WebJob doesn't work when splitting pipeline into build and release

Question

I'm trying to deploy a WebJob using Azure DevOps. I have the following pipeline:

pool:

#  name: Hosted Windows 2019 with VS2019
  vmImage: windows-2019

  demands:
  - msbuild
  - visualstudio
  - vstest

variables:
    BuildPlatform: 'any cpu'
    BuildConfiguration: 'release'
    Parameters.solution: '**\*.sln'

steps:

- task: UseDotNet@2
  displayName: 'Use Net Core 3.1.0'
  inputs:
#    packageType: 'runtime' # Options: runtime, sdk
    packageType: 'sdk'
    version: '3.1.100'

- task: NuGetToolInstaller@1
  displayName: 'Use NuGet 5.7.0'
  inputs:
    versionSpec: 5.7.0

- task: NuGetCommand@2
  displayName: 'NuGet restore'
  inputs:
    restoreSolution: '$(Parameters.solution)'

- task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
  displayName: 'net build'
  inputs:
    command: 'build'
    projects: '**\*.csproj'
    arguments: '--configuration Release'

- task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
  displayName: 'net publish'
  inputs:
    command: 'publish'
    publishWebProjects: false
    projects: '**\*.csproj'
    arguments: '--output $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)\WebJob\App_Data\jobs\continuous\WJ_Channel_Fetch'
    zipAfterPublish: false
    modifyOutputPath: false

- task: PowerShell@2
  inputs:
    targetType: 'inline'
    script: '"dotnet WJ_Channel_Fetch.dll" | Out-File run.cmd -Encoding ASCII; $LASTEXITCODE'
    errorActionPreference: 'stop'
    failOnStderr: false
    ignoreLASTEXITCODE: false
    pwsh: false
    workingDirectory: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)\WebJob\App_Data\jobs\continuous\WJ_Channel_Fetch'

- task: AzureAppServiceManage@0
  displayName: 'Stop Azure App Service: XXXX-pipelines2'
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: 'Visual Studio Professional (**********)'
    Action: 'Stop Azure App Service'
    WebAppName: 'XXXX-pipelines2'

- task: AzureRmWebAppDeployment@3
  displayName: 'Azure App Service Deploy: XXXX-pipelines2'
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: 'Visual Studio Professional (**********)'
    WebAppName: 'XXXX-pipelines2'
    Package: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)\WebJob'
    TakeAppOfflineFlag: true

- task: AzureAppServiceManage@0
  displayName: 'Start Azure App Service: XXXX-pipelines2'
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: 'Visual Studio Professional (**********)'
    Action: 'Start Azure App Service'
    WebAppName: 'XXXX-pipelines2'

- task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
  displayName: 'Publish Artifact: drop'
  inputs:
    PathtoPublish: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)'
    ArtifactName: 'drop'
    publishLocation: 'Container'
  condition: succeededOrFailed()

This works perfect, but I want to move the deploy part to a Release pipeline, so I can make use of the approvals between environments (DEV, QA, TEST, PROD).

The problem is that when I move it to a Release pipeline, the WebJob is deployed but it appears to be in an inconsistent state. I can't stop it, nor delete it; the only way to get rid of it is by deleting the WebApp. If I use only the YAML from above everything works.

This is my Release pipeline:

Any ideas? Many thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Solved the issue by downgrading the Azure App Service deploy task to version 3.*, that was also the difference between my YAML file and the Release pipeline I created using the GUI.

I still think it should work with the latest version, but for now I'm unblocked.