Release Management v12, how to deploy web.config transforms to different stage types

Question

We have Release Management Update 2 installed and using TFS 2013 Update 2 continuous deployment build template for releasing a web site.

We have three stage types: Integration, Staging and Production.

What's the best way to release a web site when there are web.config transformations for each stage? Transforms are for connection string, appsettings and log4net.

I'm starting to lean toward this question's best answer, yet would like to know if I'm missing a tool or an easier path.

Answer 1

Release Management for Visual Studio 2013 has its own variable management system. When you configure a Component, you get to set what properties are used for it.

You can then use a single web.config file with "__myveriableName__" in place of the values. On the properties tab of the Component you can select what types of files the system will find and replace variable in. So here you would say *.config.

This way you can have just two configs configured... dev.config that you use for local development with local settings and a release.config with the variables defined that Release Management uses...

You can get information on how from Professional Application Lifecycle Management with Visual Studio 2013 or on the Visual Studio site.