Limit on branch in Azure Deployment with GitHub

Question

We have a github account which has a repository with more than 30 branches. We are using the Azure new portal in order to define a deployment slot. In the list of branches we only get 30 branches.

1. Is having so many branches frowned upon? (I guess i know the answer already)
2. How can we specify the name explicitly?
3. Should i start deleting branches?

Answer 1

It seems that when you create a deployment, in the ftp you get a folder:

/site/deployments

In this folder there is a Settings.xml file.

I my case it looks as simple as:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<settings>
  <deployment>
    <add key="branch" value="stage_deployment" />
  </deployment>
</settings>

So, one could just select one (valid) branch from the ones available, and then go and change the setting in the file. It really sounds as a workaround, but seems to be valid and no external tools needed other than an ftp client (which i guess you would already have).