How to make automatic deployment for .NET web application

2010-03-09T23:04:00.000-08:00

Here I am going to define the way to give automatic deployment for any .NET application. The .NET application should use the source control (EX: SVN, VSS, TFS etc). In my given example I am defining about SVN as source control if you require any other details. Please feel free to drop me a message. The below mentioned details will handle for code automatic deployment, I am working on database auto deployment, will be posting this as soon as possible……………………….

What this post will tell you.

Taking latest code from SVN source control dynamically.
Keeping the entire file into one directory. (User will define through config file)
Building the .NET application using MSBUild.exe
If error/success then send the email.
If error then stop the process.
If success then enjoy (If any issue feel free to buzz me...)
Bit more steps :

Run NANT tasks- Stop IIS
Copy the reuired file for deployment from previous define folder to deployment folder (Step2 folder to deployment folder)
Change the webconfig file connection string or other as per your requirement can define into nant config file.
Start the IIS

Prerequisite:

.NET web application
SVN as source control

Require software:

CCNET – Download from: http://sourceforge.net/projects/ccnet/
CollabNET – Download from: http://www.open.collab.net/downloads/subversion/
NANT – Download from: http://sourceforge.net/projects/nant/files/nant/0.85/

Steps to follow:

Download the CCNET from above mentioned location.
Go to path: http://localhost/ccnet it will open the locally installed ccnet application. Which will look like:
Go to path of CCNET: your drive path (ex: D:\Program Files\CruiseControl.NET\server)
Open the file named as “ccnet.config” and configure the config file as below mentioned steps: Copy the below mentioned project in config file between the

Copy the below mentioned project tab here and follow the steps which are written as comment inside the file.

</cruisecontrol>

<prefix>Your Project Name</prefix>

<incrementOnFailure>false</incrementOnFailure>

</labeller>

<artifactDirectory>c:\Artifacts</artifactDirectory>

<webURL>http://localhost/ccnet/server/local/project/Concep/ViewProjectReport.aspx</webURL>

</scheduleTrigger>

</triggers>

<from>build@build.com</from>

<mailhost>mail host address/mailhost>

<users>

</users>

<notificationType>Failed</notificationType>

<notificationType>Fixed</notificationType>

</notifications>

</group>

</email>

</publishers>

<executable>D:\Program Files\CollabNet\Subversion Server\svn.exe</executable>

<workingDirectory>C:\Projects</workingDirectory>

</sourcecontrol>

<tasks>

<executable>C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\MSBuild.exe</executable>

<workingDirectory>C:\Projects</workingDirectory>

<projectFile>project.sln</projectFile>

<logger>d:\Program Files\CruiseControl.NET\server\ThoughtWorks.CruiseControl.MsBuild.dll</logger>

</msbuild>

</tasks>

</project>

Configure the file as per the requirement and follow the below mentioned steps:

Run the CCNET.exe file
Then open the URL: http://localhost/ccnet
You will see the name of project which you defined will be listed there.
There will be one button called force build – click that button
Once build completed the ccnet site will show you the build is success or not. And will show the exception and warnings.
As defined in config file – you can go to path – c:\Artifacts to view the details error log.

Now once it succeed and if you want to maintain the deployment folder then please paste the below mentioned tag inside the <task></task> tag of above mentioned config file.

<nant>

<!—Download NANT from above mentioned URL and copied in your system then define the location of NANT.exe below -->

<executable>D:\Program Files\nant-0.85\bin\NAnt.exe</executable>

<!—Define the working directory path where you took latest from svn and built-->

<baseDirectory>C:/Projects</baseDirectory>

<!—copy the below mentioned file into base directory of your project -->

<buildFile>default.build</buildFile>

<target>extractWebSite</target>

</targetList>

</nant>

Default.build file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<target name

</exec>

</fileset>

</delete>

</fileset>

</copy>

<xmlpoke

file="${InstallFolder}\Application\Web.config"

xpath="/configuration/appSettings/add[@key = 'LogoImageFolderPath']/@value"

value="${Name}" />

</exec>

</target>

</project>

It will create the deployment folder. Using this NANT script we can also make sure the web.config entries which are required to be same of web.config. for ex: connection string or any folder path.

Please update your comments and feel free to contact for any clarifications.

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How to make automatic deployment for .NET web application