Referencing the Deployment Framework from Source Control

The easiest way to build Deployment Framework for BizTalk projects on a Team Build server is to install the Deployment Framework directly on the build server. However, in some cases the development team does not control the build server, or may want to avoid installing any software on it unless absolutely necessary.

Deployment Framework for BizTalk projects can be configured to reference a specific folder structure as an alternative to installing the Deployment Framework. In many cases that folder structure is stored directly in the source control system, making it available to both developers and the build server simply by getting the folder from source control.

These steps assume that you have the Deployment Framework for BizTalk installed on the machine being used to set up the reference folder.

To set up a Deployment Framework for BizTalk reference folder and point a .btdfproj to reference it:

1. Create a folder to hold the Deployment Framework files

Create a folder that will hold the files required to build a Deployment Framework for BizTalk server deployment MSI. If you have an "ExternalReferences" or "Dependencies" folder structure that holds binary dependencies required to build your solutions, then that's a good location for the new folder.

2. Copy all Deployment Framework files from the MSBuild folder

Copy all of the files in \Program Files\MSBuild\DeploymentFrameworkForBizTalk\5.0 to the root of the reference folder. Use "Program Files (x86)" on 64-bit Windows.

3. Copy the Developer folder from the Deployment Framework for BizTalk installation folder

Copy the Developer folder from \Program Files (x86)\Deployment Framework for BizTalk 5.5 to the root of the reference folder. Use "Program Files (x86)" on 64-bit Windows. Delete the ProjectTemplate folder from the reference folder as it is not required for MSI builds.

4. Copy the Framework folder from the Deployment Framework for BizTalk installation folder

Copy the Framework folder from \Program Files (x86)\Deployment Framework for BizTalk 5.5 to the root of the reference folder.

5. Check the reference folder into source control, if desired

If you plan to check the reference folder into source control, you can do so now.

6. Modify the .btdfproj to use the new reference folder

By default, the .btdfproj includes the DeploymentFrameworkTargetsPath property inside three PropertyGroup's. The Debug and Release configurations must be modified. The Server configuration does not change.

Modify the properties as follows:

...

<DeploymentFrameworkTargetsPath>$(DeploymentFrameworkRootDir)</DeploymentFrameworkTargetsPath>

...

</PropertyGroup>

...

<DeploymentFrameworkTargetsPath>$(DeploymentFrameworkRootDir)</DeploymentFrameworkTargetsPath>

...

</PropertyGroup>

Do not change the Server PropertyGroup.

Remember to map the new reference folder into your automated build workspace.

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