tfs build will not find the configuration section

Question

When building locally and debugging my application locally, I have no problem logging and using log4net; however, when I do a TFS Build, I am getting the following exception:

log4net:ERROR Failed to find configuration section 'log4net' in the application's .config file. Check your .config file for the <log4net> and <configSections> elements. The configuration section should look like: <section name="log4net" type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler,log4net" />

I've tried fiddling around with the AssemblyInfo.cs file by commenting and uncommenting this line:

[assembly: log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator(Watch = true)]

I've also tried to comment/uncomment this:

XmlConfigurator.Configure();

My config file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <section name="log4net" type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler, log4net" />
    <section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
  </configSections>

  <appSettings>
    <add key="Value" value="1.2.1.2" />
    <add key="log4net.Internal.Debug" value="true" />
  </appSettings>
  <log4net>


    <appender name="RollingLogFileAppender" type="log4net.Appender.RollingFileAppender">
      <file type="log4net.Util.PatternString" value="C:\Users\ye\Desktop\Creator_.log" />
      <appendToFile value="true" />
      <rollingStyle value="Date" />
      <datePattern value="yyyy-MM-dd'.log'" />
      <staticLogFileName value="false" />
      <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
        <conversionPattern value="%date [%thread] %-5level %logger - %message%newline" />
      </layout>
    </appender>

    <appender name="DbAppender" type="log4net.Appender.ADONetAppender">
      <bufferSize value="0" />
      <connectionType value="System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection, System.Data, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
      <connectionString value="Server=db-dev;database=daaaa;user id=daaaauser;password=2E8sads3453gfvsxdU9pbax6V9;persist security info=False;" />
      <commandText value="INSERT INTO log ([date],[thread],[level],[logger],[message],[exception]) VALUES     (@log_date, @thread, @log_level, @logger, @message, @exception)" />
      <parameter>
        <parameterName value="@log_date" />
        <dbType value="DateTime" />
        <layout type="log4net.Layout.RawTimeStampLayout" />
      </parameter>
      <parameter>
        <parameterName value="@thread" />
        <dbType value="String" />
        <size value="255" />
        <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
          <conversionPattern value="%t" />
        </layout>
      </parameter>
      <parameter>
        <parameterName value="@log_level" />
        <dbType value="String" />
        <size value="10" />
        <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
          <conversionPattern value="%p" />
        </layout>
      </parameter>
      <parameter>
        <parameterName value="@logger" />
        <dbType value="String" />
        <size value="1000" />
        <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
          <conversionPattern value="%c" />
        </layout>
      </parameter>
      <parameter>
        <parameterName value="@message" />
        <dbType value="String" />
        <size value="4000" />
        <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
          <conversionPattern value="%m" />
        </layout>
      </parameter>
      <parameter>
        <parameterName value="@exception" />
        <dbType value="String" />
        <size value="4000" />
        <layout type="log4net.Layout.ExceptionLayout" />
      </parameter>
    </appender>

    <root>
      <level value="DEBUG" />
      <appender-ref ref="RollingLogFileAppender" />
      <appender-ref ref="DbAppender" />
    </root>


  </log4net> 
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-6.0.0.0" newVersion="6.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="EntityFramework" publicKeyToken="b77a5c561934e089" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-6.0.0.0" newVersion="6.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="WebGrease" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-1.5.2.14234" newVersion="1.5.2.14234" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Magnum" publicKeyToken="b800c4cfcdeea87b" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-2.1.3.0" newVersion="2.1.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>

      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Antlr3.Runtime" publicKeyToken="eb42632606e9261f" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-3.5.0.2" newVersion="3.5.0.2" />
      </dependentAssembly>

      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Optimization" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-1.1.0.0" newVersion="1.1.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>




  <startup>
    <supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5" />
  </startup>
  <entityFramework>
    <defaultConnectionFactory type="System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.SqlConnectionFactory, EntityFramework" />
    <providers>
      <provider invariantName="System.Data.SqlClient" type="System.Data.Entity.SqlServer.SqlProviderServices, EntityFramework.SqlServer" />
    </providers>
  </entityFramework>
</configuration>

What am I doing wrong? Why is it that everything works fine locally, but when building with tfs it breaks?

Answer 1

1) Try checking the build definition that TFS Build is executing is using the config file you think it is. i.e. debug vs release

2) I assume you are getting that exception when your TFS Build is running unit tests or running your code after it has been built. If so, check your .config file and the log4net dlls are copied to the binaries directory along with your compiled code.

You may need to configure the unit tests' Test Settings file to achieve what you want and use a specific TestSettings file for your TFS build that is different to the one on your local PC.