Couldn't create Services using ARM Template

Question

When I am trying to create Search Service using ARM Template, it showing the below error

The relative path 'artifacts/linkedTemplate.json' could not be resolved. Please ensure the parent deployment references either an external URI or a template spec ID. The relativePath property cannot be used when creating a template deployment with a local file.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {        
        "searchService_name": {
            "type": "string"
        }        
    },
    "variables": {
        "linked-template": "artifacts/azure_deploycopy.json"
    },
    "resources": [
        {
            "type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
            "apiVersion": "2021-04-01",
            "name": "azure-restore",
            "properties": {
                "mode": "Incremental",
                "templateLink": {
                    "relativePath": "[variables('linked-template')]"
                },
                "parameters": {
                    "searchService_name": {
                        "value": "[parameters('searchService_name')]"
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    ],
    "outputs": {}
}

Answer 1

Could you please add more details about deployment?

• Do you deploy with PS, AZCLI, do you set working folder?
• Where is linked template located - locally or as template spec
• Folder structure with linked templates

@NithinViswanathan Based on your comment I figured why it doesn't work for you and how to move forward. As in another answer - Azure Resource Manager (ARM) doesn't know about your local dependency. For such complex deployments to work you need to create Template Spec first. Template spec will contain your main template and will include dependant folders and/or templates.

For this to work start with creating template spec:

az ts create --name <name_of _tempsepc> -g <destination_resourcegroup> -f <main template path ie. ./maintemplate.json>  -v <template version ie. 1.0.0> --version-description "init template specs" -l <location ie. westeurope>

this will create resource such as this:

Template spec image

find template spec ID and deploy it:

id = $(az ts show --name <template_spec_name> --resource-group <template spec rg> --version "1.0.0.0" --query "id")

az deployment group create \
  --resource-group <target rg> \
  --template-spec $id