l its dependencies are available, and that the task contains a public class that implements Microsoft.Build.Framework.ITask.

[evelynwu-msft]

@ianeuman Yes, please open a new issue in the WinAppSDK repo: https://github.com/microsoft/WindowsAppSDK/