Publish is not transforming web.config?

Question

I made a web.config (full file, it doesn't show XML errors)

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/.NetConfiguration/v2.0">
  <configSections>
      ...
      <location path="." inheritInChildApplications="false">
        <connectionStrings>
          <add name="ElmahLog" connectionString="data source=~/App_Data/Error.db" />
          <add name="database" connectionString="w" providerName="System.Data.EntityClient"/>
        </connectionStrings>
      </location>
  ...

with a transform file (web.Staging.config)

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration xmlns:xdt="http://schemas.microsoft.com/XML-Document-Transform">
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="database"
      connectionString="c"
      providerName="System.Data.EntityClient"
      xdt:Transform="SetAttributes" xdt:Locator="Match(name)" />
  </connectionStrings>
  <system.web>
    <compilation xdt:Transform="RemoveAttributes(debug)" />
    <customErrors defaultRedirect="error.aspx"
      mode="RemoteOnly" xdt:Transform="Replace">
    </customErrors>
  </system.web>
</configuration>

I am publishing in Staging mode (right click website > Publish > Method: File System ...)

------ Build started: Project: Drawing, Configuration: Staging Any CPU ------
  Drawing -> D:\Project\bin\Staging\Drawing.dll
------ Build started: Project: MySystem, Configuration: Staging Any CPU ------
  MySystem -> D:\Project\bin\Staging\MySystem.dll
...

But when I look at the web.config in the output folder it isn't changed.

I found the following on the Build log:

D:\Project\Web.Staging.config(3,2): Warning : No element in the source document matches '/configuration'
D:\Project\Web.Staging.config(3,2): Warning : No element in the source document matches '/configuration'
D:\Project\Web.Staging.config(3,2): Warning : No element in the source document matches '/configuration'
Transformed web.config using Web.Staging.config into obj\Staging\TransformWebConfig\transformed\web.config.

What could be the problem? Am I doing this right?

Answer 1

Answering late but perhaps I can save someone a headache. In Visual Studio 2013, there are two places to select configuration for your build and deploy. The Configuration Manager and then again with Publish Web where the third step in the Wizard entitled Settings allows you to select Config you want to use. If you don't select your new configuration it will use the transform for the selected configuration instead of yours.

Answer 2

I found out two things:

• You cannot set a namespace on the <configuration> tag (ex: for <location path="." inheritInChildApplications="false">)
• You have to watch for the correct hierarchy in the transform file.

Like

<configuration>
  <location>
    <connectionStrings>

Instead of

<configuration>
  <connectionStrings>