Modify files after deployment package is created

Question

I'm in the process of creating a web deployment package through an automatic build trigger on the server. The package should take care of everything (including creation of a specific website, apppool, and the latest code) on any server desired.

I extracted manually a deploy package from a configured local IIS site, containing all information needed by MsDeploy to create the site, apppool, etc... They are present in following files

archive.xml
parameters.xml
systeminfo.xml

The idea is now that I would create automatic a deploy package on the build server, that contains the new compiled code, but with the above xml files in the .zip package.

Right now, I'm building the application, after which I execute a PowerShell script that will manually overwrite the files in the .zip with the ones I have.

However, I know you can extend the Target file (with a .wpp.targets file in your project) to plug into the pipeline and modify things along the way. Unfortunately I'm getting a little lost with the information I found.

I'd like to:

1) configure the creation of the deployment package to use my existing .xml files.

2) if that's not possible, overwrite the files with my own files after the package creation.

My goal is to have a full executable deploy package after the build is finished, so I won't need to PowerShell script anymore.

Any information that will point me closer to a solution or helps me to understand more clearly msbuild targets and/or webdeploy is very appreciated.

Ronald Ronald · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-01T07:53:15

I managed doing this by extending the Package MsBuild target.

Adding a .wpp.targets file in the root of the web project with following content.

<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <Import Project="..\packages\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.4.0\MSBuild.ExtensionPack.tasks"/>

  <PropertyGroup>
    <DeployFilesDirectory>$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\Deploy\</DeployFilesDirectory>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OnAfterPackageUsingManifest>
      $(OnAfterPackageUsingManifest);
      CopyDeployFiles;
      ReplaceSetParametersFile;
      <!--ZipDeploymentFiles;-->
    </OnAfterPackageUsingManifest>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <Target Name="CopyDeployFiles">
    <Message Text="Copy Deploy Files"></Message>

    <ItemGroup>
      <Files Include="$(DeployFilesDirectory)*.xml" Exclude="$(DeployFilesDirectory)setParameters.xml"></Files>
    </ItemGroup>

    <MSBuild.ExtensionPack.Compression.Zip TaskAction="AddFiles"
                                           CompressFiles="@(Files)"
                                           ZipFileName="$(PackageFileName)"
                                           RemoveRoot="$(DeployFilesDirectory)"/>
  </Target>

  <Target Name="ReplaceSetParametersFile" DependsOnTargets="GenerateSampleDeployScript">
    <Message Text="Replace Default SetParameters File"></Message>
    <Copy DestinationFiles="$(GenerateSampleParametersValueLocationDefault)"
          SourceFiles="$(DeployFilesDirectory)setParameters.xml"></Copy>
  </Target>

</Project>

The first target is executed after MsDeploy has created the package and will replace the .xml files within the .zip file. I'm using the MsBuild.ExtensionPack Zip support.

The second target is executed after the build has created the sample .cmd and setParameters files and will overwrite the setParameters.xml with my own as well.

It takes a while to understand the concepts of MsBuild targets etc, but once you understand it becomes indeed very powerful.

Creating the package is now as simple as just launching the MsBuild

msbuild "D:\Projects\MyWebProject.csproj" /T:Package /P:Configuration=Release;Platform="AnyCPU";PackageLocation="D:\DeployPackage\package.zip";PublishProfile=MyProfile

And deploying is the same as before

package.deploy.cmd /Y –setParamFile :myParameterFile.xml

Modify files after deployment package is created

2 Answers