Multi-stage YAML pipeline does not apply environment-specific XML transformation

Question

I transformed steps executed within a typical release pipeline into a multi-stage YAML pipeline.

The problem is that the Web.config (XML) transformation applied by the AzureRmWebAppDeployment@4 task does not work as previously anymore.

The documented approach of this behavior is that first the release config is being used for the transformation and the environment-specific config follows.

From the logs I can see that the Web.Release.config is applied, but there is no other transformation happening for the Web.TA.config (environment-specific config) even though it is present and the stage name matches the config name.

I have the following (simplified) YAML file for a multi-stage pipeline:

trigger: none

variables:
  azureSubscriptionProject: 'SubscriptionName'
  artifactDropDirectory: '$(Agent.BuildDirectory)/ProjectName'

stages:
- stage: Build
  jobs:
  - job: Build
    pool:
      vmImage: windows-2019
      demands:
      - msbuild
      - visualstudio
      - vstest
    variables:
      buildConfiguration: 'Release'
      buildPlatformSolutionLevel: 'Any CPU'
      buildPlatformProjectLevel: 'AnyCPU'
    steps:
    - template: azure-pipelines-ci-build-steps-template.yml
    - template: azure-pipelines-ci-build-publishing-steps-template.yml
- stage: TA
  dependsOn: Build
  jobs:
  - deployment: TA
    pool:
      vmImage: windows-2019
    environment: 'TA'
    timeoutInMinutes: 0
    strategy:
      runOnce:
        deploy:
          steps:
          # ...          
          - task: AzureRmWebAppDeployment@4
            displayName: 'Deploy ProjectName'
            inputs:
              azureSubscription: $(azureSubscriptionProject)
              webAppName: '$(AzureResourcesPrefix)-project-name'
              package: '$(artifactDropDirectory)/web-applications/ProjectName.zip'
              enableCustomDeployment: true
              removeAdditionalFilesFlag: true
              xmlTransformation: true
          # ...

An excerpt of the logs of this step/task:

Start tranformation to 'D:\a\_temp\temp_web_package_39967480923393817\Content\D_C\a\1\s\src\ProjectName\obj\Release\Package\PackageTmp\Web.config'.
Source file: 'D:\a\_temp\temp_web_package_39967480923393817\Content\D_C\a\1\s\src\ProjectName\obj\Release\Package\PackageTmp\Web.config'.
Transform  file: 'D:\a\_temp\temp_web_package_39967480923393817\Content\D_C\a\1\s\src\ProjectName\obj\Release\Package\PackageTmp\Web.Release.config'.
Transformation task is using encoding 'System.Text.UTF8Encoding'. Change encoding in source file, or use the 'encoding' parameter if you want to change encoding.

Has somebody experienced this issue as well? Am I doing something wrong or is this a bug or even by design?

I just realized there is a new FileTransform task but I would prefer not using it if it should work in a more simple way.

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 08 '19 at 15:22

3

Setting the variable Release.EnvironmentName solved it and the environment-specific config transformation was triggert. This is possible on the stage-level (in case all jobs share the same environment name) and on the job-level.

An example:

# ...
- stage: TA
  dependsOn: Build
  variables:
    Release.EnvironmentName: TA
  jobs:
  - deployment: TA
    pool:
      vmImage: windows-2019
    environment: 'TA'
    # ...

Answer provided by MSFT on developercommunity.visualstudio.com.

answered Oct 08 '19 at 15:22

timmkrause

3,367
4
32
59

1

Thanks for sharing your solution here, you could Accept it as an Answer, so it could help other community members who get the same issues and we could archive this thread, thanks – Hugh Lin Oct 11 '19 at 01:59

Multi-stage YAML pipeline does not apply environment-specific XML transformation

1 Answers1