MSBuild: How to build web deploy package for Web Deployment Projects (VS2010)?

Question

I migrated a Web Site project (with Web Deployment project) from VS2008 to VS2010. Now I can make "Build Deployment Package" for Web Deployment Project in VS2010 and it works great! But I can't find a way how to do the same via MSBuild.

Answer 1

I answer on my one question. So after a lot of googling and 2 days of investigation it finally works.

Brief how to:

1. I created Configuration = QA (based on Debug configuration) for Solution via Configuration Manager.

2. Important: I removed 'Platform' parameter for QA Configuration. I couldn't build package until I did it. (My dev computer is Win7-x64, and I'm not not sure would be this step necessary for x86. But my build server Win2008-x86 forks fine with this modification.) This is QA Configuration section from my .wdproj

   <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == 'QA' ">
   <DebugSymbols>True</DebugSymbols>
   <OutputPath>QA\</OutputPath>
   <EnableUpdateable>true</EnableUpdateable>
   <UseMerge>true</UseMerge>
   <SingleAssemblyName>
   </SingleAssemblyName>
   <UseWebConfigReplacement>false</UseWebConfigReplacement>
   <DeleteAppDataFolder>true</DeleteAppDataFolder>
   <TargetFrameworkVersion>v3.5</TargetFrameworkVersion>
   <ExcludeApp_Data>true</ExcludeApp_Data>
   </PropertyGroup>
   

3. I build and package .wbproj file with the following command:

   msbuild WebSite.Deploy.wdproj /t:Build;Package /p:Configuration=QA
   

For information: If you need you can use standard Web Publishing parameters (e.g. ExcludeApp_Data, DeployIisAppPath etc.) in the QA configuration section.

Answer 2

Try

MSBuild YourProject.csproj /T:Package

That should generate a deployment package. This page, How to: Use MSBuild to Create a Web Package might give a bit more information, but not much.