How can I test changing Azure service configuration settings at runtime locally?

Question

I am writing our Azure app to use Azure service configuration settings so we can change it in real time. I can test it by deploying and then changing them in the Azure web portal.

How do I allow changing service configuration in real time on my local azure compute emulator?

Answer 1

In order to update the service configuration you need to modify the *.cscfg file and execute csrun.exe (in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Azure\Emulator):

csrun.exe /update:<deployment-id>;<service-configuration-file>

Note that this seems to work only when running the application without debugger.

I recently blogged about this here: Controlling your instances in the Windows Azure Compute Emulator (look under Handling the RoleEnvironment.Changing event in the emulator).