.NET Core on Heroku (auto-deploy from Github)

This is a step-by-step to setup a .NET Core (2.0+) app using Visual Studio Code (non-Windows environment, e.g. MacOS), and how to control code with Github and auto-deploy to Heroku.

Found anything wrong or that can be improved? Please contribute!

Prerequirements

1. .NET Core & SDK version 2.0+
2. Visual Studio Code
3. C# Extension for Visual Studio Code

On Terminal, run dotnet --version to check the .NET version.

Create repo

1. Create a new Github repo, add .gitignore for Visual Studio
2. Clone repo locally
3. Open with Visual Studio Code

Create .NET Core Webapi

1. Using Visual Studio Code Integrated Terminal, run dotnet new webapi -n ForgeSample to create a new project.

2. As a standard on Forge samples, adjust the port number 3000. Under .vscode\launch.json file, add ASPNETCORE_URLS:

    "env": {
        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development",
        "ASPNETCORE_URLS" : "http://localhost:3000",
    },

3. Add support for static files, like .html, .js and .css. Under Startup.cs:Configure(), add the following (see sample):

   app.UseDefaultFiles();
   app.UseStaticFiles();

4. Press F5 (debug), the application should compile and open the browser. If the debugger is not set, at the top-center, where it prompts for Select Environment select .NET Core. A .vscode folder is created with launch.json and task.json. Press F5 again, the app should run at https://localhost:3000/api/values (Values is the default controller on webapi projects template)

Create a Heroku app

Requires Heroku CLI.

Using the Integrated Terminal, run:

It may be required to stop debugging to unlock the terminal, press Ctrl + C

1. heroku login

2. Create app using .NET Code Buildpack (there are many options of buildpack, this was one choice):

   heroku create ForgeSampleAppName --buildpack https://github.com/jincod/dotnetcore-buildpack.git

3. Go to Heroku Dashboard and select the newly create app. Under Deploy menu, go to Deployment method and select Connect to Github. Next, go to Connect to Github and search the respective repository and click Connect. Next, go to Automatic deploys and and Enable Automatic Deploys for the brach (e.g. master).

4. Go to the app Settings (on Heroku Dashboard), under Config Vars click on Reveal Config Vars and add your FORGE_CLIENT_ID, FORGE_CLIENT_SECRET and FORGE_CALLBACK_URL (if 3-legged).

Commit & Push to Github

As the Github repo is connected to Heroku, all new commits to the selected branch will automatically deployed to the Heroku app.

1. As launch.json contains the ID/Secret, add .vscode folder to .gitignore
2. Commit & Push to Github

At the Heroku dashboard, for this app, see Logs, it should say: Build started by username, then Build succeeded. Now the app should live, try the same Values endpoint.

Add Autodesk.Forge package

Prepare this project to use Forge:

1. On the Integrated Terminal, run dotnet add ForgeSample package Autodesk.Forge

   A popup should appear asking to Restore, which downloads the newly added package. Confirm that under ForgeSample.csproj the newly added line <PackageReference Include="Autodesk.Forge" Version="1.2.0" /> (the actual varion may be higher)

2. Under .vscode folder, open launch.json, search for ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT env var and add the Forge variables, as shown below:

"env": {
    "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development",
    "ASPNETCORE_URLS" : "http://localhost:3000",
    "FORGE_CLIENT_ID": "your client id here",
    "FORGE_CLIENT_SECRET": "your client secret here",
    "FORGE_CALLBACK_URL": "http://localhost:3000/api/forge/callback/oauth"
}

Now the project is ready for Forge! See Controllers/OAuthController.cs for an example (2-legged token). With this controller, the /api/forge/oauth/token should also work (localhost and live on Heroku). Static files should be placed on wwwroot folder.

Tips & Tricks

Enable "Deploy to Heroku" button

Create a app.json and specify the buildpack for .NET Core:

"buildpacks": [
  {
    "url": "https://github.com/jincod/dotnetcore-buildpack.git"
  }
]

Open browser (or new tab) on debug

This is a personal choice, I prefer to NOT open a new browser/tab when start debugging, this can be disabled under launch.json, change to false. You can start debugging with Cmd + Shift + F5.

"launchBrowser": {
    "enabled": false,
    ...
}

Console output

If you want to reduce the output, here are a few tips:

1. To ignore messages when modules are loading, open launch.json and add (under configurations):

"logging":{
  "moduleLoad": false  
},

2. Change the logging level to error at the appsettings.development.json:

{
  "Logging": {
    "LogLevel": {
      "Default": "Debug",
      "System": "Error",
      "Microsoft": "Error"
    }
  }
}

dotnet process consuming 100% of CPU

Follow this workaround. In summary, create the file ~/Library/LaunchAgents/UseSharedCompilation.plist with the following content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>Label</key>
  <string>UseSharedCompilation</string>
  <key>ProgramArguments</key>
  <array>
    <string>sh</string>
    <string>-c</string>
    <string>launchctl setenv UseSharedCompilation false</string>
  </array>
  <key>RunAtLoad</key>
  <true/>
</dict>
</plist>

License

This sample is licensed under the terms of the MIT License. Please see the LICENSE file for full details.

Written by

Augusto Goncalves @augustomaia, Forge Partner Development