How do you direct Azure DevOps to place your output in a specific location on the target App Service?

Question

I'm trying to create a WebApi that will also work as a Service Worker. There are several examples on the web, but the issue I keep running into is the deployment either works as a WebApi, or a ServiceWorker, but not both.

As nearly as I can figure out what's wrong, it appears that the WebApi needs to be deployed into the directory: app_data\Jobs\Continuous\WorkerService. However, I can't seem to coerce the Azure App Service deployment to drop the files in this directory. This is what I have so far:

The pipeline:

trigger:
- master

pool:
  vmImage: windows-latest

variables:
  solution: '**/*.sln'
  buildPlatform: Any CPU
  buildConfiguration: Release

steps:
- task: NuGetToolInstaller@1

- task: NuGetCommand@2
  inputs:
    restoreSolution: $(solution)

- task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
  displayName: Build Solution
  inputs:
    command: build

- task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
  displayName: Publish Artifact
  inputs:
    command: 'publish'
    publishWebProjects: no
    arguments: --configuration $(BuildConfiguration) --output $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)\app_data\Jobs\Continuous\WorkerService

- task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
  displayName: Upload Artifacts

and the Release:

steps:
- task: AzureRmWebAppDeployment@4
  displayName: 'Azure App Service Deploy: thetarex-worker-service'
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: 'Theta Rex Subscription'
    WebAppName: 'thetarex-worker-service'

When I run this, I get all my files in wwwroot - no directory structure is preserved. The WebApi part works, but no worker services run and no WebJob is created.

Answer 1

In App Service configuration - Path mapping, create Virtual Application with Physical Path targeting site\wwwroot\App_Data\Jobs\Continuous\WorkerService and setting pipeline like this:

steps:
- task: AzureRmWebAppDeployment@4
  displayName: 'Azure App Service Deploy: thetarex-worker-service'
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: 'Theta Rex Subscription'
    WebAppName: 'thetarex-worker-service'
    VirtualApplication: your_virtual_application

This should get all your files into Physical path you configured with Virtual Application.