how to move package zip file to specific folder during build

Question

Hi

We need to make an "offline" installation package during stage build, which we can use for installation on customers application server. I have read this excellent post, and using the following MSBuild arguments in the Build Definition, a package zip file is produced:

/p:DeployOnBuild=true;DeployTarget=Package;CreatePackageOnPublish=true

However, the package file(s) (we have a 3 web projects) is located deep down the drops folder, so I want to move the package files into a file share (making in it easier for our test manager to copy the files to the staging server). Now - I searched the web all day, but haven't found any solution.

Any help to point in the right direction will be greatly appreciated

/Michael

Answer 1

Since you'll be able to determine the location of the files, you can use the RoboCopy activity from the Community TFS Build Extensions. Add the activity into your build template after the package is built and you should be good.

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DevBiker (aka J Sawyer)
Microsoft MVP - Sql Server (StreamInsight)

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Answer 2

Hi DevBiker

Thank you for your quick reply. I haven't any experience modifying the build template - but there are plenty how-to's out there, so I think I can manage. One question before I start - this change should only apply to our nightly build, not when building inside VS2010 or continous integration. How do I achieve this?

/Michael

Answer 3

Hi Rote

you can create a custom activity to do it. please see this post and links in my answer in this post.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/tfsbuild/thread/ab9f0963-88a4-4f25-944d-d238f469b5d1

Sincerely you M.Bagheri

Answer 4

Hi Aziz

My solution contains serveral projects, but at the moment I only want deploy 2 web projects. So I need these 2 projects to be copied - nothing else. How do I achieve this with your copy activity? As far as I can see, your copy activity will copy any projects being build in the entire solution. Or am I missing out something?

Regards
Michael

Answer 5

Hello Michael,

Yes, it is possible for you to choose to copy the correct package files to the destination path. And I think that one simpler way for you is to use InvokeProcess activity to call the xcopy more than one time to copy more than one files from drive A to drive B. For further information about xcopy command, see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb491035.aspx

And please also take a look at step 11-16 in this walkthrough for further information about how to call xcopy in a process activity:http://geekswithblogs.net/jakob/archive/2010/05/14/building-visual-studio-setup-projects-with-tfs-2010-team-build.aspx

Thanks.

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Vicky Song [MSFT]
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