Self-contained single-file program, published with --no-build option, needs .NET to be installed

[andygjp]

I've created a repo and a README.md detailing some investigation here: https://github.com/andygjp/MustInstalDotNetSelfContainedNoBuild

In short, I can build a self-contained project and then package it up, with the --no-build option, like so:

$configuration = "Release"
$runtime = "win-x64"
$framework = "net9.0"

# project built in a previous step
dotnet publish MyProject.csproj `
--configuration $configuration `
--runtime $runtime `
--framework $framework `
--no-restore `
--no-build

That works fine.

If I repeat that, but publish a single file, like so:

dotnet publish MyProject.csproj `
--configuration $configuration `
--runtime $runtime `
--framework $framework `
--no-restore `
--no-build `
--property:PublishSingleFile=$true `
--property:IncludeNativeLibrariesForSelfExtract=$true

It fails with: "You must install .NET to run this application."

If I repeat the last command, but remove the --no-build option, it works again.

Why must I have to build it again or remove --property:PublishSingleFile option to make it work?

[bording]

Looks like #45159 is the fix for this.

[andygjp]

@bording I think you're right.

I just added:

<Target Name="_WorkaroundIncorrectAppHost" BeforeTargets="_GetComHostPaths">
  <CallTarget Targets="_GetAppHostCreationConfiguration" />
</Target>

To the csproj in the repo, as suggested here: #45159 (comment), and the --no-build exe is the same size as the exe built without the --no-build option.

[marcpopMSFT]

This should release in 9.0.103 in February as it missed the cutoff for Jan.