Visual studio 2015 post build commnad failing with exit code 1. strange thing is it fails only on some projects

Question

I am trying following post build event in some of my projects

copy /Y "$(TargetDir)*.dll" "$(SolutionDir)MyMainApp\bin\*.dll"

But getting error

Error The command "copy /Y "D:\myslolution\myimplementation\bin\Release*.dll" "D:\myslolution\MyMainApp\bin*.dll"" exited with code 1.

Any idea what's wrong in it? strange thing is on multiple rebuild it sometimes work

Are there any dlls in your target directory? If not: this is the reason for your error. — KimKulling, Dec 07 '17 at 12:04
Does the target directory $(SolutionDir)MyMainApp\bin\ exists? And you do not have to add *dll to the target folder. — KimKulling, Dec 07 '17 at 12:07
Possible duplicate of [Windows copy command return codes?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8219040/windows-copy-command-return-codes) — Sinatr, Dec 07 '17 at 12:07
Sinatr if you know something then please answer. nowadays more and more effort are on finding duplicates rather then answering on stackoverflow — Kamran Shahid, Dec 07 '17 at 12:09

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 08 '17 at 09:16

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Please check your two project folders in your side.

For example, bases on your description, I have two projects, I set the post-build event command line in the myimplementation property:

If I build the project, I will get this dll file:

strange thing is on multiple rebuild it sometimes work

If so, please clean and build your project, view it again. My understanding is that if your project code was not changed after you build it first time, it would not update the dll file or call the build event again even if you build it. It would show you up-to-date messages in your VS output window. But if you clean it, and then build it again, it would copy the dll again.

answered Dec 08 '17 at 09:16

Jack Zhai

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Thanks Jack.I still get the error. Actually i have multiple projects which are referencing same DTO, BLL assemblies. Can this be the reason? – Kamran Shahid Dec 08 '17 at 09:24
@Kamran Shahid, If it was called by other projects/processes, my understanding is that it would impact this build event. Of course, you can test it after you disable/remove the references, view the result. – Jack Zhai Dec 08 '17 at 09:27
@Kamran Shahid, What about this issue? Can it copy the .dll file to that correct path now? – Jack Zhai Dec 11 '17 at 01:48

Gwen Royakkers · Answer 2 · 2017-12-07T12:34:47.653

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I think the syntax for the copy command should be: copy /Y D:\myslolution\myimplementation\bin\Release\ *.dll D:\myslolution\MyMainApp\bin\

(\ *.dll after the source parameter, otherwise files that start with Release, and end with .dll are targeted)

you could try the command first in a cmd window to verify the syntax, before adding it to the post build.

After verifying the copy command syntax you can change it to:

copy /Y "$(TargetDir)\*.dll" "$(SolutionDir)\MyMainApp\bin\"

edited Dec 07 '17 at 12:34

answered Dec 07 '17 at 12:10

Gwen Royakkers

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No. i can't hardcode the file path. it's relevant to project – Kamran Shahid Dec 07 '17 at 12:27
I didn't mean you should hardcode the path, (only for testing if the syntax for the copy command is correct).In your case: copy /Y "$(TargetDir)\*.dll" "$(SolutionDir)MyMainApp\bin\" – Gwen Royakkers Dec 07 '17 at 12:29
tried copy /Y "$(TargetDir)*.dll" "$(SolutionDir)MyMainApp\bin\" But same result – Kamran Shahid Dec 07 '17 at 12:39
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@KamranShahid you missed the backslash after $(TargetDir) again. Look closely at your error message and at this answer. "Release*dll" is not a folder. – Crowcoder Dec 09 '17 at 11:27

Visual studio 2015 post build commnad failing with exit code 1. strange thing is it fails only on some projects

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