Introduction to Psake

Basic outline

Task Rebuild -Depends Clean, Build  {
   "Rebuild"
 }

Task Build {
   "Build"
 }

Task Clean {
   "Clean"
 }

Task default -Depends Build

FormatTaskName example

# Will display task as:
# -------- Rebuild --------
# -------- Build --------
FormatTaskName "-------- {0} --------"

# will display tasks in yellow colour:
# Running Rebuild
FormatTaskName {
    param($taskName)
    "Running $taskName" - foregroundcolor yellow
}

Task Rebuild -Depends Clean, Build  {
   "Rebuild"
 }

Task Build {
   "Build"
 }

Task Clean {
   "Clean"
 }

Task default -Depends Build

Run Task conditionally

propreties {
    $isOk = $false
}

# By default the Build task won't run, unless there is a param $true
Task Build -precondition { return $isOk } {
   "Build"
 }

Task Clean {
   "Clean"
 }

Task default -Depends Build

ContinueOnError

Task Build -depends Clean {
   "Build"
 }

Task Clean -ContinueOnError {
   "Clean"
    throw "throw on purpose, but the task will continue to run"
 }

Task default -Depends Build

Syntax

• Task - main function to execute a step of your build script
• Depends - property that specify what the current step depends upon
• default - there must always be a default task that will get executed if no initial task is specified
• FormatTaskName - specifies how each step is displayed in the result window.

Remarks

psake is a build automation tool written in PowerShell, and is inspired by Rake (Ruby make) and Bake (Boo make). It is used to create builds using dependency pattern. Documentation available here