Server Error in '/' Application when publish to Azure - asp.net-mvc

Question

I have copied the source code from one of my previous NopCommerce websites, copied and renamed the database on Azure and updated the settings.txt file to point to the new database. The only other changes are to the css.
When I run the new site on localhost it works perfect without a hitch but, when i publish from VS to Azure and then browse to the URL i get an error - Server Error in '/' Application. For the life of me I cannot figure this one out and wondering if any one else has experienced this.
I'm using Nop 3.5
My intuition tells me there is something wrong with my connection string, however, why would is work on localhost but not when published?...
Below is the exception details and the stack trace
Thanks in advance for any help
Server Error in '/' Application.
The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.
Exception Details: System.ArgumentException: The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space.
Source Error:
The source code that generated this unhandled exception can only be shown when compiled in debug mode. To enable this, please follow one of the below steps, then request the URL:
Add a "Debug=true" directive at the top of the file that generated the error. Example:
or:
2) Add the following section to the configuration file of your application:
<configuration>
<system.web>
<compilation debug="true"/>
</system.web>
</configuration>
Note that this second technique will cause all files within a given application to be compiled in debug mode. The first technique will cause only that particular file to be compiled in debug mode.
Important: Running applications in debug mode does incur a memory/performance overhead. You should make sure that an application has debugging disabled before deploying into production scenario.
Stack Trace:
[ArgumentException: The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space.]
System.Data.Entity.Utilities.Check.NotEmpty(String value, String parameterName) +61
System.Data.Entity.DbContext..ctor(String nameOrConnectionString) +22
Nop.Web.Framework.<>c__DisplayClass15.<Register>b__9(IComponentContext c) +42
Autofac.<>c__DisplayClass10`1.<Register>b__f(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +10
Autofac.Builder.<>c__DisplayClass1`1.<ForDelegate>b__0(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +14
Autofac.Core.Activators.Delegate.DelegateActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +32
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.<>c__DisplayClass2.<CanSupplyValue>b__0() +31
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ConstructorParameterBinding.Instantiate() +94
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ReflectionActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +185
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.<>c__DisplayClass2.<CanSupplyValue>b__0() +31
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ConstructorParameterBinding.Instantiate() +94
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ReflectionActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +185
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.<>c__DisplayClass2.<CanSupplyValue>b__0() +31
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ConstructorParameterBinding.Instantiate() +94
Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ReflectionActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +185
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.TryResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters, Object& instance) +74
Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.ResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +54
Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.Resolve(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +118
Nop.Web.Framework.SettingsSource.<BuildRegistration>b__5(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +35
Autofac.Builder.<>c__DisplayClass1`1.<ForDelegate>b__0(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +14
Autofac.Core.Activators.Delegate.DelegateActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +32
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.Execute(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +44
[DependencyResolutionException: An exception was thrown while executing a resolve operation. See the InnerException for details. ---> The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space. (See inner exception for details.)]
Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.Execute(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +112
Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +108
Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.TryResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters, Object& instance) +74
Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.ResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +54
Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.Resolve(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +118
Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.Resolve(IComponentContext context) +46
Nop.Core.Infrastructure.DependencyManagement.ContainerManager.Resolve(String key, ILifetimeScope scope) +89
Nop.Core.Infrastructure.NopEngine.Resolve() +55
FoxNetSoft.Plugin.Misc.RFQ2.UpdateStartUpTask.Execute() +34
Nop.Core.Infrastructure.NopEngine.RunStartupTasks() +477
Nop.Core.Infrastructure.NopEngine.Initialize(NopConfig config) +36
Nop.Core.Infrastructure.EngineContext.Initialize(Boolean forceRecreate) +92
Nop.Web.MvcApplication.Application_Start() +30
[HttpException (0x80004005): An exception was thrown while executing a resolve operation. See the InnerException for details. ---> The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space. (See inner exception for details.)]
System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.EnsureAppStartCalledForIntegratedMode(HttpContext context, HttpApplication app) +9916673
System.Web.HttpApplication.RegisterEventSubscriptionsWithIIS(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context, MethodInfo[] handlers) +118
System.Web.HttpApplication.InitSpecial(HttpApplicationState state, MethodInfo[] handlers, IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +172
System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetSpecialApplicationInstance(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +336
System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.InitializeApplication(IntPtr appContext) +296
[HttpException (0x80004005): An exception was thrown while executing a resolve operation. See the InnerException for details. ---> The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space. (See inner exception for details.)]
System.Web.HttpRuntime.FirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +9930568
System.Web.HttpRuntime.EnsureFirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +101
System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) +254
Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:4.0.30319; ASP.NET Version:4.0.30319.36215
UPDATE
From the links in my comment I think I need to define the connection string in the below?? from NopObjectContext.cs
namespace Nop.Data
{
/// <summary>
/// Object context
/// </summary>
public class NopObjectContext : DbContext, IDbContext
{
#region Ctor
public NopObjectContext(string nameOrConnectionString)
: base(nameOrConnectionString)
{
//((IObjectContextAdapter) this).ObjectContext.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
}
}
}

Answer 1

In NopCommerce the connection string is set in a file called Settings.txt which is in your Presnetation\Nop.Web\App_Data folder. However it's not part of the solution so does not get deployed. You can either:
Manually publish that file.
Add the file to your Nop.Web project and deploy it.

Answer 2

Okay so here is what i found.
The statement of the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error if settings.txt is present in App_Data if 100% correct. The problem is the URL Azure provides http://yourwebsite.azurewebsites.net/ does not work, and its not until the custom domains are hooked up and used to navigate to the website that the site runs as expected.