Configuring IntelliSense

Please note that there is a bug in Visual Studio that reduces the ability to use IntelliSense with MSBuild tasks. Full details are provided in the following blog post: Providing IntelliSense for the MSBuild Extension Tasks

Copy the schema files

a. Copy all the .xsd files for which you require Intellisense

From:

%ProgramFiles%\MSBuild\ExtensionPack

To:

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Xml\Schemas\1033\MSBuild

Register the Schema

b. Open

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Xml\Schemas\1033\Microsoft.Build.xsd

c. Add the appropriate lines highlighted below (i.e. for each file you have chosen to copy). DO NOT add an include for files you have not copied.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<xs:schema targetNamespace="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003"

xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"

xmlns:msb="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003"

elementFormDefault="qualified">

    <!-- =================== IMPORT COMMON SCHEMA =========================== -->

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\Microsoft.Build.CommonTypes.xsd"/>

<xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.Framework.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.Biztalk.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.IIS7.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.JSharp.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.Sql2005.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.Sql2008.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.Stylecop.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.Sync.xsd"/>

    <xs:include schemaLocation="MSBuild\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.TFS.xsd"/>

Please Note

It is recommended that you only copy the schema files for which you require IntelliSense. This way your IntelliSense list will not be populated with tasks you have no intention of using