[ISSUE]: GitVersion.MsBuild 6.5.1 on VS 2026 ... MsBuild Exception for WiX projects

[dorssel]

Prerequisites

• I have written a descriptive issue title
• I have searched issues to ensure it has not already been reported

GitVersion package

GitVersion.MsBuild

GitVersion version

6.5.1

Operating system

Windows

What are you seeing?

@arturcic
First of all: very nice to see VS support again. I've immediately reverted back from Dorssel.GitVersion.MsBuild to mainstream GitVersion.MsBuild. See dorssel/usbipd-win@a3f552a

However, the Installer project (https://github.com/dorssel/usbipd-win/blob/master/Installer/Installer.wixproj) uses WixToolset.Sdk, and in combination with GitVersion.MsBuild 6.5.1 it gives the following MSBuild exception in VS 2026:

1>MSBUILD : error : This is an unhandled exception in MSBuild -- PLEASE UPVOTE AN EXISTING ISSUE OR FILE A NEW ONE AT https://aka.ms/msbuild/unhandled
1>MSBUILD : error :     System.ArgumentNullException: Parameter "projectFile" cannot be null.
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.Shared.ErrorUtilities.ThrowArgumentNull(String parameterName, String resourceName)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.Exceptions.InvalidProjectFileException..ctor(String projectFile, Int32 lineNumber, Int32 columnNumber, Int32 endLineNumber, Int32 endColumnNumber, String message, String errorSubcategory, String errorCode, String helpKeyword, Exception innerException)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.Exceptions.InvalidProjectFileException..ctor(String message, InvalidProjectFileException innerException)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.<ExecuteInstantiatedTask>d__26.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.<InitializeAndExecuteTask>d__24.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.<ExecuteBucket>d__19.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.<ExecuteTask>d__18.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.<ExecuteTask>d__13.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TargetEntry.<ProcessBucket>d__50.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TargetEntry.<ExecuteTarget>d__43.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TargetBuilder.<ProcessTargetStack>d__24.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TargetBuilder.<BuildTargets>d__11.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.RequestBuilder.<BuildProject>d__67.MoveNext()
1>MSBUILD : error : --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
1>MSBUILD : error :    at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
1>MSBUILD : error :    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.RequestBuilder.<RequestThreadProc>d__58.MoveNext()

Sure enough that is also an MsBuild problem (unhandled exception), but it was triggered by GitVersion. It may have something to do with: https://github.com/GitTools/GitVersion/blob/main/src/GitVersion.MsBuild/msbuild/tools/GitVersion.MsBuild.props#L45-L51. The exception mentions Parameter "projectFile" cannot be null and the GitVersion comment mentions injecting _TargetAssemblyProjectName.

Additional information: The RunGitVersion task is run successfully before the exception occurs (gitversion.json created correctly). However, the exception occurs soon after that, I don't see other artifacts before the MsBuild crash.

What is expected?

VS 2026 MsBuild does not crash when referencing GitVersion.MsBuild in a WiX project.

Steps to Reproduce

Build https://github.com/dorssel/usbipd-win Installer project from within VS 2026.

RepositoryFixture Test

No response

Output log or link to your CI build (if appropriate).

[dorssel]

Seems known: dotnet/msbuild#12723

Looks like TaskHost (apparently used by MSBuild 18 to run tasks outside the main MSBuild process) only works when the project uses the .NET SDK. Whereas WiX uses the WixToolset.Sdk.

[arturcic]

In that case not sure how to handle it. In any case thanks for sharing the link