Unable to use Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.Workspaces.MSBuild package

JeffMercado

Trying to analyze my solution using the code analyzers. So wrote up a simple script:

async Task Main()
{
    var solutionPath = @"path to .sln file";
    await AnalyzeSolution(solutionPath);
}

async Task AnalyzeSolution(string solutionPath)
{
    var progress = SimpleProgress.Create((ProjectLoadProgress p) =>
    {
        $"{p.Operation}: {p.FilePath} ({p.TargetFramework})".Dump();
    });

    using var ws = MSBuildWorkspace.Create();
    var sln = await ws.OpenSolutionAsync(solutionPath, progress);
    ...
}

public static class SimpleProgress
{
    public static SimpleProgress<T> Create<T>(Action<T> report) => new(report);
}

public class SimpleProgress<T>(Action<T> report) : IProgress<T>
{
    public void Report(T value) => report?.Invoke(value);
}

Trying to run it, if fails with an error:

The build host could not be found at 'C:\Users\jeff.mercado\.nuget\packages\Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.Workspaces.MSBuild\4.13.0\lib\net9.0\BuildHost-netcore\Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.Workspaces.MSBuild.BuildHost.dll'

I've looked through the code and it uses the assembly's path to determine where the build host is which works in a regular app since the assemblies are put in a same place, including the build host binaries.

Since LINQPad is referencing the files directly from the nuget cache, I guess a build step needs to be performed to put the files there (which I can do to work around this).

Is this something that could be fixed?

JoeAlbahari

Have you tried the "copy local" option in LINQPad's properties dialog? (Press F4 and click Advanced).

JeffMercado

Ah! That's what that setting is for. Got it.