This is such a simple thing that even asking here is making me feel stupid but since I have been stuck on this for long time, I will ask it here. I am working on a data-tier application in visual studio. I have usual things like tables, stored procs and some post deployment data. By default, data tier application comes with Scripts/Post-Deployment folder. Inside this folder there is a file called Script.PostDeployment.sql. Just to be little more organised, I am creating folders inside Post-Deployment as StaticData and TestData. My insert statements for data creating are locatied inside these folders. So, based on this structure, I am adding following code to my Script.PostDeployment.sql:
/*
Post-Deployment Script Template
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This file contains SQL statements that will be appended to the build script.
Use SQLCMD syntax to include a file in the post-deployment script.
Example: :r .\myfile.sql
Use SQLCMD syntax to reference a variable in the post-deployment script.
Example: :setvar TableName MyTable
SELECT * FROM [$(TableName)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*/
:r .\StaticData\States.sql
:r .\TestData\Logins.sql
The problem is the above code does not work. For some starnge reason, the deploy command just ignores the paths and looks for States.sql and Logins.sql in Scripts/Post-Deployment and not in appropriate subfolders. Anyone else encountered anything similar? Very simple issue, but taking me forever to get around this. I have tried my best to explain, but ask questions and I can try to make things clearer. Thanks!
I took a look at your sample code. When I had tried to reproduce this, I was using a SQL 2008 database project in Visual Studio 2010, but what your project is a data-tier application, and that is very different; when I switched to using a data-tier application, I was able to reproduce what you're seeing.
Data-tier applications produce DAC packages that contain the definitions of objects and also contain user-defined scripts, like the pre and post deployment scripts. Now, I'm not 100% certain (I haven't used DAC packages before, so I'm basing this on observation and research), but I'm guessing that the file structure of the DAC package doesn't support sub-folders under the Script\Post-deployment folder; I am assuming it has a pretty strict folder structure internally. Consequently, the DACCompiler appears designed to strip out just the filenames from your file references in the post-deployment script, and it ignores the directory path.
There is a whitepaper on data-tier applications here. In it is a section on adding a post-deployment script to the package, and in that section are some best practices, including the following:
• When you work in Solution Explorer, it is recommended that you include all post-deployment commands in the Script.PostDeployment.sql script file. This is because only one post-deployment file is included in the DAC package. In other words, you should not create multiple files.
Now, technically, that's what the :r command does, but you may find it easier to just embed the commands directly into the file manually.
It's also possible that this is simply a bug in the design of the DACCompiler.
Here's what I recommend that you do:
And, of course, you could hold out and see if somebody else has a different answer, and if there is, great! But I'm guessing if nobody else has responded yet, then probably there isn't one; I certainly couldn't find anything in my digging.
I hope overall this information is helpful. I wish I could give you a way to have it work now, but I think your best bet is to work within the limitations of the current design and post feedback to Connect.
Good luck.