IT:AD:WebDeploy:HowTo:Faqs/Does the target website have to exist first?

If you create a Web Deploy Package on your desktop or IT:AD:Continuous Integration Server, and want to deploy it to another server, you have more than one choice:

• Use IIS's import Web Deploy Package: IT:AD:WebDeploy:HowTo:Manually Deploy a Package on a Target IIS
  • See pros/cons of this here: For Deploying
• Use the default Web Deploy .cmd script * See pros/cons of this here: For Deploying Create a beefier custom script

You'll find that you'll get an ERROR_SITE_DOES_NOT_EXIST because the target web site needs to exist first:

Z:\Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages>a.deploy.cmd /Y
SetParameters from:
"Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages\ExampleSite.SetParameters.xml"
You can change IIS Application Name, Physical path, connectionString or other deploy parameters in the above file.
-------------------------------------------------------
 Start executing msdeploy.exe
-------------------------------------------------------
 "C:\Program Files\IIS\Microsoft Web Deploy V3\msdeploy.exe" 
     -source:package='Z:\Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages\ExampleSite.zip' 
     -dest:auto,includeAcls="False" 
     -verb:sync -disableLink:AppPoolExtension -disableLink:ContentExtension -disableLink:CertificateExtension 
     -setParamFile:"Z:\Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages\a.SetParameters.xml"
Info: Adding sitemanifest (sitemanifest).
Info: Creating application (NonExistentWebSite\ExampleSite)
Info: Adding virtual path (NonExistentWebSite\ExampleSite)
Error Code: ERROR_SITE_DOES_NOT_EXIST
More Information: Site 'NonExistentWebSite' does not exist.  Learn more at: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/LinkId=221672#ERROR_SITE_DOES_NOT_EXIST.
Error count: 1.

But if the site exists, it will happily create a Virtual directory in the target website:

Z:\Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages\>a.deploy.cmd /Y
SetParameters from:
"Z:\Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages\ExampleSite.SetParameters.xml"
You can change IIS Application Name, Physical path, connectionString or other deploy parameters in the above file.
-------------------------------------------------------
 Start executing msdeploy.exe
-------------------------------------------------------
 "C:\Program Files\IIS\Microsoft Web Deploy V3\msdeploy.exe" 
   -source:package='Z:\Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages\ExampleSite.zip' 
   -dest:auto,includeAcls="False" 
   -verb:sync 
   -disableLink:AppPoolExtension -disableLink:ContentExtension -disableLink:CertificateExtension 
   -setParamFile:"Z:\Dropbox\...\ExampleSite\Packages\ExampleSite.SetParameters.xml"

Info: Adding sitemanifest (sitemanifest).
Info: Creating application (Default Web Site\TestA)
Info: Adding virtual path (Default Web Site\TestA)
Info: Adding directory (Default Web Site\TestA).
Info: Adding directory (Default Web Site\TestA\bin).
Info: Adding file (Default Web Site\TestA\bin\XAct.Spikes.WebDeploy06.dll).
Info: Adding file (Default Web Site\TestA\index.html).
Info: Adding file (Default Web Site\TestA\Parameters.xml).
Info: Adding file (Default Web Site\TestA\Web.config).
Info: Adding ACL's for path (Default Web Site\TestA)
Info: Adding ACL's for path (Default Web Site\TestA)
Total changes: 11 (10 added, 0 deleted, 1 updated, 0 parameters changed, 5733 bytes copied)

Regarding whether the target site has to exist first before importing a WebPackage, the answer is moot – it's yes, because of the following reason:

But if there is a site, it will happily create the target site, with the name you gave in the input dialog.

You can't override it either:

It goes without saying that IIS will create the Virtual Directory just fine.