I want to create TFS build which after successfully build will copy source files to my server. My project is based on ASP.NET site, then it is not Web Application and I just want to copy files to my remote server.
I am using tfspreview version so I don't have full access to server.
I'm not sure about the limitations on tfspreview, but usually I would alter the template used in the build and add a CopyDirectory activity to move the directory holding the build solution to another location on the network.
The XAML is stored in source control, and you can create a new one by copying the existing XAML you are referencing and then using the Workflow editor in Visual Studio to add the activity and configure it.
Related
We are moving to TFS 2018 from 2012 and I'm working on migrating the builds. One of the builds has a few mtbwa:DownloadFiles activities in it but I don't see an equivalent way to do this in the new build system. We have a few utilities in a different branch that are used to build installers. So I need to download those utils before completing the build. How would I do this in the new build system?
If the files are in source control, then you can map the source directly in Get source step.
Then the files will be automatically downloaded to the $(build.sourcesDirectory) by deafult on the agent machine.
After that you can also add a Copy Files task to copy the files to any location as needed.
If the files are not in source control, you can also use the Copy Files task to copy them, but you need to make sure that the service account has the proper permission to access the source folder.
UPDATE:
If the team projects are in same collection, map sources in Get Sources step is also available. You need to manually specify the Server path (Click ... can only navigate to the root path of current team project).
e.g.:
In below screenshot I entered the server path $/2017ScrumProjectFromVS/WpfTest
This also works with the Copy Task, that means you can copy the files directly from another team project which in the same collection.
I am using TFS 2015 for creating builds of application. I am able to create build template for web application as web application have both .sln and .proj.
But for Websites, I only have .sln file and no .proj.
How can I create Build definition in TFS 2015 for website having only .sln file?
As #Cece said, the answer is yes, you can run the MSBuild on the server without a .csproj.
I am assuming that your project is not running on the final version of the .Net Framework. In your case I suggest you to make this change
https://stackoverflow.com/a/42493822/819153
Then you should copy all the files from the PrecompiledWeb folder, and there you should find your .sln
Sometimes there are vb/cs projects that I have seen that they do not come with a project file, csproj or vbproject. They run with the .NET Framework 2.0. For those, you can create a build definition just to compile the .sln, but when you deploy the application, you need to copy the entire PrecompiledWeb folder to the IIS folder on your server. Try to add the task that has the option copy and publish and put all the changes to your server.
Check the privilege of the folder where you want to put the files, and be sure that the agent that is running the builds on the TFS has access READ/WRITE access to the server folder.
In your case, please check the .sln file, inside of it you should have a TargetPath, by default is PrecompiledWeb, but sometimes when you run the msbuild on the tfs you end with an error saying that the PrecompiledWeb can't be on the same tree of your solution, what you need to do then is putting a level up of your solution folder
Debug.AspNetCompiler.TargetPath = "..\..\PrecompiledWeb\YourProject"
Then on your CopyTask you need to change the CopyRoot directory, if you made any transformation before your build step to the webconfig, those transformations will be reflected on the PrecomiledWeb\YourProject. All the files in that folder should be deployed to the server folder path.
Lets say that you have this structure in your Branch
Branch/MyProject, then after you compile the source code on the TFS, your precompiled folder will be stored at the same level of your project on the agents folder. Please see the picture below to get the idea how to copy the files from the PrecompiledWeb.
The answer is Yes. You can create a build definition for a WebSite project by specifying the .sln file.
When I started writing this question, my problem was that after a successful VSTS Build, I wasn't able to see the files relating to my web application project for release. Only the files from certain other projects in the solution were present. However, I just came across this question, which has helped.
I can now see the compiled .dll files for my web application project, after altering the configuration of the Content setting in the Build - that is, the contents of the Bin folder under that project. But I can't see anywhere the other files I need to copy the built web application to my server - the views, the scripts, the css, etc.
I'm finding the power and flexibility of VSTS's Build and Release functionality very confusing as it's complete overkill for our requirements. Up until now, I've just right-clicked on the web app project in Visual Studio selected Publish and used the File System publish method. Easy. Now that I want to automate the building and deploying of the application, it's many times more complicated!
So, can anybody tell me how I can get the solution to build in VSTS in such a way that I can then use a Copy Files task in the Release Definition to copy the files to our web server (the server isn't visible to the Internet so I'm using a locally-hosted Agent)?
In vNext build, to publish your build artifacts with the Copy files or Publish build artifacts steps. Try to use the local path on the agent where any artifacts are copied to before being pushed to their destination. For example：
Add /p:DeployOnBuild=true
/p:OutDir="$(build.artifactstagingdirectory)\" arguments in Visual
Studio Build step；
Change "Path to Publish" of Publish Build Artifacts task to
$(build.artifactstagingdirectory)\_PublishedWebsites\ProjectName:
Details please check the screenshot of build step with this question: How do I get the the expected output from a TFS 2015 build (to match my XAML build)?
Base on your comments, you have published the web app from Visual Studio. Usually, this action will generate a publish profile under Project/Properties/PublishProfiles folder. The settings you used to publish the web app is stored in the profile. So you just need to make sure this publish profile is checked into source control. And then in the TFS build, add following MSBuild arguments:
/p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:PublishProfile="publishprofile.pubxml"
I need to publish a specific folder in my project to my web site using tfs builds. I know tfs copies to a drop folder but I also need it to publish to my web server when I queue a new build. Is there anyway I can do this? I currently have web deploy installed on my server and I have tested it and know it works. Would these be some type of build definition? I can only find sample definitions that copy to a UNC path.
I try to build a website app. using TFS 2010 automatic builds with a custom build definition template. The build fails when tries to copy the dll references to the Bin folder:
\Lib\AjaxControlToolkit.Binary.NET4\AjaxControlToolkit.dll" to "..\Portal\Portal.Web\Bin\AjaxControlToolkit.dll". Access to the path '..\Portal\Portal.Web\Bin\AjaxControlToolkit.dll' is denied.
The application is a website and not a web application. In the LIB folder I keep all 3rd party dlls used by the website(such as the ajaxcontroltoolkit) Also both Lib and Bin folders are added to the source control.
The problem that the folder structure you made to and stored in the TFS not correct, because the bin folder should not be stored on the TFS, and the third party libraries should stored in a shared binaries folder, so you will need to adjust your folder structure in the TFS and in your local.
For more information see this link:
P&P TFS Guide