Exclude/Skip files in VSTS Build and release

Question

We are in process of creating architecture for VSTS CI/CD to deploy our web app to our Azure App Services. We want to exclude the web.config while deploying it to the Azure server as we are directly modifying the web.config on the different environment. CI Tasks looks like this: CI Taks

CD Task: Deploy Azure App Service I am aware of other ways of updating the web.config https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/vsts/build-release/tasks/transforms-variable-substitution, but in our case we want to skip the web.config file. I couldn’t find the option to skip file in during release in VSTS as mentioned in this thread How do I exclude the .cs files within an artifact from a vs-team-services CI build? Is there a way to exclude certain files while building and deploying the release?

Redmon

Is your build process generating a webdeploy package? – Yalonda

Hey Daniel. Answer is 'Yes' – Redmon

Answer 1

Added -skip:objectName=filePath,absolutePath=web\.config in additional arguments. This skips updating the web.config file during deployment.

Redmon

This answer does the job! In case someone wants to skip an entire folder: instead of objectName=filePath, use objectName=dirPath. This article explains some other options too. – Lanky

Answer 2

You can exclude the web.config before publishing artifacts in your build definition: copy the web packages files to a directory (such as $(build.binariesdirectory)), then copy the files exclude web.config to another folder (such as $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/package), and zip the files under $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/package. And finally publish the zip file as build artifacts.

Details changes in the build definition as below:

1. Change the MSbuild arguments as /p:OutDir="$(build.binariesdirectory)\\" in Visual Studio Build task.

2. Add a Copy Files task after Visual Studio Build task. Settings for this task as below:

3. Add Archive Files task after Copy Files task. And settings as below:

4. Change the Publish Artifacts task as below:

Now the build artifacts are exclude web.config file.

Polymerization

thanks Marina for providing steps by step solution. This definitely looks like a solution to the problem. One other resolution that i got from 'Azure App Service Deployment ' team also worked. I am putting the resolution below. – Redmon

Yes, the solution you provided is more easier and efficient. You can mark you own answer, and it will benefit others who have similar question. – Polymerization

Answer 3

Additional arguments

-skip:objectName=filePath,absolutePath=\\Configuration\\AppSettings\\Base.config

Nyeman

properly edit your answer like give some details, put image in answer otherwise you get downvoted. – Pantaloons

How can I exclude multiple files using -skip:objectName=filePath,absolutePath=filepath – Robison

Answer 4

you can add

-skip:objectName=filePath,absolutePath='.*\PackageTmp\Web.config$'

in Additional Arguments in "Deploy IIS WebSite/App" deployment VSTS task, this will not deploy your root web.config file.

Effortful

check your .config absolute Path? for .Net core the path is different. for example if your application built in .net core use -skip:objectName=filePath,absolutePath='.*\\nlog.config$' -skip:objectName=filePath,absolutePath='.*\\appsettings.json$' – Effortful