title: App_Offline in MSBuild Remote Web Deploy
body: <p>I have the following task in my MSBuild script to deploy to a remote server using Web Deploy (MSDeploy service):</p>
  
  <pre><code>  &lt;Target Name="Deploy"&gt;
      &lt;MSBuild
              Projects="$(SolutionFile)"
              Properties="Configuration=Release; DeployOnBuild=True; 
                DeployTarget=MsDeployPublish; MSDeployPublishMethod=WMSvc; 
                MsDeployServiceUrl=$(DeployServiceUrl); 
                DeployIisAppPath=$(DeployIisAppPath); 
                UserName=$(DeployUserName); Password=$(DeployPassword); 
                CreatePackageOnPublish=True; AllowUntrustedCertificate=True" /&gt;
    &lt;/Target&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>It works fine. However, I would like to place an app_offline.htm file (on the remote server) before the app is deployed and remove the app_offline.htm file after deployment (or on error). Is there a MSBuild property or any other scripting tweak to make it happen?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks in advance.</p>