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.NET Forum / ASP.NET / General / February 2008Publishing my Web Site
Okay, looks like VS 2008 finally includes an automated feature to precompile my site before publishing. Cool. However, when I run this dialog box and click OK, it then complains that access is denied by my database file (in the App_Data folder). And everything appears to end there with no additional information. (I don't see that the database is in use other than it is attached to SQL Server 2005.) My database file should *not* be transferred to the site. The data has already been copied via an involved process. But I seem to be given no options regarding which files should not be transferred and the entire process just stops if a file that cannot be copied is encountered. Is there some trick to making this work? Thanks.  SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com > Okay, looks like VS 2008 finally includes an automated feature to > precompile my site before publishing. Cool. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Thanks. SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net > Is there some trick to making this work? http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2007/12/01/web-deployment-projects-wdp -for-visual-studio-2008-december-2007-ctp-released.aspx SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net I'm not really clear on what that is but it is something quite different from the Build|Publish Website command. SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com >> Is there some trick to making this work? > > http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2007/12/01/web-deployment-projects-wdp -for-visual-studio-2008-december-2007-ctp-released.aspx >>> Is there some trick to making this work? >> >> http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2007/12/01/web-deployment-projects-wdp -for-visual-studio-2008-december-2007-ctp-released.aspx > > I'm not really clear on what that is but it is something quite different > from the Build|Publish Website command. Yes, that's exactly what it is - an add-in to Visual Studio.NET designed specifically to simplify the precise task with which you're currently having difficulty... SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net Sorry for the long delay. (I've been very busy.) I still say it looks like something else but I will look into it further when I get a chance to better explore what you are saying. Thanks. SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com >>>> Is there some trick to making this work? >>> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > specifically to simplify the precise task with which you're currently > having difficulty... >>> I'm not really clear on what that is but it is something quite different >>> from the Build|Publish Website command. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > I still say it looks like something else Web Deployment Projects is exactly what its name suggests - what do you think it looks like...? SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net >>>> I'm not really clear on what that is but it is something quite >>>> different from the Build|Publish Website command. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Web Deployment Projects is exactly what its name suggests - what do you > think it looks like...? Is there a differense between publishing the page to a local folder and then using another program to upload the page to the server or publishing the page direct to the server. Imagine you have a database with several hundred of megabites or several Giga Bytes. Then you might want to do it in the backgroud using WSFTP Pro for example which handled interupted FTP and FTPS connction very nicely. As I've seen when you add a MasterPageFile to a document it adds "~/" to the file name. I always remove this and use relative linking to the Master File. After all I might want to add the page tu subdirectory to the homepage. For example www.mysite.com/site2/ Is there a reason why VS 2008 adds "~/" to the page. On a linux server "~/" means the users home directory. Renerally /home/username. What does it mean if you use IIS? Lars Well, as I thought I mentioned, it seems to be missing a bunch of stuff to publish the site. For starters, there doesn't appear to be any place to enter my FTP username and password. Second, there doesn't appear to be any place to specify which files should be copied, etc. Am I the only one who needs a different web.config file on my site from the one on my development machine? I seriously doubt it but MS seems to assume I am. When I attempt to run this command, I get an error that access is denied with my database file. That is expected since it is attached to SQL Server. But this feature doesn't seem to allow me to do anything about it. I guess I just assumed a web deployment tool would allow me to specify login information and specify which files need to be transferred. Did I miss something? SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com >>>> I'm not really clear on what that is but it is something quite >>>> different from the Build|Publish Website command. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Web Deployment Projects is exactly what its name suggests - what do you > think it looks like...? > Am I the only one who needs a different web.config file on my site from > the one on my development machine? I seriously doubt it but MS seems to > assume I am. I guess you haven't had time to read the documentation yet, so... 1) Right-click your web deployment project 2) Select the build for which you want different web.config sections (usually the Release build) 3) Click Deployment 4) Check the checkbox entitled "Enable Web.config file section replacement" 5) Click the [examples] hyperlink for some examples SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net Mark, >> Am I the only one who needs a different web.config file on my site from >> the one on my development machine? I seriously doubt it but MS seems to >> assume I am. > > I guess you haven't had time to read the documentation yet, so... Huh? I've read boatloads of documentation and have stacks of books I'm still reading. If you mean that I haven't had time to read all the documentation ever written, then you'd be correct. > 1) Right-click your web deployment project I don't know what this means. I have an ASP.NET project. I want an easy way to place it on my Web server, preferrably precompiled. So I don't have a "web deployment project." > 2) Select the build for which you want different web.config sections > (usually the Release build) [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > 5) Click the [examples] hyperlink for some examples Right now, my project is working on the Web. But a better way to publish it would be nice. Clearly, there is some functionality here I guess I need to look into. But if I need to learn a whole different project type in order to accomplish that, then it's going to have to wait for some other things I have to learn. Thanks. SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com >> 1) Right-click your web deployment project > > I don't know what this means. I have an ASP.NET project. I want an easy > way to place it on my Web server, preferrably precompiled. So I don't have > a "web deployment project." At the risk of repeating myself, Web Deployment Projects are a *separate add-in* to Visual Studio.NET... The purpose of this separate add-in is to make the whole business of deploying web projects much easier. One of the many functions which it supports is the ability to have different web.config settings for development, testing, production, etc... Being a separate add-in, if you want to use it you have to download it and install it: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/01/28/vs-2008-web-deployment-project -support-released.aspx There's also an older version for Visual Studio.NET 2005... See also: http://blogs.iis.net/msdeploy/archive/2008/01/22/welcome-to-the-web-deployment-t eam-blog.aspx SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net Mark, >> I don't know what this means. I have an ASP.NET project. I want an easy >> way to place it on my Web server, preferrably precompiled. So I don't [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > install it: > http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/01/28/vs-2008-web-deployment-project -support-released.aspx I will definitely look into this, but this is still a little confusing. We were discussing the Build|Publish Web Site command. I have that command now. But now you're saying this is an add-in that I must download. If I have the command we were discussing, but need to download this "separate add-in", does that not mean that these are two different things? Thanks. SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com > We were discussing the Build|Publish Web Site command. That's right - the command that was causing you difficulty... I was merely suggesting that you download and install an add-in to Visual Studio.NET (written by the same people who write Visual Studio.NET) which would have solved all your problems for you... > But now you're saying this is an add-in that I must download. You don't have to download anything if you don't want to... SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net Mark, >> We were discussing the Build|Publish Web Site command. > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > You don't have to download anything if you don't want to... I'm sorry that I have been unable to find the words that correctly convey the point that's causing confusion. Earlier in this thread, you were telling me about using this command to copy my project to my server. I responded that the command in question did not appear to have the functionality that I was asking for. It seems you responded by insisting it had exactly that functionality. When I went into more detail about why it didn't seem to do what I needed, you responded with some information that included that I must download an add-in. I understand that I do not have to download anything if I don't want to. And I've already indicated I will research the link just as soon as I get a moment. What I don't get is what part I missed between you telling me what a particular command did, and you telling me that I need to download an add-in to use the functionality being discussed. SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com > Well, as I thought I mentioned, it seems to be missing a bunch of stuff to > publish the site. > > For starters, there doesn't appear to be any place to enter my FTP > username and password. Second, there doesn't appear to be any place to > specify which files should be copied, etc. How many files do you want to exclude? Just the DB and web.config? Here's what I do: 1. Publish to a local folder. 2. Remove/modify files as needed (try to minimize this, of course). 3. Zip the entire folder. 4. FTP zip file to "sandbox" site. 5. Unzip the file on the server (hopefully your web host gives this ability) 6. Test 7. Copy the exact same zip file to production site. 8. Unzip the file on your production site. > Am I the only one who needs a different web.config file on my site from > the one on my development machine? I seriously doubt it but MS seems to > assume I am. What, specifically, is different? For me, it's only connection strings, which I modify manually after the "publish" to a local folder. > When I attempt to run this command, I get an error that access is denied > with my database file. That is expected since it is attached to SQL > Server. But this feature doesn't seem to allow me to do anything about it. Hmmm, I assume you mean the ".mdf" file? If so, why is it located inside your web site? I'd say put it somewhere else. > Here's what I do: That's precisely what I used to do too - until the Visual Studio.NET team released the Web Deployment Projects add-in... SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net >> Here's what I do: > > That's precisely what I used to do too - until the Visual Studio.NET team > released the Web Deployment Projects add-in... Your link is open in another window. I'll check it out. Thanks. Scott, >> For starters, there doesn't appear to be any place to enter my FTP >> username and password. Second, there doesn't appear to be any place to >> specify which files should be copied, etc. > > How many files do you want to exclude? Just the DB and web.config? I also have a folder that I keep my notes and some working graphics files. > Here's what I do: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > 7. Copy the exact same zip file to production site. > 8. Unzip the file on your production site. I'm not sure if I have the ability to unzip a file on my host server. I'll check it out though. >> Am I the only one who needs a different web.config file on my site from >> the one on my development machine? I seriously doubt it but MS seems to >> assume I am. > > What, specifically, is different? For me, it's only connection strings, > which I modify manually after the "publish" to a local folder. There's a few things (some error settings, for example). Does this mean you have to recreate the settings after every time you publish your site? >> When I attempt to run this command, I get an error that access is denied >> with my database file. That is expected since it is attached to SQL [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Hmmm, I assume you mean the ".mdf" file? If so, why is it located inside > your web site? I'd say put it somewhere else. It's been a long road getting the darn thing to work. The next one won't be in a subfolder like that. I may move it sometime. Thanks. SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com >> How many files do you want to exclude? Just the DB and web.config? > > I also have a folder that I keep my notes and some working graphics files. Gotcha. Just delete the folder after the "local publish". >>> Am I the only one who needs a different web.config file on my site from >>> the one on my development machine? I seriously doubt it but MS seems to [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > There's a few things (some error settings, for example). Does this mean > you have to recreate the settings after every time you publish your site? Well, yes and no. I tend to not change my web.config very often so many times I simply exclude it from the zip file that I upload to the web host. Since I don't delete existing files first, the new files simply overwrite the existing ones and the existing web.config remains in-tact. On bigger changes (where you *do* want to delete existing files) or if you have added settings to your web.config then yes, you have to modify web.config after the "local publish". If all of this "modify after you publish locally" stuff is too cumbersome, you might consider the add-in recommended by Mark. It appears to have been developed specifically to address the short-comings of the built-in "publish" command. Scott, > If all of this "modify after you publish locally" stuff is too cumbersome, > you might consider the add-in recommended by Mark. It appears to have been > developed specifically to address the short-comings of the built-in > "publish" command. Yes, it is sounding a little cumbersome, and I will check out that add-in as soon as I get a moment. Personally, I find web.config far too unwieldy to be having to mess around with it and/or having to remember not to overwrite it everytime I was to update my site (which is frequently at this time). Thanks. SignatureJonathan Wood SoftCircuits Programming http://www.softcircuits.com > If all of this "modify after you publish locally" stuff is too cumbersome, > you might consider the add-in recommended by Mark. It appears to have been > developed specifically to address the short-comings of the built-in > "publish" command. Correct - that is precisely why it was developed... Once you have added a Web Deployment Project to your solution and configured it the way you want it, it really is just a matter of right-clicking it and selecting "Rebuild"... No zipping / unzipping anything, no deleting extraneous files, no manually modifying (or excluding) web.config - all of that is done for you automatically... SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net I've been experimenting with the Web Deployment Project. I set it to output the Release-configured build to a local file folder. Then I still have to copy those files to the web host. Do you let the Web Deployment Project target the web host directly? I think I saw some notes to the effect that the VS 2008 version of the WDP will not output any files if the build fails. It would certainly be more convenient to build and deploy in one step if that's reliable. Also, can WDP deploy via FTP? One other question about the WDP. I got the web.config replacement working now. The only thing I haven't been able to do is remove the extra config files from the build output. At the end of the WDP project file I added the following, which I thought would delete the extra files, but it's not working. No errors, but not working. Any suggestions? <Target Name="AfterBuild"> <Delete Files="$(OutputPath)\*.Debug.config" /> <Delete Files="$(OutputPath)\*.Release.config" /> </Target> >> If all of this "modify after you publish locally" stuff is too >> cumbersome, you might consider the add-in recommended by Mark. It appears [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > anything, no deleting extraneous files, no manually modifying (or > excluding) web.config - all of that is done for you automatically... > Do you let the Web Deployment Project target the web host directly? Indirectly - see below... > I think I saw some notes to the effect that the VS 2008 version of the WDP > will not output any files if the build fails. That's correct. > It would certainly be more convenient to build and deploy in one step if > that's reliable. Also, can WDP deploy via FTP? See the "More Deployment Features" here: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/01/28/vs-2008-web-deployment-project -support-released.aspx > One other question about the WDP. I got the web.config replacement working > now. The only thing I haven't been able to do is remove the extra config [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > <Delete Files="$(OutputPath)\*.Release.config" /> > </Target> I use variations on the following: <Target Name="AfterBuild" Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU'"> <Delete Files="$(OutputPath)\appSettings.config" /> <Delete Files="$(OutputPath)\connectionStrings.config" /> <Delete Files="$(OutputPath)\MyProject.csproj" /> <Delete Files="$(OutputPath)\MyProject.csproj.user" /> <RemoveDir Directories="$(OutputPath)\code" /> <RemoveDir Directories="$(OutputPath)\obj" /> <RemoveDir Directories="$(OutputPath)\Properties" /> </Target> Replace MyProject above with the name of your project... SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net Mark, thank you VERY much for the Target Task delete file syntax examples. I guess wildcards are not supported? Anyway, once I saw your samples it was easy to add a line for each file. For deployment, the reference you gave is for the in-development IIS Web Deployment tool, right? From the documentation and walkthroughs, it seems you need command-line access to the hosting web server. I'm deploying to a hosting service, on a shared server, and don't have command-line access. In that case I don't see how to use the IIS Web Deployment. I used the Copy Web command from VS2008 to copy to my hosting server via FTP. That worked fine after I added the Web Deployment Project output folder as a file-system website in my solution so. But since my whole solution is under Source Control, the deployment folder was automatically added to source control, which is completely unnecessary. I didn't see any way to keep the deployment folder out of source control? Is the only answer to create a separate deployment solution? That's all I can think of to keep it out of the source control. Paul Shapiro >> Do you let the Web Deployment Project target the web host directly? > [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > Replace MyProject above with the name of your project... > I used the Copy Web command from VS2008 to copy to my hosting server via > FTP. That worked fine after I added the Web Deployment Project output [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > answer to create a separate deployment solution? That's all I can think of > to keep it out of the source control. I must admit I've never tried that... I don't use the Copy Web command at all - I use WDP and this: http://www.ftpsynchronizer.com/ which makes everything extremely simple and efficient: 1) Change 2) Test 3) Debug and re-test 4) Rebuild with WDP 5) Sync SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net Free MagazinesGet these publications absolutely FREE for up to 12 months. There are no hidden fees and no obligation. Simply choose a title, complete the application form and submit it. Read more ...
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