Deploy BizTalk Schema Solution without redeploying dependent Solutions

Question

I have three solutions. One is a schema solution that only has a schema File in it, lets call it the SchemaSolution.

The SchemaSolution is referenced in my other two solutions because the Solution1 creates xml instances of the schema in the SchemaSolution and drops it as self-correlating in the message box.

This works magically but if I want to update one of the solutions where the SchemaSolution is referenced (deploy to BizTalk) I always have to delete the other solutions. This is horrible and I was not able to find a solution until now.

Is there a (no hacky) way? I thought about merging all Projects into one solution, but this is the worst case scenario I can imagine to achieve my goal.

How can I deploy a project that is referenced in different solutions without deleting and redeploying everything?

BizTalk 2013R2 in use

Answer 1

No this is not supported and not recommended to try and hack your way into this idea (definitely need to alter the BizTalk database, and this is not even allowed by Microsoft i think).

I can give you 3 options:

• Make the SchemaSolution as small as possible, like break it down into multiple schema solutions per process for instance, so the chances of you needing to change the solution will be smaller. Ideally, in this solution you would have 1 assembly/project per schema, so new schema's can be added without redeploy.
• Another option would be to duplicate your schema's into your projects, this is a design choice you could make, but would require some more work as you need to specify schema's in your pipelines (or else it doesn't know which one you mean), and you have double work with changing the same schema's in multiple projects. The downside is, the schema's are not the same to BizTalk so you can't use it in another project without reference.
• Your final option would be to get rid of the dependency of that schema completely, you can do this by creating your own internal/generic/cdm schema, which ideally would be more robust and less prone to changes. This schema would still be referenced by multiple projects, but since you're the one in charge of it, you can predict and mold it into your likings. Again, ideally, in this solution you would have 1 assembly/project per schema, so new schema's can be added without redeploy.

Answer 2

I have a very similar (if not the same) issue within a solution. I have a set of integration projects dependent on a simple schema project. If I deploy one integration project, I must deploy the schema project, which means I must deploy all integration projects!

In order to deploy them independently, I simply turned the redeploy flag from true to false within properties (in VS) of the schema project..

This allows me to redeploy as many other dependent projects as I like without having to delete or mess around. I can deploy a single integration project with no effect on the others. The only caveat, is when you redeploy, for some reason, VS flags the fact you have set redeploy to False on the schema project as an error and says that one of the projects was not deployed. Not a true error, more of a warning imo.

I have been doing this in BT2016, I would assume you can do the same in 2013