Arcade --> Korebuild "gap"

[markwilkie]

The initial pass at the gap is written down by Nate here: https://gist.github.com/natemcmaster/0ef23512c011b7ec09f25ad13a1d65e2

This will likely be translated to specific issues once we start.

[mmitche]

@dougbu We're off Korebuild for all the aspnet repos (3.x onward), right?

[dougbu]

I believe we have at least a couple of things in the Internal.AspNetCore.BuildTasks.nupkg package that we still need. Then again, that's currently listed as a workaround for #204, not this issue.

See also dotnet/msbuild#4018 (Nate's ask about contribution to MSBuild). Should we instead contribute the GenerateFileFromTemplate task to Arcade?

[ilyas1974]

Triage: Based on the conversation within this thread, it appears that we no longer use Korebuild. Does anyone know what the status of this work is?

[dougbu]

We still use KoreBuild aka Internal.AspNetCore.Sdk in at least dotnet/aspnetcore, dotnet/efcore and dotnet/extensions for 2.1 builds. That's fine.

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However, we also use GenerateFileFromTemplate in later branches due to restrictions in WriteLinesToFile and ease of use. Would make sense to remove that dependency (the entire Internal.AspNetCore.BuildTasks package) if possible.

Since dotnet/msbuild#4018 has no traction, I ask again

Should we instead contribute the GenerateFileFromTemplate task to Arcade?

The source for that is small and straightforward. See https://github.com/aspnet/BuildTools/tree/main/src/Internal.AspNetCore.BuildTasks

Ideal would be to add this in the Arcade servicing branches too. Failing that, we should probably add this task to dotnet/aspnetcore's RepoTasks hack (most of which isn't worth contributing).

See also #204 (which @markwilkie and @ViktorHofer seemed to like) and dotnet/msbuild#4018.

[markwilkie]

Thanks @dougbu - sounds like we're essentially sorted here.

[dougbu]

Agree we don't need to discuss the broad "gap" further. But, do we have something tracking GenerateFileFromTemplate or an upcoming discussion around it❔

[markwilkie]

But, do we have something tracking GenerateFileFromTemplate or an upcoming discussion around it❔

Not that I'm aware of, but to be honest, I don't think I'm even aware what GenerateFileFromTemplate is... :(

[dougbu]

@markwilkie GenerateFileFromTemplate is a very easy-to-use way to generate files from templates without the downsides of WriteLinesToFile (which is inappropriate for large files) or T4 (which is often overkill). GenerateFileFromTemplate is also the remaining item I wanted to consider in the context of gaps between KoreBuild and Arcade.

There's a bit more information in the links from #135 (comment) and #135 (comment)

[ViktorHofer]

We use a similar mechanism in dotnet/runtime to generate our test execution scripts: https://github.com/dotnet/runtime/blob/main/src/tasks/installer.tasks/GenerateRunScript.cs.

It would be great if either msbuild or Arcade would offer such a task.

[markwilkie]

I see - makes sense. Could one of you create another issue to track the generate file stuff?

[ViktorHofer]

I'll let @dougbu do that as it sounds like they still have a Korebuild dependency in their build system because of that. For us in dotnet/runtime it's mostly clean-up.

[dougbu]

I just added to existing issue #204