What's this MSDeploy NullReferenceException? - msbuild

Question

When I run MSDeploy from a build script, I get this NullReferenceException. The funny thing is, the project deploys. This has been driving me crazy. Note: This is a web site project, not a web application project.
I'm using this in my build targets file:
<ItemGroup>
<DeploySource Include="DirPath">
<Path>C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\PrecompiledWeb\Source</Path>
<ComputerName>myComputer</ComputerName>
<UserName>anAdminAccount</UserName>
<Password>itsPassword</Password>
</DeploySource>
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<TestDeployDest Include="DirPath">
<Path>C:\TFS_Build\POC\Test</Path>
<ComputerName>myComputer</ComputerName>
<UserName>anAdminAccount</UserName>
<Password>itsPassword</Password>
</TestDeployDest>
</ItemGroup>
<Target name="Deploy">
<PropertyGroup>
<WhatIf Condition="'$(WhatIf)'==''">false</WhatIf>
<MSDeployPath Condition="'$(MSDeployPath)'==''">C:\Program Files\IIS\Microsoft Web Deploy V2</MSDeployPath>
</PropertyGroup>
<MSDeploy Condition="'#(TestDeployDest)'!=''"
Whatif="$(WhatIf)"
Verb="sync"
Source="#(DeploySource)"
Destination="#(TestDeployDest)"
ExePath="$(MSDeployPath)"
/>
</target>
Here's the error:
"C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\source.csproj" (Deploy target) (1) ->
(Deploy target) ->
C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\Deploy.Targets(54,3): error MSB4018: The "MSDeploy" task failed unexpectedly.\r [C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\source.csproj]
C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\Deploy.Targets(54,3): error MSB4018: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.\r [C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\source.csproj]
C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\Deploy.Targets(54,3): error MSB4018: at Microsoft.Web.Publishing.Tasks.Common.Utility.MsDeployEndOfExecuteMessage(Boolean bSuccess, String destType, String destRoot, TaskLoggingHelper Log)\r [C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\source.csproj]
C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\Deploy.Targets(54,3): error MSB4018: at Microsoft.Web.Publishing.Tasks.MSDeploy.Execute()\r [C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\source.csproj]
C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\Deploy.Targets(54,3): error MSB4018: at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskExecutionHost.Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.ITaskExecutionHost.Execute()\r [C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\source.csproj]
C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\Source\Deploy.Targets(54,3): error MSB4018: at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.ExecuteInstantiatedTask(ITaskExecutionHost taskExecutio
Any ideas for something I can try?

Answer 1

Try using ContinueOnError="true" on the MSDeploy Elements as the following code:
<ItemGroup>
<DeploySource Include="DirPath">
<Path>C:\TFS\MySiteBranch\PrecompiledWeb\Source</Path>
<ComputerName>myComputer</ComputerName>
<UserName>anAdminAccount</UserName>
<Password>itsPassword</Password>
</DeploySource>
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<TestDeployDest Include="DirPath">
<Path>C:\TFS_Build\POC\Test</Path>
<ComputerName>myComputer</ComputerName>
<UserName>anAdminAccount</UserName>
<Password>itsPassword</Password>
</TestDeployDest>
</ItemGroup>
<Target name="Deploy">
<PropertyGroup>
<WhatIf Condition="'$(WhatIf)'==''">false</WhatIf>
<MSDeployPath Condition="'$(MSDeployPath)'==''">C:\Program Files\IIS\Microsoft Web Deploy V2</MSDeployPath>
</PropertyGroup>
<MSDeploy ContinueOnError="true" Condition="'#(TestDeployDest)'!=''"
Whatif="$(WhatIf)"
Verb="sync"
Source="#(DeploySource)"
Destination="#(TestDeployDest)"
ExePath="$(MSDeployPath)"
/>
</target>

Answer 2

I had the same issue; and was just able to address it using the fix described here:
http://forums.iis.net/p/1187159/2016131.aspx#2016131
For me, using the VSMSDeploy task is not an option, as we run x64 servers and web apps. Visual Studio only runs x86 versions of msbuild and msdeploy, and so VSMSDeploy only works for x86 servers and sites. I'm using the appHostConfig provider to store IIS config, and appHostConfig can't sync an x64 site to an x86 instance of msdeploy.

Answer 3

I just ran into the same thing. I wasn't able to figure out what the problem was, but I was able to work around it by using VSMSDeploy instead of MSDeploy. Both tasks are in the same DLL and there are examples of using it in Microsoft.Web.Publishing.targets.

Answer 4

I was able to get the deploy working with a Web Deploy Project.