HowTo: Web.config Transformations with MSBuild

6Dec Code Inside Team HowTo No comments

With Asp.NET 4.0 a new feature named “Web.config Transformations“ was released. During my latest MSBuild Posts I showed you how to for example build a solution with pure MSBuild. Usually the web.config isn´t triggered and the WebApp works in debug Mod (worst case!). Because of this we need to trigger it manual in MSBuild.

How the output looks like till now

Take a look on this post to find out how to create a _PublishedWebsites folder where the WebApp. could be founded. But here you will find the Transformation-files too:

The main problem: The transformation of the mainly web.config doesn´t happen – the application runs with debug:

    <compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.0">

and then the call will look like this:

	<TransformXml Source="Web.config"
				  Transform="Web.Release.config"
				  Destination="Web.transformed.config" />

BUT: that sucks! Am I right?

In the end I want the transformed file with the name “web.config”. the problem: TransformXml is buggy. During the build the task locked these 3 files. Anyway: We don´t want to change our web.config file in our solution. Because of this we need to create a copy of our sources and change them.

Scheme:

CopySource:

We copy our whole sources to another place for example one folder back in our own directory. I named it “ClientTemp”.

BeforeCompile:

Here in the BeforeCompile targets, which are located in Clienttemp, I´m able to do some changes like for example changing the AssemblyVersion while opening. At this place I´m used to open the TransformXml Task as well:

	<TransformXml Source="..\MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.config"
				  Transform="..\MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.$(Configuration).config"
				  Destination="$(BuildDirFullName)MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.config" />

Source&Transform are from the original branch and because of this we don´t need to take care of the lock.

Just the destination could be founded in our “cloned” folder. After this the “web.config” is transformed.

Build:

Here the mainly building process begins. The standard behavior is going to build the solution and pass the WebApp into the _PublishedWebsites OutDir.

—

Some other actions are able to follow. I´m going to delete the unused transformation files from the OutDir. (web.release.config / web.debug.config).

Result

It becomes a little bit trickier but the structure has her advantages as well. With this I´m able to work on my code during the building process (and before the compile) without changing the Source Code. It reminds me ( a little, little bit of the functionality of TFS.

Complete buildscript:

<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" DefaultTargets="Run">
<Import Project="$(MSBuildStartupDirectory)\Lib\MSBuild.Community.Tasks.Targets"/>
<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v10.0\WebApplications\Microsoft.WebApplication.targets" />
   <PropertyGroup>
	<!-- After Compile: Result will be saved in OutDir -->
		<OutDir>$(MSBuildStartupDirectory)\..\..\ClientTemp\OutDir\</OutDir>

	<!-- Name of the BuildDir with the whole source code before the compile begins -->
		<BuildDirName>BuildDir</BuildDirName>

	<!-- Relativ part of the BuildDir -->
	<BuildDirRelativePart>..\..\ClientTemp\$(BuildDirName)</BuildDirRelativePart>

	<!-- Absolute part of the BuildDir-->
	<BuildDirFullName>$(MSBuildStartupDirectory)\$(BuildDirRelativePart)\</BuildDirFullName>

	<!-- Configuration -->
	<Configuration>Release</Configuration>

	<!-- Solutionproperties-->
		<SolutionProperties>
			OutDir=$(OutDir);
			Platform=Any CPU;
			Configuration=$(Configuration)
		</SolutionProperties>
   </PropertyGroup>
	<ItemGroup>
		<Solution Include="$(BuildDirFullName)MsBuildSample.sln">
			<Properties>
				$(SolutionProperties)
			</Properties>
		</Solution>
	</ItemGroup>
	<Target Name="Run">
	<Message Text="Run called." />

	<CallTarget Targets="CopyToBuildDir" />
	<CallTarget Targets="BeforeBuild" />
	<CallTarget Targets="Build" />
	<CallTarget Targets="Cleanup" />
	<CallTarget Targets="Zip" />
  </Target>
  <Target Name="CopyToBuildDir">
	<Message Text="CopyToBuildDir called." />
	<Exec Command="robocopy .. $(BuildDirRelativePart) /s /z /purge /a-:r" ContinueOnError="true" />
  </Target>
	<Target Name="BeforeBuild">
	<Message Text="BeforeBuild called." />

	<Message Text="Transform Xml" />
	<TransformXml Source="..\MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.config"
									Transform="..\MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.$(Configuration).config"
									Destination="$(BuildDirFullName)MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.config" />
  </Target>

  <Target Name="Build">
	<Message Text="Build called." />
	<MSBuild Projects="@(Solution)"/>
	</Target>

	<Target Name="Cleanup">
		<Delete Files="$(OutDir)_PublishedWebsites\MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.Release.config" />
		<Delete Files="$(OutDir)_PublishedWebsites\MsBuildSample.WebApp\Web.Debug.config" />

	</Target>
  <ItemGroup>
	<ZipFiles Include="$(OutDir)_PublishedWebsites\**\*.*" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <Target Name="Zip">
	<Zip Files="@(ZipFiles)"
			 WorkingDirectory="$(OutDir)_PublishedWebsites\"
			 ZipFileName="$(OutDir)Package.zip"/>
  </Target>
</Project>

Democode:

In my demosolution I work with some help variables of MSBuild – don´t be scared

If you open the Samplecode:

D:\Samples\MsBuildSample ablegt findet Ihr das “BuildVerzeichnis” in D:\Samples\ClientTemp

[Download Democode]

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