How can I specify the output directory for native runtime libraries?

[sofakng]

I have a native library with many files:

• thunk64to32\pixdfltn.dll
• thunk64to32\pixmdln.dll
• ...

I have them in this folder structure to build the NuGet package:

• \runtimes\win-x64\lib\native\thunk64to32*.*

However, they don't get included in the build folder of my application that uses this library. I think I can use copy them to the \native folder but then they will get output into the base output folder of my application.

I want these to be output in a subfolder of my application.

Example: MyApplication\bin\release\thunk64to32

Does that make sense? Thanks for any help!

[zivkan]

Native C++ projects don't support PackageReference, and runtimes/ files in NuGet packages is a PackageReferene only feature. To support vcxproj C++ projects, I believe you'll need to ship your own build/native/PackageId.targets file and interact with the C++ build system "manually".

If you're creating a package for .NET projects, then I have this draft docs which explains this topic: NuGet/docs.microsoft.com-nuget#3092

Because I'm "letting perfect be the enemy of good" (I don't want to publish docs with factual errors), it takes a lot of effort to test both SDK and non-SDK style .NET projects, which is the main reason I haven't finished it and merged it yet.

Anyway, the naming convention for the directories is not correct. runtimes/{rid}/lib/{tfm}/* is used, but being a .NET project, this will be something like runtimes/win-x64/lib/net6.0/something.dll. The directory structure you used would only be applicable for project whose TargetFramework is native, which is actually what NuGet uses for C++ projects, but as mentioned this is a PackageReference feature that vcxproj project don't support. For packages aimed at .NET projects, the native libraries (targets of P/Invoke) go in runtimes/{rid}/native/* (no lib/).