common-msbuild-item-metadata.md

title	description	ms.date	ms.topic	dev_langs	helpviewer_keywords	author	ms.author	manager	ms.subservice
Common MSBuild item metadata	Learn about optional item metadata that have meaning for some MSBuild SDKs or targets, but aren't set by default for every item.	07/13/2020	reference	VB CSharp C++	msbuild, common item metadata item metadata (MSBuild)	ghogen	ghogen	mijacobs	msbuild

Common MSBuild item metadata

The following table describes optional item metadata that have meaning for some MSBuild SDKs or targets, but that are not set by default for every item. You can set these to influence build behavior, but only if the SDK or target files you are using recognize it.

Item metadata	SDKs	Description
%(Link)	All	The Visual Studio project system uses Link metadata (if present) to alter what shows up in the project tree; you can put a file in a different logical folder structure in Solution Explorer. In addition, the AssignTargetPath task looks at Link to determine where in the output directory to copy a file to, if it’s one of the items that gets copied.
%(LinkBase)	.NET Core SDK	Used to set the folder to be used for Link metadata for groups of items.

See also

• Common MSBuild project properties
• Common MSBuild project items
• MSBuild well-known item metadata