VNext/support convenience testing in visual studio

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,20 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [vNext] - 2026-10-30
+
+This is a patch release that makes the MTP package-validation tests prepare their own Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package during local builds, including Visual Studio Test Explorer runs, with no runtime or package behavior changes.
+
+### Added
+
+- Add automatic preparation of the Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package for the MTP package-validation tests during local builds, skipped for IDE design-time builds, with isolated output under `artifacts/validation` per configuration and framework.
+
+### Changed
+
+- Change the validation tests to read the package folder from MSBuild metadata instead of a hard-coded `artifacts/package/<configuration>` path, with missing-package guidance that points to `-p:PrepareValidationPackage=true` or an existing package,
+- Disable automatic package preparation in GitHub Actions so validation consumes the downloaded release package, while allowing opt-out outside GitHub Actions with `-p:PrepareValidationPackage=false`,
+- Document the automatic packing behavior and opt-out in `CONTRIBUTING.md`, replacing the manual `dotnet pack` step.
+
 ## [10.1.1] - 2026-10-20
 
 This is a patch release that fixes module unload mutex collisions between unrelated coverage sessions and updates the Microsoft runtime pins and the `System.Security.Cryptography.Pkcs` override used by coverlet.core, with no new capabilities.
@@ -97,6 +111,7 @@ This is a minor release focused on the Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP fork with narrowed
 - .vscode/settings.json configuration,
 - .devcontainer legacy configuration.
 
+[10.1.2]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.1.1...vNext
 [10.1.1]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.1.0...v10.1.1
 [10.1.0]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.0.1...v10.1.0
 [10.0.1]: https://github.com/codebeltnet/coverlet/compare/v10.0.0...v10.0.1

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ dotnet pack src/coverlet.MTP/coverlet.MTP.csproj -c Release --no-build
 dotnet test -c Release --no-build
 ```
 
-The MTP package-validation tests consume the locally packed `Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP` package from `artifacts/package/release`, so pack before running `test/coverlet.MTP.validation.tests` directly.
+The MTP package-validation project automatically packs `Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP` when built locally, including builds started by Visual Studio Test Explorer. No manual packing or package-folder cleanup is required. Each configuration and test framework uses an isolated directory under `artifacts/validation`, so older packages in `artifacts/package` do not affect local validation. The first build takes longer because it builds the package for all supported frameworks; subsequent package builds reuse their build outputs.
+
+In GitHub Actions, automatic packing is disabled so validation consumes the downloaded release package from `artifacts/package/release`. Outside GitHub Actions, use `-p:PrepareValidationPackage=false` to validate an existing package from `artifacts/package/<configuration>` instead. That directory must contain exactly one `Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP.*.nupkg`. As usual, `dotnet test --no-build` reuses the package prepared by the previous build.
 
 ## Focused test runs
 

test/coverlet.MTP.validation.tests/Directory.Build.targets

@@ -11,4 +11,17 @@
     <VSTestTestCaseFilter></VSTestTestCaseFilter>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
+  <!-- Run for each real framework build, never for IDE design-time builds. -->
+  <Target Name="PrepareCoverletValidationPackage"
+          AfterTargets="Build"
+          Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' != '' and '$(DesignTimeBuild)' != 'true' and '$(PrepareValidationPackage)' == 'true'">
+    <ItemGroup>
+      <_PreviousValidationPackages Include="$(ValidationPackagePath)/Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP.*.nupkg;$(ValidationPackagePath)/Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP.*.snupkg" />
+    </ItemGroup>
+    <Delete Files="@(_PreviousValidationPackages)" />
+    <!-- A locally rebuilt package can keep its version; do not reuse the consumer's cached copy. -->
+    <RemoveDir Directories="$(TargetDir)TestProjects/BasicTestProject/.packages/codebelt.coverlet.mtp" />
+    <Exec WorkingDirectory="$(RepoRoot)"
+          Command="dotnet pack &quot;$(RepoRoot)src/coverlet.MTP/coverlet.MTP.csproj&quot; --configuration &quot;$(Configuration)&quot; --artifacts-path &quot;$(ValidationArtifactsPath)/build&quot; --output &quot;$(ValidationPackagePath)&quot; --nologo" />
+  </Target>
 </Project>

test/coverlet.MTP.validation.tests/HelpCommandTests.cs

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public HelpCommandTests()
 
     // Get repository root
     _repoRoot = Path.GetFullPath(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "..", "..", "..", ".."));
-    _localPackagesPath = Path.Combine(_repoRoot, "artifacts", "package", _buildConfiguration.ToLowerInvariant());
+    _localPackagesPath = ValidationPackage.DirectoryPath;
 
     _projectOutputPath = Path.Combine(_repoRoot, "artifacts", "bin", s_projectName, _buildConfiguration.ToLowerInvariant()); 
 
@@ -58,21 +58,21 @@ public HelpCommandTests()
 
   private protected static string GetPackageVersion(string filter)
   {
-    string packagesPath = TestUtils.GetPackagePath(TestUtils.GetAssemblyBuildConfiguration().ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
+    string packagesPath = ValidationPackage.DirectoryPath;
 
     if (!Directory.Exists(packagesPath))
     {
-      throw new DirectoryNotFoundException($"Package directory '{packagesPath}' not found, run 'dotnet pack' on repository root");
+      throw new DirectoryNotFoundException($"Package directory '{packagesPath}' not found. Supply the existing Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package in this directory, or rebuild the validation test project locally with -p:PrepareValidationPackage=true to prepare it automatically.");
     }
 
     List<string> files = Directory.GetFiles(packagesPath, filter).ToList();
     if (files.Count == 0)
     {
-      throw new InvalidOperationException($"Could not find any package using filter '{filter}' in folder '{Path.GetFullPath(packagesPath)}'. Make sure 'dotnet pack' was called.");
+      throw new InvalidOperationException($"Could not find any package using filter '{filter}' in folder '{Path.GetFullPath(packagesPath)}'. Supply the existing Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package in this directory, or rebuild the validation test project locally with -p:PrepareValidationPackage=true to prepare it automatically.");
     }
     else if (files.Count > 1)
     {
-      throw new InvalidOperationException($"Found more than one package using filter '{filter}' in folder '{Path.GetFullPath(packagesPath)}'. Make sure 'dotnet pack' was only called once.");
+      throw new InvalidOperationException($"Found more than one package using filter '{filter}' in folder '{Path.GetFullPath(packagesPath)}'. Expected exactly one.");
     }
     else
     {
@@ -442,16 +442,15 @@ private async Task EnsureTestProjectBuilt()
 
   private void EnsurePackagesBuilt()
   {
-    string packagesPath = TestUtils.GetPackagePath(
-      TestUtils.GetAssemblyBuildConfiguration().ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
+    string packagesPath = ValidationPackage.DirectoryPath;
 
     // Check for Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP
     string[] mtpPackages = Directory.GetFiles(packagesPath, "Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP.*.nupkg");
     if (mtpPackages.Length == 0)
     {
       throw new InvalidOperationException(
         $"Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package not found in '{packagesPath}'.\n" +
-        $"Run: dotnet pack src/coverlet.MTP -c {_buildConfiguration}");
+        "Supply the existing Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package in this directory, or rebuild the validation test project locally with -p:PrepareValidationPackage=true to prepare it automatically.");
     }
   }
 

test/coverlet.MTP.validation.tests/TestInfrastructure/MtpValidationTestBase.cs

@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ protected MtpValidationTestBase()
 #endif
         RepoRoot = Path.GetFullPath(
             Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "..", "..", "..", ".."));
-        LocalPackagesPath = Path.Combine(
-            RepoRoot, "artifacts", "package", BuildConfiguration.ToLowerInvariant());
+        LocalPackagesPath = ValidationPackage.DirectoryPath;
     }
 
     // ── Package version ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -45,14 +44,14 @@ protected string GetCoverletMtpPackageVersion()
         if (!Directory.Exists(LocalPackagesPath))
         {
             throw new DirectoryNotFoundException(
-                $"Local packages path '{LocalPackagesPath}' not found. Run 'dotnet pack' first.");
+                $"Local packages path '{LocalPackagesPath}' not found. Supply the existing Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package in this directory, or rebuild the validation test project locally with -p:PrepareValidationPackage=true to prepare it automatically.");
         }
 
         string[] packages = Directory.GetFiles(LocalPackagesPath, "Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP.*.nupkg");
         if (packages.Length == 0)
         {
             throw new InvalidOperationException(
-                $"Could not find Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package in '{LocalPackagesPath}'. Run 'dotnet pack' first.");
+                $"Could not find Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package in '{LocalPackagesPath}'. Supply the existing Codebelt.Coverlet.MTP package in this directory, or rebuild the validation test project locally with -p:PrepareValidationPackage=true to prepare it automatically.");
         }
 
         if (packages.Length > 1)

test/coverlet.MTP.validation.tests/TestInfrastructure/ValidationPackage.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// Copyright (c) Toni Solarin-Sodara
+// Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
+
+using System.Reflection;
+
+namespace Coverlet.MTP.validation.tests;
+
+internal static class ValidationPackage
+{
+    // MSBuild selects an isolated local package or the downloaded CI release artifact.
+    internal static string DirectoryPath { get; } = typeof(ValidationPackage).Assembly
+        .GetCustomAttributes<AssemblyMetadataAttribute>()
+        .Single(attribute => attribute.Key == "ValidationPackagePath").Value
+        ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Validation package path is missing. Rebuild the validation test project.");
+}

test/coverlet.MTP.validation.tests/coverlet.MTP.validation.tests.csproj

@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@
     <TestingPlatformDotnetTestSupport>true</TestingPlatformDotnetTestSupport>
     <ManagePackageVersionsCentrally>false</ManagePackageVersionsCentrally>
     <IsPackable>false</IsPackable>
+    <!-- Package inputs live outside this project, so always let MSBuild prepare them. -->
+    <DisableFastUpToDateCheck>true</DisableFastUpToDateCheck>
+    <PrepareValidationPackage Condition="'$(PrepareValidationPackage)' == '' and '$(GITHUB_ACTIONS)' == 'true'">false</PrepareValidationPackage>
+    <PrepareValidationPackage Condition="'$(PrepareValidationPackage)' == ''">true</PrepareValidationPackage>
+    <!-- Isolate both frameworks from each other and from normal solution builds. -->
+    <ValidationArtifactsPath>$(RepoRoot)artifacts/validation/$(Configuration)/$(TargetFramework)</ValidationArtifactsPath>
+    <ValidationPackagePath Condition="'$(PrepareValidationPackage)' == 'true'">$(ValidationArtifactsPath)/packages</ValidationPackagePath>
+    <ValidationPackagePath Condition="'$(PrepareValidationPackage)' != 'true'">$(RepoRoot)artifacts/package/$(Configuration.ToLowerInvariant())</ValidationPackagePath>
     <IsTestingPlatformApplication>true</IsTestingPlatformApplication>
     <!-- replace the xUnit.net native command line experience with the Microsoft Testing Platform command line experience -->
     <UseMicrosoftTestingPlatformRunner>true</UseMicrosoftTestingPlatformRunner>
@@ -26,6 +34,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
+    <AssemblyMetadata Include="ValidationPackagePath" Value="$(ValidationPackagePath)" />
     <ProjectCapability Include="TestingPlatform" />
     <ProjectCapability Include="TestingPlatformApplication" />
   </ItemGroup>