-targets command-line option doesn't work with solution file

Description

Contributor guide

Tech stack

csharp

Domain

build systemcli

Issue type

bug

DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.

3

Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.

1-3 hours

Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.

active

ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.

clear

Prerequisites

C# knowledgeMSBuild internals

Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.

40

Research direction

Investigate how the targets command line option is processed. Look at the command line parsing code for solution files (e.g., in the MSBuild executable). The issue indicates that when a solution file is passed, the targets flag is ignored and the solution is built instead. Suggested files to examine include the main entry point that parses command line arguments and the logic that handles solution files. Recent comments may provide further guidance.