BizTalk Continuous Integration with Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS)

Published By: Bill Chesnut

This blog post is to go along with my Integration Monday talk: http://www.integrationusergroup.com/biztalk-continuous-integration-continuous-deployment

Prerequisites

Your BizTalk Solution needs to be using BTDF (https://biztalkdeployment.codeplex.com/)

You need a Visual Studio Team Services Account (https://www.visualstudio.com/)

You need a BizTalk Build Server (BizTalk Developer 2013 R2 machine with BTDF installed)

PowerShell Scripts using in VSTS Build (https://github.com/Mexia/BizTalkCICD)

Modification to the BTDF EnvironmentSettings.xml file required for VSTS Build

Add a Column for Build Server with Settings File Name: Exported_BuildSettings.xml

Modification to the Deployment.btdfproj file required for VSTS Build

Open the Deployment.btdfproj files
To Display the Build Number and date time of deployment on the BizTalk Server Add the line below in the PropertyGroup shown <BizTalkAppDescription>Version: $(ProductVersion) – Deployed: $([System.DateTime]::Now.ToString(“dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss”))</BizTalkAppDescription>
To Select the correct Environment Settings file for the Build Server Add the line below in the PropertyGroup shown <DeveloperPreProcessSettings Condition=”‘$(IsInVSTSBuild)’ == ‘True'”>$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\EnvironmentSettings\Exported_BuildSettings.xml </DeveloperPreProcessSettings>
Update this line for any properties that need to be pulled from the EnvironmentSettings file
To control which Hosts get stopped and started during the install process Add the highlighted ItemGroup, repeat the BizTalkHosts entry for all Hosts used by the application <ItemGroup> <BizTalkHosts Include=”DefaultHost” /> </ItemGroup>
If the BizTalk Application that you are deploying references other BizTalk Applications, Add the ItemGroup show with a AppsToReference for every BizTalk Application that is referenced
If there are other BizTalk Applications that depend on the BizTalk Application that is being deployed Add the ItemGroup and Target to the end of the Deployment.btdfproj file Note: add a AppsToRemove line for each BizTalk Application that depends of the BizTalk Application that is being deployed

Steps to Create a Build in VSTS

Open the VSTS Team Project that the BizTalk Solution is in, go to the Build Tab, Click the + to create a new build
Select Empty Click Next
Select Default for the Default agent queue Click Create
Click Save
Type the name for the build, usually the same name as the solution Click OK
Click Options Note: The build steps will be added later
Take Default Options Click Repository Note: Create Work Item on Failure if build failure work needs to be tracked
Select true for Clean Click Variables
Take Default Configuration
Take Default Configuration Note: These can be set according to the clients requirements
Enter the string shown for the Build number format
Take Default Configuration Click Save
Click OK
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Utility Tasks, Select PowerShell Click Add Click Close
Configure as shown
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Utility Tasks, Select PowerShell Click Add Click Close
Configure as shown
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Build Tasks, Select Visual Studio Build Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Click the pencil at the end of the name
Update Name Click OK
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Test Tasks, Select Visual Studio Test Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Build Tasks, Select MSBuild Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Test Tasks, Select Visual Studio Test Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Build Tasks, Select Visual Studio Build Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From Build Tasks, Select MSBuild Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From All Tasks, Select Copy and Publish Artifacts Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From All Tasks, Select Copy and Publish Artifacts Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
On the Build Tab Click Add build step
From All Tasks, Select Copy and Publish Artifacts Click Add Click Close
Configure as Shown Update Step Name
Click Save
Click OK
To Test the Build Click Queue build
Take Defaults Click OK
Verify build complete successfully

Thanks for your time and I look forward to helping people on their BizTalk CI & CD journey

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