Sequencing project/solution build and cmd file executing in custom MSBuild file - visual-studio-2012

Question

I need to tie together a bunch of steps which include building solutions, projects and running .cmd files using a custom MSBuild file.
My first pass at this is below:
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<PropertyGroup>
<Configuration>Release</Configuration>
<Platform>AnyCPU</Platform>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="..\Hosts\solution1.sln"></ProjectsToBuild>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="..\..\solution2.sln"></ProjectsToBuild>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="helper1.csproj"></ProjectsToBuild>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="..\..\Sandboxes\helper2.sln"></ProjectsToBuild>
<Exec Include="" Command="CALL GetFiles.cmd"/>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="wix\proc\prod.wixproj"></ProjectsToBuild>
<Exec Command="CALL final.cmd"/>
</ItemGroup>
<Target Name="Build">
<MSBuild Projects="#(ProjectsToBuild)" Targets="Build">
<Output ItemName="ProjectOutputs" TaskParameter="TargetOutputs"/>
</MSBuild>
<Message Text="#ProjectOutputs"/>
</Target>
</Project>
This resulted in an error since the Exec element is in the wrong place.
Basically, I need to build solution1.sln, solution2.sln,helper1.csproj and helper2.sln (in sequence), then, run the file GetFiles.cmd, then build prod.wixproj followed by running the final.cmd file.
I have looked at MSDN (here, here, here), a blog, and browsed through various stackoverflow questions (including this, this, this, this), but none of them quite address what I am trying to do. This is the first time I have ever worked with MSBuild, so it is possible I may have missed something. Will appreciate any pointers...

Answer 1

Since an ItemGroup node can be a child of a Target node, break down those ItemGroup members into separate targets, then use the DefaultTargets attribute to control the sequence in which those are built.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project DefaultTargets="Target1;Target2;Target3" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" ToolsVersion="3.5" >
<Target Name="Target1">
<Message Text="Target 1" />
</Target>
<Target Name="Target2">
<Message Text="Target 2" />
</Target>
<Target Name="Target3">
<Message Text="Target 3" />
</Target>
</Project>

Answer 2

The build projects are already in the correct order see:
<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<PropertyGroup>
<Configuration>Release</Configuration>
<Platform>AnyCPU</Platform>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="..\Hosts\solution1.sln"></ProjectsToBuild>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="..\..\solution2.sln"></ProjectsToBuild>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="helper1.csproj"></ProjectsToBuild>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="..\..\Sandboxes\helper2.sln"></ProjectsToBuild>
<ProjectsToBuild Include="wix\proc\prod.wixproj"></ProjectsToBuild>
</ItemGroup>
<Target Name="Build">
<Exec Command="CALL GetFiles.cmd"/>
<Message Text="Build order: %(ProjectsToBuild.Identity)"/>
<MSBuild Projects="#(ProjectsToBuild)" Targets="Build">
<Output ItemName="ProjectOutputs" TaskParameter="TargetOutputs"/>
</MSBuild>
<Message Text="#(ProjectOutputs)"/>
<<Exec Command="CALL final.cmd"/>
</Target>
</Project>
At the start the order of the itemgroup is displayed:
Project "C:\Test\Testcode\build\testcode.msbuild" on node 1 (default targets).
Build:
Build order: ..\Hosts\solution1.sln
Build order: ....\solution2.sln
Build order: helper1.csproj
Build order: ....\Sandboxes\helper2.sln
Build order: wix\proc\prod.wixproj
All done.