An attempt to provide .NET Framework 4.x Developer Packs (SDKs) support for modern Visual Studio / MSBuild / etc.
- Various modes;
- Rollback support (changes can be easily undone at any time);
- Pure LF protected batch-script (.bat/.cmd) that does NOT require powershell or dotnet-cli;
- Portable and flexible solution;
- Internet connection is NOT needed for system mode;
- Lightweight and text-based, about ~11 KB + ~18 KB;
- Free and Open source https://github.com/3F/netfx4sdk
Based on hMSBuild.bat + GetNuTool
Copyright (c) 2021-2025 Denis Kuzmin <x-3F@outlook.com> github/3F
- Using GetNuTool:
gnt~netfx4sdk - Using hMSBuild:
hMSBuild-GetNuTool ~netfx4sdk - GitHub Releases: https://github.com/3F/netfx4sdk/releases/latest
For example: gnt~netfx4sdk & netfx4sdk -mode sys-or-pkg
Or build and use from source:
git clone https://github.com/3F/netfx4sdk.git src
cd src & build & cd bin\Release\raw\
netfx4sdk -helpNote: starting with 2.0, in addition to -rollback, you can also use -stub key to check the commands for all planned changes without actually affecting the file system.
netfx4sdk allows you to easily use the legacy (deprecated) SDK for modern toolsets and IDEs such as VS2022+ / MSBuild 17+ / and other tools without installing any other outdated versions of Visual Studio.
Because Microsoft officially dropped support of the Developer Pack (SDK) for .NET Framework 4.0. Now it can only be a Runtime version: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/visual-studio-sdks
Means you can't simply build anything along with pure VS2022 (e.g. VM image, clean VS2022 env)
MSB3644: The reference assemblies for .NETFramework,Version=v4.0 were not found. To resolve this, install the Developer Pack (SDK/Targeting Pack) for this framework version or retarget your application. You can (*no, you can't) download .NET Framework Developer Packs at https://aka.ms/msbuild/developerpacks
But netfx4sdk will try to eliminate this artificial limitation by a single command,
- Here's result using netfx4sdk 1.0 for the same clean VS2022 VM image above.
1.x
- .NET Framework 4.0
2.0+
- .NET Framework 2.0
- .NET Framework 3.5
- .NET Framework 4.0
- .NET Framework 4.5
- .NET Framework 4.5.1
- .NET Framework 4.5.2
- .NET Framework 4.6
- .NET Framework 4.6.1
- .NET Framework 4.6.2
- .NET Framework 4.7
- .NET Framework 4.7.1
- .NET Framework 4.7.2
- .NET Framework 4.8
- .NET Framework 4.8.1
Starting with 2.0, netfx4sdk.cmd now fully supports LF and uses this by default instead of CRLF.
It means .gitattributes control for CRLF in netfx4sdk.cmd is not necessary anymore in cases when core.autocrlf=input etc. See related: 3F/hMSBuild#2
Note: only hMSBuild.bat 2.5+ have the same protection. Full editions (hMSBuild.full.bat) even for 2.5+ are not protected due to incorrect shiftings in cmd processor when switching to LF.
-mode sys Hack using assemblies for Windows. Highly recommended because:
- [++] All modules are under Windows support.
- [+] It does not require internet connection (portable).
- [+] No decompression required (faster) compared to package mode.
- [-] This is behavior-based hack;
-mode pkg will try to apply remote package to the environment.
- [-] Officially dropped support since VS2022.
- [-] Requires internet connection to receive ~30 MB via GetNuTool.
- [-] Requires decompression of received data to 178 MB before use.
- [+] Well known official behavior.
-mode {value}
* system - (Recommended) Hack using assemblies for Windows.
* package - Apply remote package. Read [About modes] below.
* sys - Alias to 'system'.
* pkg - Alias to 'package'.
* system-or-package - Fallback to 'system'. Use 'package' if 'system' failed.
* package-or-system - Fallback to 'package'. Use 'system' if 'package' failed.
* sys-or-pkg - Alias to 'system-or-package'.
* pkg-or-sys - Alias to 'package-or-system'.
-tfm {version}
* 4.0 - Process for .NET Framework 4.0 (default)
* 2.0, 3.5, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8
* 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8.1
-force - Aggressive behavior when applying etc.
-rollback - Rollback applied modifications.
-global - To use the global toolset, like hMSBuild.
-no-mklink - Use direct copying instead of mklink (junction / symbolic).
-stub - Use a stub instead of actual processing.
-sdk-root - Custom path to the SDK root directory.
-no-acl - Do not copy ownership and ACL information when direct copying.
-pkg-version {arg} - Specific package version in pkg mode. Where {arg}:
* 1.0.3 ...
* latest - (keyword) To use latest version;
-debug - To show debug information.
-version - Display version of netfx4sdk.cmd.
-help - Display this help. Aliases: -help -h -?netfx4sdk -mode sys
netfx4sdk -rollback
netfx4sdk -debug -force -mode package
netfx4sdk -mode pkg -pkg-version 1.0.2
netfx4sdk -mode pkg -tfm 4.5
netfx4sdk -global -mode pkg -tfm 3.5 -no-mklink -force
call netfx4sdk -mode sys || call netfx4sdk -mode pkg
netfx4sdk -mode sys-or-pkg
netfx4sdk -mode pkg -tfm 3.5 -sdk-root "path\to" -no-mklink -no-aclnetfx4sdk.cmd is a pure batch script. Therefore, you can easily combine this even inside other batch scripts. Or invoke this externally, there's nothing special:
set sdk=netfx4sdk -mode package -force -global -no-mklink
call %sdk% -tfm 4.5.2 || (
echo Failed>&2
call %sdk% -tfm 4.5.1 || goto fallback
)More actual examples can be found in tests/ folder.
netfx4sdk releases are now accompanied by a .sha1 file in the official distribution; At the same time, commits from which releases are published are signed with the committer's verified signature (GPG).
Make sure you are using official, unmodified, safe versions.
Note: .sha1 file is a text list of published files with checksums in the format:
40-hexadecimal-digits <space> file
e9e533b0da8e5546eff821a40fbf7ca20ab9cf7e path\file
...
Since netfx4sdk.cmd relies on the hMSBuild and GetNuTool, you can validate it like:
hMSBuild -GetNuTool ~& svc.gnt -sha1-cmp netfx4sdk.cmd sha1 -package-as-path
or
gnt ~& svc.gnt -sha1-cmp netfx4sdk.cmd sha1 -package-as-path
Where sha1 is the checksum from the official distribution.
Or, the official package (gnt +netfx4sdk) provides validate.hMSBuild.bat; this is wrapper of the command above.
How safe is it?
netfx4sdk is waiting for your awesome contributions!