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Q&A Where is the `.fsproj` project file documented?

More specifically: Is there a dedicated docs page listing "properties" that are idiosyncratic to F# .fsproj project files? Why am I asking? Started learning F# a couple of days ago, but just now ...

1 answer  ·  posted 6mo ago by toraritte‭  ·  edited 6mo ago by toraritte‭

Question f# msbuild
#2: Post edited by user avatar toraritte‭ · 2023-11-13T21:09:46Z (6 months ago)
  • More specifically: Is there a dedicated docs page listing "properties" that are idiosyncratic to F# `.fsproj` project files?
  • ### Why am I asking?
  • Started learning F# a couple of days ago, but just now starting to realize that I will also have to learn the .NET ecosystem as well:
  • Came across the [Signatures](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/signature-files) page in the [F# documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/), so I wanted to try out generating an `.fsi` signature file. Had (and will have) [some hurdles with creating a toy project on the terminal][1], but once I figured it out, I ran into this same issue: [How to generate F# signature file (without Visual Studio)](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58781292/how-to-generate-f-signature-file-without-visual-studio)?
  • The [answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/58793467/1498178) had the solution, but no links. It did mention the `--sig` compiler option, and the F# [Compiler options](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/compiler-options) page does mention at the very top that:
  • > This article describes compiler command-line options for the F# compiler. The command `dotnet` build invokes the F# compiler on F# project files. F# project files are noted with the `.fsproj` extension.
  • >
  • > The compilation environment can also be controlled by setting the project properties. For projects targeting .NET Core, the "Other flags" property, `<OtherFlags>...</OtherFlags>` in `.fsproj`, is used for specifying extra command-line options.
  • At this point I started wondering: I would probably want to tweak my projects later on, and the central `.fsproj` project files seem to be the best place to do so. **Where is it documented?** It's XML so there has to be a schema too, etc.
  • <sup>Spoiler: found the [MSBuild Project File Schema Reference](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild/msbuild-project-file-schema-reference) after a while.</sup>)
  • Sifting through search results (while having no prior .NET experience whatsoever), I learned that the `.fsproj` file "_[is an MSBuild script][2]_", and [MSBuild][3] is used by every .NET language and framework. (I found the ASP.NET Core's [Understanding the Project File](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/web-forms/overview/deployment/web-deployment-in-the-enterprise/understanding-the-project-file) docs page way better than the any of the [MSBuild][3] articles...)
  • Long story short, I do need to go through the MSBuild docs at one point, but it would be nice to know if there is a dedicated `.fsproj` project file page.
  • [1]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/77467563/1498178
  • [2]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/10720447/1498178
  • [3]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild
  • More specifically: Is there a dedicated docs page listing "properties" that are idiosyncratic to F# `.fsproj` project files?
  • ### Why am I asking?
  • Started learning F# a couple of days ago, but just now starting to realize that I will also have to learn the .NET ecosystem as well:
  • Came across the [Signatures](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/signature-files) page in the [F# documentation][1], so I wanted to try out generating an `.fsi` signature file. Had (and will have) [some hurdles with creating a toy project on the terminal][2], but once I figured it out, I ran into this same issue: [How to generate F# signature file (without Visual Studio)](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58781292/how-to-generate-f-signature-file-without-visual-studio)?
  • The [answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/58793467/1498178) had the solution, but no links. It did mention the `--sig` compiler option, and the F# [Compiler options](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/compiler-options) page does mention at the very top that:
  • > This article describes compiler command-line options for the F# compiler. The command `dotnet` build invokes the F# compiler on F# project files. F# project files are noted with the `.fsproj` extension.
  • >
  • > The compilation environment can also be controlled by setting the project properties. For projects targeting .NET Core, the "Other flags" property, `<OtherFlags>...</OtherFlags>` in `.fsproj`, is used for specifying extra command-line options.
  • At this point I started wondering: I would probably want to tweak my projects later on, and the central `.fsproj` project files seem to be the best place to do so. **Where is it documented?** It's XML so there has to be a schema too, etc.
  • <sup>Spoiler: found the [MSBuild Project File Schema Reference](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild/msbuild-project-file-schema-reference) after a while.</sup>)
  • Sifting through search results (while having no prior .NET experience whatsoever), I learned that the `.fsproj` file "_[is an MSBuild script][3]_", and [MSBuild][4] is used by every .NET language and framework. (I found the ASP.NET Core's [Understanding the Project File](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/web-forms/overview/deployment/web-deployment-in-the-enterprise/understanding-the-project-file) docs page way better than the any of the [MSBuild][4] articles...)
  • Long story short, I do need to go through the MSBuild docs at one point, but it would be nice to know if there is a dedicated `.fsproj` project file page.
  • ---
  • Another example from the [Document your code with XML comments](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/xml-documentation) article in the [F# docs][1]:
  • > You can generate the XML file at compile time by doing one of the following:
  • >
  • > + You can add a `GenerateDocumentationFile` element to the `<PropertyGroup>` section of your `.fsproj` project file, which generates an XML file in the project directory with the same root filename as the assembly. For example:
  • >
  • > ```
  • > <GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile>
  • > ```
  • >
  • > For more information, see [`GenerateDocumentationFile` property][5].
  • [1]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/
  • [2]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/77467563/1498178
  • [3]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/10720447/1498178
  • [4]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild
  • [5]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/project-sdk/msbuild-props#generatedocumentationfile
#1: Initial revision by user avatar toraritte‭ · 2023-11-13T18:52:21Z (6 months ago)
Where is the `.fsproj` project file documented?
More specifically: Is there a dedicated docs page listing "properties" that are idiosyncratic to F# `.fsproj` project files?

### Why am I asking?

Started learning F# a couple of days ago, but just now starting to realize that I will also have to learn the .NET ecosystem as well:

Came across the [Signatures](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/signature-files) page in the [F# documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/), so I wanted to try out generating an `.fsi` signature file. Had (and will have) [some hurdles with creating a toy project on the terminal][1], but once I figured it out, I ran into this same issue: [How to generate F# signature file (without Visual Studio)](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58781292/how-to-generate-f-signature-file-without-visual-studio)?

The [answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/58793467/1498178) had the solution, but no links. It did mention the `--sig` compiler option, and the F# [Compiler options](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/compiler-options) page does mention at the very top that:

> This article describes compiler command-line options for the F# compiler. The command `dotnet` build invokes the F# compiler on F# project files. F# project files are noted with the `.fsproj` extension.
>
> The compilation environment can also be controlled by setting the project properties. For projects targeting .NET Core, the "Other flags" property, `<OtherFlags>...</OtherFlags>` in `.fsproj`, is used for specifying extra command-line options.

At this point I started wondering: I would probably want to tweak my projects later on, and the central `.fsproj` project files seem to be the best place to do so. **Where is it documented?** It's XML so there has to be a schema too, etc.
<sup>Spoiler: found the [MSBuild Project File Schema Reference](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild/msbuild-project-file-schema-reference) after a while.</sup>)

Sifting through search results (while having no prior .NET experience whatsoever), I learned that the `.fsproj` file "_[is an MSBuild script][2]_", and [MSBuild][3] is used by every .NET language and framework. (I found the ASP.NET Core's [Understanding the Project File](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/web-forms/overview/deployment/web-deployment-in-the-enterprise/understanding-the-project-file) docs page way better than the any of the [MSBuild][3] articles...)

Long story short, I do need to go through the MSBuild docs at one point, but it would be nice to know if there is a dedicated `.fsproj` project file page.


  [1]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/77467563/1498178
  [2]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/10720447/1498178
  [3]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild