How to take web app offline while publishing?

Question

Very often, when I hit Publish in VS13, I get the site to compile but when uploading I get the error saying that a file is busy.

Updating fil

Answer 1

The Azure App Service Deployment Task has a checkbox for this (from version 2.0 onwards), under Additional Deployment Options: Take App Offline. Check that and you should be good to go.

Take Application Offline: Select the option to take the AzureRM Web App offline by placing an app_offline.htm file in the root directory of the Web App before the sync operation begins. The file will be removed after the sync operation completes successfully.

Screenshot:

Answer 2

You actually configure it in the publishing profile (.pubxml). Just add the element to the PropertyGroup like this:

<PropertyGroup>
  <EnableMSDeployAppOffline>true</EnableMSDeployAppOffline>
  ...
</PropertyGroup>

More in this MSDN document