Resolve net task host params from the project properties #11543

YuliiaKovalova · 2025-03-05T14:57:13Z

based on: #11393

experimental VS instance https://devdiv.visualstudio.com/DevDiv/_git/VS/pullrequest/616996
This PR contains logic that helps to resolve NetTaskHost execution params based on the project properties.
DOTNET_EXPERIMENTAL_HOST_PATH => resolves path to dotnet.exe
RuntimeIdentifierGraphPath => gives the path to the sdk version resolved for the given project.

The values are passed to NodeProviderOutOfProcTaskHost by using taskHostParameters.
The exception is generated on attempt to use this functionality for sdk9 and lower.

For further flexibility the packet versioning support was added in NodePacketType.

MSBuild Packet Schema with Version Information

Packet Structure Overview

MSBuild's packet communication protocol supports versioning through an extended header mechanism. This document outlines the binary structure of packets with and without version information.

Basic Packet Format

Position	Size (bytes)	Description
0	1	Packet Type Byte
1-4	4	Packet Length (32-bit integer)
5+	Variable	Packet Body

Packet Type Byte (Position 0) Bit Layout

Bits	Purpose
0-5	Base packet type (values 0-63)
6 (0x40)	Extended header flag - When set, indicates version information follows
7 (0x80)	Reserved for future use or special packet types

Important Note: Special server command packets (0xF0-0xFF) ignore the extended header flag regardless of its value.

Packet Formats

Standard Packet (No Version Information)

Position	Size (bytes)	Description
0	1	Packet Type (bit 6 not set)
1-4	4	Packet Length
5+	Variable	Packet Body (in original format)

Versioned Packet (With Version Information)

Position	Size (bytes)	Description
0	1	Packet Type with bit 6 set
1-4	4	Packet Length (includes version byte)
5	1	Version Byte
6+	Variable	Packet Body (format depends on version)

Version Byte Values

Value	Description
1	Original packet format (baseline)
2	Second generation format with extended fields
3+	Future format extensions

Implementation Notes

Older clients will ignore bit 6 in the packet type byte
Newer clients will check bit 6 to determine if version information follows
The packet length field ensures all clients can properly navigate the packet data
Version 1 is considered the baseline format compatible with older clients

Migration Strategy

When adding new fields to existing packet types:

Create a new version of the packet format
Set the extended header flag when writing packets
Include version byte with the new version number
Ensure packet readers check for version information
Maintain backward compatibility with version 1 format

…askhost

baronfel · 2025-03-05T15:19:15Z

src/Build/BackEnd/Components/RequestBuilder/TaskBuilder.cs

                msbuildArchitecture = msbuildArchitecture == String.Empty ? XMakeAttributes.MSBuildArchitectureValues.any : msbuildArchitecture.Trim();
                msbuildRuntime = msbuildRuntime == String.Empty ? XMakeAttributes.MSBuildRuntimeValues.any : msbuildRuntime.Trim();

                taskIdentityParameters.Add(XMakeAttributes.runtime, msbuildRuntime);
                taskIdentityParameters.Add(XMakeAttributes.architecture, msbuildArchitecture);
            }

+            string hostPath = lookup.GetProperty("DOTNET_EXPERIMENTAL_HOST_PATH")?.EvaluatedValue;
+            string msBuildAssemblyPath = Path.GetDirectoryName(lookup.GetProperty("RuntimeIdentifierGraphPath")?.EvaluatedValue) ?? string.Empty;


nit: we should be able to find a better property - using the RID graph as a side effect may be prone to breakage or re-arrangement in the SDK.

it's a workaround. we plan to add a separate property later

…lution

…ttps://github.com/YuliiaKovalova/msbuild into dev/ykovalova/use_project_props_for_sdk_resolution

jaredpar · 2025-03-28T16:01:11Z

src/Shared/TaskHostConfiguration.cs

+        /// <summary>
+        /// Task host runtime.
+        /// </summary>
+        private string _runtime;


Suggested change

private string _runtime;

private readonly string _runtime;

jaredpar · 2025-03-28T16:01:45Z

src/Shared/TaskHostConfiguration.cs


-            // Set the configuration bytes just before serialization in case the SetConfigurationBytes was invoked during lifetime of this instance.
-            if (translator.Mode == TranslationDirection.WriteToStream)
+            // Skip AppDomain configuration when targeting .NET Task Host (Runtime="Net").


Is there a list of all the runtime names and their meaning?

jaredpar · 2025-03-28T16:03:48Z

src/Shared/NodeEndpointOutOfProcBase.cs

@@ -115,6 +116,8 @@ internal abstract class NodeEndpointOutOfProcBase : INodeEndpoint
        /// </summary>
        private BinaryWriter _binaryWriter;

+        private readonly IList<string> _versionHandshakeGroup = ["fileVersionMajor", "fileVersionMinor", "fileVersionBuild", "fileVersionPrivate"];


Suggested change

private readonly IList<string> _versionHandshakeGroup = ["fileVersionMajor", "fileVersionMinor", "fileVersionBuild", "fileVersionPrivate"];

private readonly ImmutableArray<string> _versionHandshakeGroup = ["fileVersionMajor", "fileVersionMinor", "fileVersionBuild", "fileVersionPrivate"];

Given this collection doesn't change consider a non-mutating type to make future mutations an explicit decision.

jaredpar · 2025-03-28T16:05:06Z

src/Shared/NodeEndpointOutOfProcBase.cs

-                                break;
+                                // NET Task host allows to connect to MSBuild.dll with the different handshake version.
+                                // We agreed to hardcode a value of 99 to bypass the protection for this scenario.
+                                if (_versionHandshakeGroup.Contains(handshakeComponents[i].Key) && handshakeComponents[i].Value == Handshake.NetTaskHostHandshakeVersion)


Why is the runtime host name treated as ordinal ignore case but the version handshake groups are ordinal?

jaredpar · 2025-03-28T16:06:01Z

src/Shared/INodePacket.cs

+        public static byte CreateExtendedHeaderType(NodePacketType type) => (byte)((byte)type | ExtendedHeaderFlag);
+
+        // Read extended header (returns version)
+        public static byte ReadVersion(Stream stream) => (byte)stream.ReadByte();


TIL: that ReadByte returns int not byte.

jaredpar · 2025-03-28T16:07:31Z

src/Shared/CommunicationsUtilities.cs

        /// </summary>
        Arm64 = 128,
    }

    internal class Handshake
    {
+        public static int NetTaskHostHandshakeVersion = 99;


Suggested change

public static int NetTaskHostHandshakeVersion = 99;

public const int NetTaskHostHandshakeVersion = 99;

Or possible static readonly

jaredpar · 2025-03-28T16:09:46Z

src/Build/BackEnd/Components/Communications/NodeProviderOutOfProcTaskHost.cs

+                    // for NET the executable is resolved from DOTNET_EXPERIMENTAL_HOST_PATH
+                    s_msbuildName = IsHandshakeOptionEnabled(HandshakeOptions.NET)
+                        ? string.Empty
+                        : Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("MSBUILD_EXE_NAME") ?? Constants.MSBuildExecutableName;


The comment says DOTNET_EXPERIMENTAL_HOST_PATH but the code is using MSBUILD_EXE_NAME. Not quite following that bit.

YuliiaKovalova and others added 11 commits February 4, 2025 18:54

draft for dotnet host support

f0a46e4

cleanup

90a63c1

more changes

e0db3b1

handle issue with net task host communication

9b892e9

add new runtime value to xsd

a6f8bf9

add comment

f1781fb

adjust net task host implementation

65691df

Merge branch 'dotnet:main' into dev/ykovalova/support_launching_net_t…

be15f3f

…askhost

Merge branch 'main' into dev/ykovalova/support_launching_net_taskhost

0509411

temp

bae84bd

resolve net task host params from the project properties

33fcee0

baronfel reviewed Mar 5, 2025

View reviewed changes

YuliiaKovalova and others added 4 commits March 5, 2025 16:41

Update BootstrapSdkVersion in Versions.props

01baf54

add null ref check

f6890ea

add version validation

4c21504

add packet versioning support

20f9302

YuliiaKovalova marked this pull request as ready for review March 6, 2025 14:58

YuliiaKovalova requested a review from rainersigwald March 6, 2025 15:02

YuliiaKovalova and others added 5 commits March 6, 2025 16:02

Merge branch 'main' into dev/ykovalova/use_project_props_for_sdk_reso…

d34adec

…lution

extend version tracking infra

2d68448

Merge branch 'dev/ykovalova/use_project_props_for_sdk_resolution' of h…

0764a61

…ttps://github.com/YuliiaKovalova/msbuild into dev/ykovalova/use_project_props_for_sdk_resolution

adjust msbuildserver to the packet version extended flag presence

80c7a24

loosen the version check on handshake for taskhost

98324e9

YuliiaKovalova mentioned this pull request Mar 28, 2025

Change VSIX authoring to include .NET MSBuild #11330

Closed

jaredpar reviewed Mar 28, 2025

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Resolve net task host params from the project properties #11543

Resolve net task host params from the project properties #11543

YuliiaKovalova commented Mar 5, 2025 •

edited

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baronfel Mar 5, 2025

YuliiaKovalova Mar 5, 2025

jaredpar Mar 28, 2025

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jaredpar Mar 28, 2025

	private readonly IList<string> _versionHandshakeGroup = ["fileVersionMajor", "fileVersionMinor", "fileVersionBuild", "fileVersionPrivate"];
	private readonly ImmutableArray<string> _versionHandshakeGroup = ["fileVersionMajor", "fileVersionMinor", "fileVersionBuild", "fileVersionPrivate"];

	public static int NetTaskHostHandshakeVersion = 99;
	public const int NetTaskHostHandshakeVersion = 99;

Resolve net task host params from the project properties #11543

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Resolve net task host params from the project properties #11543

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YuliiaKovalova commented Mar 5, 2025 • edited Loading

For further flexibility the packet versioning support was added in NodePacketType.

MSBuild Packet Schema with Version Information

Packet Structure Overview

Basic Packet Format

Packet Type Byte (Position 0) Bit Layout

Packet Formats

Standard Packet (No Version Information)

Versioned Packet (With Version Information)

Version Byte Values

Implementation Notes

Migration Strategy

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YuliiaKovalova commented Mar 5, 2025 •

edited

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