# Gradle custom task type defined in buildSrc not accessible in subprojects for multi-project structure **URL:** \ **Category:** Help/Discuss\ **Created:** [October 5, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127 "2021-10-05T17:10:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/1 "2021-10-05T17:10:01Z")
I have a gradle multi-project hierarchy: root -buildSrc     -src/main/groovy/com/CustomTask.groovy -subproj1 -subproj1 -build.gradle -settings.gradle I am able to invoke custom task - `com.CustomTask` only from root `build.gradle` file but I get - `Unable to resolve class CustomTask` at line `import com.CustomTask` when called from `subproj1/build.gradle` ```gradle import com.CustomTask task customTask(type: CustomTask) { setModuleRoot(project.projectDir) } ``` Can anyone please suggest me how can I invoke a custom task defined under root level `buildSrc` from subproject’s `build.gradle` file? (I am on gradle 7.1.1 version) ---
**Author:** ![Vampire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/gradle/user_avatar/discuss.gradle.org/vampire/32/9082_2.png) [@Vampire](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/Vampire)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 9:04am UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/2 "2021-10-07T09:04:53Z")
It should work just fine, can you provide an [MCVE](https://stackoverflow.com/help/mcve)? ---
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 10:34am UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/3 "2021-10-07T10:34:56Z")
@Vampire posting here the outline: The groovy custom task is defined under : `root/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/com/CustomTask.groovy` > package com > > import org.gradle.api.DefaultTask > import org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskAction > > abstract class CustomTask extends DefaultTask { > > ``` > @TaskAction > void process() { > ... > } > > ``` > > void setModuleRoot(File f) { > … > } > > } Note, i just provided an empty `build.gradle` file under `/buildSrc` so these are only 2 files under `buildSrc` In root `build.gradle` ```gradle ... import com.CustomTask task customTask(type: CustomTask) { setModuleRoot(project.projectDir) } ... ``` Similarly under subproject’s `build.gradle` same as above. But running gradle builld fails for subproject’s build.gradle with - `Unable to resolve class CustomTask` at line `import com.CustomTask` and does not fail for root `build.gradle` ---
**Author:** ![Vampire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/gradle/user_avatar/discuss.gradle.org/vampire/32/9082_2.png) [@Vampire](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/Vampire)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 1:26pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/4 "2021-10-07T13:26:27Z")
As I said, it should work just fine, can you provide an [MCVE](https://stackoverflow.com/help/mcve)? Your outline especially misses on the `C` part. ---
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 2:41pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/5 "2021-10-07T14:41:53Z")
@Vampire attached the zip file - [gradle-proj-test.zip](https://discuss.gradle.org/uploads/short-url/gQdqkKxL3reComo2uvojLWhyusy.zip) (83.5 KB) for complete gradle multi-project / MCVE as you suggested. On running `gradle customTask` from root of project, can see this below error: > gradle-proj-test\subproj1\build.gradle’: 1: unable to resolve class com.CustomTask > @ line 1, column 1. > import com.CustomTask > ^ > 1 error If i comment this out, then the same code present in root `build.gradle` executes fine. Please let me know is there anything I am missing or doing it wrongly. Thanks for your time.! ---
**Author:** ![Vampire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/gradle/user_avatar/discuss.gradle.org/vampire/32/9082_2.png) [@Vampire](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/Vampire)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/6 "2021-10-07T14:48:33Z")
That is not a multi-project build, but a composite build. Those are three “independent” builds (and each should get its own settings script) that you combine as composite build using `includeBuild` in the settings script. Each of these projects is a potential multi-project build, if you use `include` in their settings script to add subprojects. In subprojects of a multi-project build you could use the classes from the builds `buildSrc` project, but not in “sub-builds”. You could instead not use `buildSrc` and instead an included build (that’s what I do always nowadays anyway) and includ that build into all of the three builds, or you can make it a multi-project build instead of a composite build. ---
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 2:55pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/7 "2021-10-07T14:55:50Z")
Ok sorry my bad.! I’m new to gradle world, and I want to acheive this without major changes, as the project i shared was just an dummy, the actual project is huge. So going with this composite build itself, so by “include build” you mean can I move the task definition to say - `customTask.gradle` under project root and then have this included in subproj’s/sub dir.s `build.gradle` thats what you mean ? ---
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/8 "2021-10-07T15:02:42Z")
@Vampire just tried with having another `customTask.gradle` with import and task defined as above, and in subproject/sub dir’s `build.gradle` did `apply from: '../customTask.gradle'` but it gives same error: > gradle-proj-test\customTask.gradle’. > startup failed: > script ‘C:\Users\XDSOUZA\Desktop\gradle-proj-test\customTask.gradle’: 1: unable to resolve class com.CustomTask > @ line 1, column 1. > import com.CustomTask > ^ 1 error ---
**Author:** ![Vampire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/gradle/user_avatar/discuss.gradle.org/vampire/32/9082_2.png) [@Vampire](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/Vampire)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/9 "2021-10-07T15:05:17Z")
No, that’s applying a script plugin, that I would do in almost no cases. I said instead having `buildSrc` you have another included build. So rename `buildSrc` to anything else like `build-logic`, give it a proper settings script and the do `includeBuild("path/to/build-logic")` in every build you need its classes, additionally you need to declare a buildscript dependency on it, unless it actually is a plugin you use from that project. ---
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:07am UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/10 "2021-10-08T10:07:56Z")
@Vampire Thanks for your suggestion and time, i am almost there with my final solution. As you suggested, i moved from `buildSrc` to a groovy project called `build-logic`, and added `includeBuild('../build-logic')` in subproject1’s `settings.gradle` and in subproject’s1 `build.gradle` added buildscript dependency as below: > buildscript { > dependencies { > classpath files(‘…/build-logic/build/libs/build-logic.jar’) > } > } And it’s working with only condition that project `build-logic` must be built first else libs won’t be generated. Can you please suggest how can I overcome this. I tried buildscript dependency as `project('../:build-logic')` but that didnt work - `project not found`. Basically need buildscript dependency for a project which is part of includeBuild and at one level above in file system. Can you please help me out in this. Hopefully the last problem for this discussion. Thanks.!! ---
**Author:** ![Vampire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/gradle/user_avatar/discuss.gradle.org/vampire/32/9082_2.png) [@Vampire](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/Vampire)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:48am UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/11 "2021-10-08T10:48:17Z")
You should never depend on a jar directly, as then of course no information about how it is built is available. Also, you cannot use `project(...)` notation, as that is for within a multi-project build not for depending on an included build in a composite build. You declare a dependency on the actual coordinates the project would get when you publish it, so something like `classpath 'yourgroup:build-logic'`. You can leave out the version as it is replaced by the included build anyway. ---
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 11:37am UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/12 "2021-10-08T11:37:55Z")
@Vampire yes that solved the build compilation, but strangely the actual custom task groovy code is not getting executed at runtime. > import com.CustomTask > task customTask(type: CustomTask) { > setModuleRoot(project.projectDir) > } If i run `gradle customTask` it shows executed successfully, but i dont see any logs in the custom task code logged, and mainly the custom task generates a file which isnt generated in out directory. Any idea? Sorry to bother you again and again, but your suggestions are being helpful. Thank you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Vampire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/gradle/user_avatar/discuss.gradle.org/vampire/32/9082_2.png) [@Vampire](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/Vampire)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 11:40am UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/13 "2021-10-08T11:40:57Z")
Can you provide a new MCVE? ---
**Author:** ![xaviersd77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9dc877/32.png) [@xaviersd77](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/xaviersd77)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 12:31pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/14 "2021-10-08T12:31:15Z")
Ok, i am able to run it from inside subproj1, but when running from root `gradle customTask` it fails. Attached - [gradle-proj-test.zip](https://discuss.gradle.org/uploads/short-url/rnwpjXsSJHf5StIt8HiNIBB9uSf.zip) (83.5 KB) I want it to run from root, so that this task gets executed for all subproj… other subproj’s will basically have empty task defined. ---
**Author:** ![Vampire](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/gradle/user_avatar/discuss.gradle.org/vampire/32/9082_2.png) [@Vampire](https://discuss.gradle.org/u/Vampire)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://discuss.gradle.org/t/gradle-custom-task-type-defined-in-buildsrc-not-accessible-in-subprojects-for-multi-project-structure/41127/15 "2021-10-08T13:09:45Z")
Also do `includeBuild 'build-logic'` in the root builds settings script and as first one, then it works.