Azure Devops : Build a winforms project and copy release files to Azure blob storage

Question

I want to set up CI CD for a winforms project Dot Net Framework 4.5.2 to build the project and then copy the release files to an Azure blob.

When I create a new build pipeline and select my Azure Repo the following YAML is created

# .NET Desktop
# Build and run tests for .NET Desktop or Windows classic desktop solutions.
# Add steps that publish symbols, save build artifacts, and more:
# https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/apps/windows/dot-net

trigger:
- master

pool:
  vmImage: 'VS2017-Win2016'

variables:
  solution: '**/*.sln'
  buildPlatform: 'Any CPU'
  buildConfiguration: 'Release'

steps:
- task: NuGetToolInstaller@0

- task: NuGetCommand@2
  displayName: 'NuGet restore'
  inputs:
    restoreSolution: '**\*.sln'

    feedsToUse: config

    nugetConfigPath: 'NuGet.config'

- task: VSBuild@1
  inputs:
    solution: '$(solution)'
    platform: '$(buildPlatform)'
    configuration: '$(buildConfiguration)'

The pipeline builds successfully

However I am having trouble setting up the Release pipeline to copy the release files to Azure blob storage.

I created a new release pipeline with an Empty Job. Then I added an Azure File Copy Task

What do I put as the source ? When I click the elipse I see I can select a myapp (Build) folder from within a Linked artifacts folder.

I was able to set up the storage and container names , but left the Blob Prefix blank.

When I run the Agent job I get an error on AzureBlob File Copy

(edited)

 ##[section]Starting: AzureBlob File Copy
 ==============================================================================
 Task         : Azure File Copy
 Description  : Copy files to Azure blob or VM(s)
 Version      : 2.1.3
 Author       : Microsoft Corporation
 Help         : [More Information](https://aka.ms/azurefilecopyreadme)
 ==============================================================================
 ##[command]Import-Module -Name C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\AzureRM\2.1.0\AzureRM.psd1 -Global
 ##[warning]The names of some imported commands from the module 'AzureRM.Websites' include unapproved verbs that might make them less discoverable. To find the commands with unapproved verbs, run the Import-Module command again with the Verbose parameter. For a list of approved verbs, type Get-Verb.
 ##[command]Import-Module -Name C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\AzureRM.Profile\2.1.0\AzureRM.Profile.psm1 -Global
 ##[command]Add-AzureRMAccount -ServicePrincipal -Tenant *** -Credential System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -EnvironmentName AzureCloud @processScope
 ##[command] Select-AzureRMSubscription -SubscriptionId blahblah -TenantId ***
 Uploading files from source path: 'd:\a\r1\a\_Viv2' to storage account: 'viv' in container: 'viv2' with blob prefix: ''
 ##[command] & "AzCopy\AzCopy.exe" /Source:"d:\a\r1\a\_Viv2" /Dest:"https://vivapps.blob.core.windows.net/viv2" /@:"d:\a\_temp\n40zblahblah" /XO /Y /SetContentType /Z:"AzCopy" /V:"AzCopy\AzCopyVerbose_20blahblah.log" /S
 [2019/02/13 01:26:46][ERROR] Error parsing source location "d:\a\r1\a\_Viv2": Failed to enumerate directory d:\a\r1\a\_Viv2\ with file pattern *. The system cannot find the path specified. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070003) For more details, please type "AzCopy /?:Source" or use verbose option /V.
 ##[error]Upload to container: 'vivj2' in storage account: 'vivapps' with blob prefix: '' failed with error: 'AzCopy.exe exited with non-zero exit code while uploading files to blob storage.' For more info please refer to https://aka.ms/azurefilecopyreadme
 ##[section]Finishing: AzureBlob File Copy

[Update] I think the issue must be to do with the Source

looking at the build logs I see path names like "D:\a\1\s\blahblah" I also see

creating bin\Release

but how do I figure out what I should be putting in the Source property ?

Trying

 $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/_Viv2/bin/Release

No joy.

Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070003 means the system cannot find the file specified.

[Update]

The default YAML created does not included a task to publish the build "Artifacts" (Not to be confused with the Project Artifacts )

I tried adding one

   - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1    
  displayName: 'Publish Artifact: drop'
  inputs:
  PathtoPublish: '$(build.artifactstagingdirectory)'
  artifactName: drop

but the task log says

##[warning]Directory 'D:\a\1\a' is empty. Nothing will be added to build artifact 'drop'

docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/tasks/deploy/… — Kirsten Greed
I wonder if the warning about The names of some imported commands has anything to do with it. — Kirsten Greed

Tom Sun - MSFT Tom Sun - MSFT · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-13T14:13:08

Please have a try to append the copy file and publish Build Artifacts task after VS build task in the build pipeline.

In the build pipeline:

...
- task: VSBuild@1
  inputs:
    solution: '$(solution)'
    platform: '$(buildPlatform)'
    configuration: '$(buildConfiguration)'

- task: CopyFiles@2
  displayName: 'Copy Files'
  inputs:
    SourceFolder: '$(build.sourcesdirectory)'
    TargetFolder: '$(build.artifactstagingdirectory)'

- task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
  displayName: 'Publish Artifact: drop'

In the release pipeline:

Azure copy file source should be

$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/{Source alias}/drop/xx/xxx/bin/Release

We could get source alias from this screenshot

After we build successfully then we could choose the source path.

It works correctly on my side, I check it from the release log and azure storage container

Azure Devops : Build a winforms project and copy release files to Azure blob storage

1 Answers