How can I move files and folders up one level within the distribution directory?

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Moving Files and Folders Up One Level Within the Distribution Directory

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Introduction

Rearranging files manually after the build process is unreliable in a CI/CD context. It adds inconsistency and potential errors. Automating the file restructuring within the build process itself ensures consistency and repeatability, which are crucial for any automated deployment process.

Solution

1. Add the following post-build script in your project's package.json to handle the file movement:

"scripts": {
    "build": "ng build --configuration=production",
    "postbuild": "mv dist/maindirectory/* dist/ && rm -rf dist/maindirectory",
    "test": "..."
}

2. Remove the --if-present flags. The build step would be:

- name: npm install, build, and test
    run: |
    npm install
    npm run build
    npm test
    working-directory: MyApp/Client

3. Run npm run build to automatically trigger the postbuild script, ensuring the desired file structure.

4. Update your workflow to include the file movement logic within the project:

GitHub Repo
   |__ (Push to develop branch)
   |__ GitHub Actions Pipeline (Updated YAML)
        |__ Build Job (Windows)
        |    |__ Checkout
        |    |__ Setup Node.js
        |    |__ npm install, build (with postbuild), test
        |    |__ Upload artifact
        |
        |__ Deploy Job (Ubuntu)
             |__ Download artifact
             |__ Login to Azure
             |__ Deploy to Azure Web App

Cross-Platform Solution

If you encounter the error "mv is not recognized" in a Windows environment, you can use a cross-platform solution:

1. Install shx: npm install shx --save-dev

2. Update the postbuild script:

"scripts": {
    "build": "ng build --configuration=production",
    "postbuild": "shx mv dist/maindirectory/* dist/ && shx rm -rf dist/maindirectory && shx rm -rf dist/secondarydirectory/web.config",
    "test": "..."
}

3. Ensure that dependencies are installed in your GitHub Actions workflow:

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: windows-latest

    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Set up Node.js version
        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: '18.x'

      - name: Install npm dependencies
        run: npm install

      - name: npm install, build, and test
        run: |
          npm run build
          npm run test
        working-directory: MyApp/Client

      # rest of the workflow 

Conclusion

Automating the file restructuring within the build process ensures consistency and repeatability, making it a more reliable solution for CI/CD pipelines.

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Additional Information

• shx
• Move files from subfolder to parent folder using GitHub Actions