Merging multiple jscript files into one with msbuild task?

I am using Microsoft Ajax Minifier to convert file1.js to file1.min.js. Now I would like to take file1.min.js and file2.min.js and merge them into files-merged.min.js.

I have found several open 开发者_开发问答source msbuild projects but with no documentation on how to use them!

I am using Visual Studio 2010, is this something Ajax Minifier can do, if not do you have any tips on how to do it?

I want this to be an automated process, something done each time I build the solution.

Within MSBild solution you can use at the least three approaches.

1. Execute copy command (simply to understand and support, may affects build performance in case of much calls perfomed);
2. Use ReadLinesFromFile/WriteLinesToFile msbuild tasks (simply enough, but resulting file will lose formatting)
3. Use .NET File.ReadAllText/WriteLinesToFile (good result, but may be complicated in some cases)

Executing copy command

To merge with copy command you should add something like this into your target:

<Exec Command="COPY /b file1.min.js + file2.min.js files-merged.min.js" />

In most cases it should be enough.

Using ReadLinesFromFile/WriteLinesToFile msbuild tasks

<ItemGroup>
  <SourceFiles Include="file1.min.js;file2.min.js" />
</ItemGroup>

<ReadLinesFromFile File="%(SourceFiles.Identity)">
  <Output TaskParameter="Lines" ItemName="FileLines" />
</ReadLinesFromFile>

<WriteLinesToFile File="files-merged.min.js" Lines="@(FileLines)" Overwrite="true" />

This example illustrates how to use native msbuild facilities to merge both files. Unfortunately, in that case we're loosing file formatting.

Using .NET File.ReadAllText() and msbuild WriteLinesToFile

<ItemGroup>
  <SourceFiles Include="arrays.cmd;cp.cmd" />
  <FileLines Include="$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText(%(SourceFiles.Identity)))" />
</ItemGroup>

<WriteLinesToFile File="test.out" Lines="@(FileLines)" Overwrite="true" />

This approach fast and accurate, but uses some kind of .NET injection.

I did it by following this article:

http://encosia.com/2009/05/20/automatically-minify-and-combine-javascript-in-visual-studio/

I would prefer not to use the JSMin tool as I already have AJAX Minifier so I use JSMin just to merge the files. Can Minifier handle the merging of files?

C:\Progra~1\Microsoft\Micros~1\AjaxMin.exe js1.js js2.js -o jscombine.js -clobber