Running .NET 3.5 CF builds under Docker for Windows

.gitlab-ci.yml

# this is the GitLab-CI file for building the image
variables:
  CURRENT_IMAGE_TAG: rfid-applied/netcf35_build_environment:dev

stages:
  - dockerize

dockerize:
  stage: dockerize
  script:
   - docker build -t %CURRENT_IMAGE_TAG% .
   - docker push %CURRENT_IMAGE_TAG%
   - docker rmi %CURRENT_IMAGE_TAG%    
  tags:
    - my-windows-containers-machine

Dockerfile

FROM microsoft/dotnet-framework-build:3.5

# .NET Compact Framework 3.5 Redistributable:
# https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=65
RUN powershell Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://download.microsoft.com/download/c/b/e/cbe1c611-7f2f-4bcf-921d-2df718591e1e/NETCFSetupv35.msi" -Out netfx35cf.msi
# we HAVE to install it like this, otherwise it won't wait for install
# to finish (UGH!)
RUN powershell "Start-Process -file "c:\netfx35cf.msi" -arg ' /qn /l*v c:\install_netfx35cf.txt' -passthru | wait-process"
RUN "cat c:\install_netfx35cf.txt"
RUN "del c:\*netfx35cf.*"

# Power Toys for .NET Compact Framework 3.5:
RUN powershell Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://download.microsoft.com/download/f/a/c/fac1342d-044d-4d88-ae97-d278ef697064/NETCFv35PowerToys.msi" -Out toys.msi
RUN powershell "Start-Process -file "c:\toys.msi" -arg ' /qn /l*v c:\install_toys.txt' -passthru | wait-process"
RUN "cat c:\install_toys.txt"
RUN "del c:\*toys.*"

# NuGet
ADD "https://dist.nuget.org/win-x86-commandline/latest/nuget.exe" "c:\nuget.exe"

The following gave me an exception, "Invoke-WebRequest is not recognized ...".

RUN Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://download.microsoft.com/download/c/b/e/cbe1c611-7f2f-4bcf-921d-2df718591e1e/NETCFSetupv35.msi" -Out netfx35cf.msi`

But it works fine like:

RUN powershell Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://download.microsoft.com/download/c/b/e/cbe1c611-7f2f-4bcf-921d-2df718591e1e/NETCFSetupv35.msi" -Out netfx35cf.msi

The same applies for the Start-Process commands.

Thank you @objt-ba, fixed it. It worked for me as-is, but that was more than a year ago.

It's a great script ! :) So, thank you !

After more testing, also found that the piping with wait-process also needs it.
So, I wrapped the entire thing in quotes, as follows:

RUN powershell "Start-Process -file 'c:\netfx35cf.msi' -arg ' /qn /l*v c:\install_netfx35cf.txt' -passthru | wait-process"
...
RUN powershell "Start-Process -file 'c:\toys.msi' -arg ' /qn /l*v c:\install_toys.txt' -passthru | wait-process"

But that's all.

Great, thank you for the input! Happy that you found it useful.