Using MsBuild to generate customized MsDeploy manifest (Package target)

Question

I am using Web Deploy to package and deploy web sites for my product. In particular, I have two different projects in my solution I use this method to deploy.

I have a third project in the solution (a windows service) that also needs to be installed on the web server.

I know I can write a custom manifest (for the dirPath, filePath and runCommand providers) and directly call MsDeploy to deploy it. But I would like to leverage the existing MsBuild tasks to package my service if possible.

I see it is possible to do some customization of the manifest file via msbuild targets:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/msbuild/thread/1044058c-f762-456b-8a68-b0863027ce47

Particularly by using the MsDeploySourceManifest item.

After poking through the appropriate .targets files, it looks like either contentPath or iisApp will get appended to my manifest if I use the Package target. Ideally I'd just like to copy an assembly (or directory), possibly set ACLs, and execute installutil.exe on the service.

Is it possible to completely customize the manifest generated by the Package target, by editing my csproj file?

If not, is there a simple way to build a new target that will do the equivalent to Package, yet allow me to spit out a completely custom manifest?

Answer 1

I don't have a complete write up yet for people trying to learn how this works, but I now have a write up for how to at least accomplish this goal.

http://thehappypath.net/2011/11/21/using-msdeploy-for-windows-services/

(edit: link is dead for now. Let me know if you're interested and I can post it elsewhere).

My guide goes through these overall steps:

• Ensure the service starts itself upon installation (not crucial, but easier to deal with)
• Add the Microsoft.WebApplication.targets file to your project, even though you don't have a web project. This enables the Package MsBuild target.
• Add a custom .targets file to your project that builds a custom MsBuild package manifest
• Add some batch scripts to your project to stop/uninstall and install the service
• Add a Parameters.xml file to support changing the target deployment directory a bit more easily
• Set up app.config transformations using the SlowCheetah Visual Studio addon

Then you can package your project with this command line:

msbuild MyProject.csproj /t:Package /p:Configuration=Debug

You can deploy the resulting package with this command line:

MyService.Deploy.cmd /Y /M:mywebserver -allowUntrusted

The most undocumented part of this (except for my guide) is creating the custom manifest. Here's a dump of my current file (note, it is still a bit buggy, but can be fixed - See this question: MsDeploy remoting executing manifest twice - and try to keep to using only direct batch files for runCommand).

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" DefaultTargets="Build"
         xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <!-- This file must be included before Microsoft.Web.Publishing.targets so we can hook into BeforeAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest -->

  <PropertyGroup>

    <!-- Include our targets -->
    <IncludeStopServiceCommand>True</IncludeStopServiceCommand>
    <IncludeSetCustomAclsProvider>True</IncludeSetCustomAclsProvider>
    <IncludeInstallServiceCommand>True</IncludeInstallServiceCommand>
    <IncludeMoveAppConfigToCorrectPackagePath>True</IncludeMoveAppConfigToCorrectPackagePath>

    <!-- Uncomment to enable more verbose MsBuild logging -->
    <!-- <EnablePackageProcessLoggingAndAssert>True</EnablePackageProcessLoggingAndAssert> -->

    <!-- Enable web.config transform, but hack it to work for app.config -->
    <ProjectConfigFileName>app.config</ProjectConfigFileName>
    <TransformWebConfigEnabled>True</TransformWebConfigEnabled>
    <UseParameterizeToTransformWebConfig>True</UseParameterizeToTransformWebConfig>

    <!-- Enable web project packaging, but hack it to work for non-web app -->
    <DeployAsIisApp>False</DeployAsIisApp>
    <IncludeIisSettingsOnPublish>False</IncludeIisSettingsOnPublish>
    <IncludeSetAclProviderOnDestination>False</IncludeSetAclProviderOnDestination>
    <DisableAllVSGeneratedMSDeployParameter>True</DisableAllVSGeneratedMSDeployParameter>

    <!-- Insert our custom targets into correct places in build process -->
    <BeforeAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest Condition="'$(BeforeAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest)'==''">
      $(BeforeAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest);
      AddStopServiceCommand;
    </BeforeAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest>

    <AfterAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest Condition="'$(AfterAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest)'==''">
      $(AfterAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest);
      AddSetCustomAclsProvider;
      AddInstallServiceCommand;
    </AfterAddIisSettingAndFileContentsToSourceManifest>

    <OnAfterCopyAllFilesToSingleFolderForPackage Condition="'$(OnAfterCopyAllFilesToSingleFolderForPackage)'==''">
      $(OnAfterCopyAllFilesToSingleFolderForPackage);
      MoveAppConfigToCorrectPackagePath;
    </OnAfterCopyAllFilesToSingleFolderForPackage>

  </PropertyGroup>

  <!-- Custom targets -->
  <Target Name="AddStopServiceCommand" Condition="'$(IncludeStopServiceCommand)'=='true'">
    <Message Text="Adding runCommand to stop the running Service" />
    <ItemGroup>

      <MsDeploySourceManifest Include="runCommand">
        <path>$(_MSDeployDirPath_FullPath)\bin\servicestop.bat</path>
        <waitInterval>20000</waitInterval>
        <AdditionalProviderSettings>waitInterval</AdditionalProviderSettings>
      </MsDeploySourceManifest>

    </ItemGroup>
  </Target>

  <Target Name="AddSetCustomAclsProvider" Condition="'$(IncludeSetCustomAclsProvider)'=='true'">
    <ItemGroup>

      <MsDeploySourceManifest Include="setAcl">
        <Path>$(_MSDeployDirPath_FullPath)</Path>
        <setAclUser>LocalService</setAclUser>
        <setAclAccess>FullControl</setAclAccess> <!-- Todo: Reduce these permissions -->
        <setAclResourceType>Directory</setAclResourceType>
        <AdditionalProviderSettings>setAclUser;setAclAccess;setAclResourceType</AdditionalProviderSettings>
      </MsDeploySourceManifest>

    </ItemGroup>
  </Target>

  <Target Name="AddInstallServiceCommand" Condition="'$(IncludeInstallServiceCommand)'=='true'">
    <Message Text="Adding runCommand to install the Service" />
    <ItemGroup>

      <MsDeploySourceManifest Include="runCommand">
        <path>cmd.exe /c $(_MSDeployDirPath_FullPath)\bin\serviceinstall.bat</path>
        <waitInterval>20000</waitInterval>
        <dontUseCommandExe>false</dontUseCommandExe>
        <AdditionalProviderSettings>waitInterval;dontUseCommandExe</AdditionalProviderSettings>
      </MsDeploySourceManifest>

    </ItemGroup>
  </Target>

  <Target Name="MoveAppConfigToCorrectPackagePath"
          Condition="'$(IncludeMoveAppConfigToCorrectPackagePath)'=='true'">
    <PropertyGroup>
      <OriginalAppConfigFilename>$(_PackageTempDir)\App.Config</OriginalAppConfigFilename>
      <TargetAppConfigFilename>$(_PackageTempDir)\bin\$(TargetFileName).config</TargetAppConfigFilename>
    </PropertyGroup>

    <Copy SourceFiles="$(OriginalAppConfigFilename)" DestinationFiles="$(TargetAppConfigFilename)" 
          Condition="Exists($(OriginalAppConfigFilename))" />
    <Delete Files="$(OriginalAppConfigFilename)" 
            Condition="Exists($(OriginalAppConfigFilename))" />
  </Target>

</Project>