.NET8控制台项目中获取目标exe的MSBuild常量咨询

问题说明 #

在.NET 8控制台项目的PostBuildEvent中使用$(TargetPath)调用signtool时，该变量指向的是.dll文件而非实际的.exe启动文件。虽然对业务核心.dll签名合理，但需要找到能直接获取目标exe路径的MSBuild内置常量，替代当前手动拼接路径的实现：

echo "$(SignToolPath)signtool.exe" sign 
    /d "$(TargetPath)" 
    /fd SHA256 
    /du "https://www.xyz.co.uk" 
    /f "d:\My Certificate.pfx" 
    /p "password" 
    /t "http://timestamp.sectigo.com" 
    /v "$(OutDir)" 

echo "$(SignToolPath)signtool.exe" sign 
    /d "$(OutDir)\$(TargetFramework)\$(AssemblyName).exe" 
    /fd SHA256 
    /du "https://www.xyz.co.uk" 
    /f "d:\My Certificate.pfx" 
    /p "password" 
    /t "http://timestamp.sectigo.com" 
    /v "$(OutDir)" 

查看MSBuild配置后，发现规则明确：.NETCoreApp/.NETStandard项目即使输出类型为exe，也会强制将TargetExt设为.dll：

<!-- Force .dll extension for .NETCoreApp and .NETStandard projects even if output type is exe. -->
<TargetExt Condition="'$(TargetExt)' == ''">.dll</TargetExt>

<PropertyGroup>
    <TargetExt Condition="'$(TargetExt)' == '' and '$(OutputType)'=='exe'">.exe</TargetExt>
    <TargetExt Condition="'$(TargetExt)' == '' and '$(OutputType)'=='winexe'">.exe</TargetExt>
    <TargetExt Condition="'$(TargetExt)' == '' and '$(OutputType)'=='appcontainerexe'">.exe</TargetExt>
    <TargetExt Condition="'$(TargetExt)' == '' and '$(OutputType)'=='library'">.dll</TargetExt>
    <TargetExt Condition="'$(TargetExt)' == '' and '$(OutputType)'=='module'">.netmodule</TargetExt>
    <TargetExt Condition="'$(TargetExt)' == '' and '$(OutputType)'=='winmdobj'">.winmdobj</TargetExt>
</PropertyGroup>

解决方案 #

适用的MSBuild内置属性 #

直接使用**$(AppHostPath)**即可获取宿主exe的完整路径，这是.NET Core/.NET 5+项目专门用于指向启动器exe的内置变量，无需手动拼接路径。

优化后的脚本 #

echo "$(SignToolPath)signtool.exe" sign 
    /d "$(TargetPath)" 
    /fd SHA256 
    /du "https://www.xyz.co.uk" 
    /f "d:\My Certificate.pfx" 
    /p "password" 
    /t "http://timestamp.sectigo.com" 
    /v "$(OutDir)" 

echo "$(SignToolPath)signtool.exe" sign 
    /d "$(AppHostPath)" 
    /fd SHA256 
    /du "https://www.xyz.co.uk" 
    /f "d:\My Certificate.pfx" 
    /p "password" 
    /t "http://timestamp.sectigo.com" 
    /v "$(OutDir)" 

补充说明 #

.NET 8控制台项目默认生成两类核心文件：

• 承载业务逻辑的$(AssemblyName).dll：$(TargetPath)指向的就是该文件
• 作为启动入口的宿主exe：$(AppHostPath)直接指向该文件

这就是$(TargetPath)指向.dll的原因——MSBuild对这类项目优先标记业务程序集，而启动器exe则通过专门的属性暴露。

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Andrew Truckle