How do I use Azure DevOps pipeline to build an ASP.NET web site?

Question

I am working with an older code and attempting to build an ASP.NET website (no .csproj files).

I've created an pipeline for ASP.NET added some tasks to my .yml:

# ASP.NET
# Build and test ASP.NET projects.
# Add steps that publish symbols, save build artifacts, deploy, and more:
# https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/apps/aspnet/build-aspnet-4

trigger:
- master

pool:
  vmImage: 'windows-latest'

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

steps:
- task: NuGetToolInstaller@1

- task: NuGetCommand@2
  inputs:
    restoreSolution: '$(solution)'

- task: VSBuild@1
  inputs:
    solution: '$(solution)'
    msbuildArgs: '/p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:WebPublishMethod=Package /p:PackageAsSingleFile=true /p:SkipInvalidConfigurations=true /p:PackageLocation="$(build.artifactStagingDirectory)"'
    platform: '$(buildPlatform)'
    configuration: '$(buildConfiguration)'

- task: VSTest@2
  inputs:
    platform: '$(buildPlatform)'
    configuration: '$(buildConfiguration)'

- task: PublishPipelineArtifact@1
  inputs:
    targetPath: '$(Pipeline.Workspace)'
    artifact: 'drop'
    publishLocation: 'pipeline'

However, when I run the pipeline, it fails on the VSBuild task:

The problem appears to be on line 18 where the -p ..\BOMViewer\ is specifying a directory that doesn't exist.

I may need to follow DJ Grossman's solution later: Can Azure DevOps Pipelines build an ASP.NET Web Site?

But for now, how can I specify -p \BOMViewer instead of the above?

*Update I changed solution to .publishproj from .sln in my YAML per @YashGupta suggestion. But VSBuild doesn't like the change:

Final

My .gitignore was ignoring the .publishproj file. Changed that and it worked like charm, per @YashGupta's answer below.

Not sure if this matters, but the official documentation of VSBuild@1 task shows that the path to .sln file should be specified with a backward slash: **\*.sln , and not with a forward slash: **/*.sln like you're using in your YAML. Link: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/tasks/build/… — Yash Gupta
– Yash Gupta, Commented Aug 15, 2021 at 7:06
@YashGupta thanks for looking at this. I changed that in my YAML, but it had no effect. — ben.kansas
– ben.kansas, Commented Aug 16, 2021 at 14:16
Maybe try building your website using MSBuild@1 task instead of VSBuild@1 task since VSBuild task is not liking those changes? Worth a shot. — Yash Gupta
– Yash Gupta, Commented Aug 17, 2021 at 5:22
@YashGupta,I tried using MSBuild@1, but I didn't get any different results. — ben.kansas
– ben.kansas, Commented Aug 17, 2021 at 16:43
@YashGupta since it is a website, do I need to create a publish profile in the solution itself for a web deploy or a web deploy package (eventually this will be deployed to an on-prem IIS)? — ben.kansas
– ben.kansas, Commented Aug 17, 2021 at 16:46

Yash Gupta · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-16 16:15:48Z

3

As per my understanding, for an ASP.NET Website you should be using website.publishproj file instead of the .sln file to build it. Because Website projects are actually published, and not built (and that's why the .publishproj files in this case work similar to .csproj files).

Try modifying the value of your $solution variable to **\*.publishproj instead of **\*.sln.

edited Aug 16, 2021 at 16:15

answered Aug 14, 2021 at 8:05

Yash Gupta

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1 Comment

krr Over a year ago

could you please help me to specify the path of zip(of build generated by artifact) to feed into an azure web app.

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