team build target not executed - tfs

Question

I have a tfs 2008 build that I need to add WiX compliation to.
Currently the build executes and compiles and copies all output to a drops location in the following target
<Target Name="AfterCompile"> .... </Target>
I have added another target directly below it that looks like the following
<UsingTask TaskName="HeatDirectory" AssemblyFile="$(WixTasksPath)" />
<Target Name="BuildMsi" DependsOnTargets="AfterCompile">
<Message Text="Start harvesting Website files for Wix compliation" />
<HeatDirectory
ToolPath="$(WixToolPath)"
Directory="$(DropLocation)\Latest\x86\Release\_PublishedWebsites\IFMA.MasterPlan.Web"
GenerateGuidsNow="yes"
ComponentGroupName="Web"
OutputFile="$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\Setup\Product\Fragments\wwwfiles.wxs"
SuppressFragments="yes"
DirectoryRefId="WebRoot"
KeepEmptyDirectories="yes"
PreprocessorVariable="var.WebRoot"
SuppressRegistry="yes"
SuppressRootDirectory="yes"
SuppressCom="yes"
/>
<Message Text="Finished harvesting Website files for Wix compliation" />
</Target>
The BuildMsi target is never executed but the AfterCompile one definitly is.
The BuildMsi isn't listed in the default build targets
but I thought that since it has a dependency on AfterCompile it would be executed after it.
What am I missing here?

Answer 1

DependsOnTargets lists the targets that must be executed before your target can run, it does not force your target to run after the list of targets run.
See: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t50z2hka(v=VS.90).aspx
If you're using MSBuild 4.0, AfterTargets attribute is what you need:
AfterTargets: Optional attribute.
A semicolon-separated list of target
names. When specified, indicates that
this target should run after the
specified target or targets. This
lets the project author extend an
existing set of targets without
modifying them directly.
Alternatively you can use target injection, which basically is overriding the CompileDependsOn property in your .proj file to include your target at the end. You need to declare this property after the imports of the common target files to ensure it is the last definition of the property.
<PropertyGroup>
<CompileDependsOn>
$(CompileDependsOn);
MyCustomTarget
</CompileDependsOn>
</PropertyGroup>
See "How to extend the visual studio build process" for more details.