How do you include build outputs as additional files using web deploy (MSDEPLOY)?

Question

I have a web project that has a post-build event that produces some minified files. Assume for the moment that this needs to remain a post- build event, and cannot be changed into a pre-build event.

I have successfully used a .wpp.targets file to package additional files:

<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" ToolsVersion="4.0">
    <PropertyGroup>
        <SourceRoot>$(BuildDirectory)\Sources\Web</SourceRoot>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <ItemGroup>
        <FilesForPackagingFromProject Include="$(SourceRoot)\ExtraScripts\Normal.js">
            <DestinationRelativePath>Scripts\%(RecursiveDir)%(FileName)%(Extension)</DestinationRelativePath>
            <FromTarget>Web.wpp.targets</FromTarget>
        </FilesForPackagingFromProject>
    </ItemGroup>
</Project>

Unfortunately, this fails when I do the same thing for the files produced by the post-build step. This is because the CopyAllFilesToSingleFolderForMsdeploy target executes before the build. Even before the PrepareForBuild target.

Is there a way to add extra files and folders to the deploy package when they are produced during the build?

How are you triggering the deployment? If from the CLI, what flags are you using? — Richard Szalay
– Richard Szalay, Commented Apr 27, 2014 at 2:42

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:28:31Z

2

+50

There was a similar question before (Add Plugin DLL in MVC 4 Website after publish).

You can deploy files only if they have been a part of your project before.

What we usually do is that we include those files as dummy files in our project and overwrite them during the build process. Because those files are part of your project, this approach will publish those files.

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:28

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Feb 2, 2015 at 20:26

Stephen Reindl

5,8292 gold badges36 silver badges40 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How do you include build outputs as additional files using web deploy (MSDEPLOY)?

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related