publish removes web.config connection strings

Question

I recently moved to a new host. Everything is going well except when I publish, my web.config file is changed removing default connection. The original is
<connectionStrings>
<add name="DefaultConnection" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" connectionString="Data Source=sql5103.xxxx.net;Database=xxxxx;Integrated Security=False;User ID=xxxxx;Password=xxxx"/>
<add name="CMReportConnectionString" connectionString="Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=|DataDirectory|\CMReport.accdb" providerName="System.Data.OleDb"/>
<add name="Excel03ConString" connectionString="Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source={0}; Extended Properties='Excel 8.0;HDR={1}'"/>
<add name="Excel07ConString" connectionString="Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source={0}; Extended Properties='Excel 8.0;HDR={1}'"/>
</connectionStrings>

but the web.config file on the host after publishing is

<connectionStrings>
<add name="DefaultConnection" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" connectionString="" />
<add name="CMReportConnectionString" connectionString="" providerName="System.Data.OleDb" />
<add name="Excel03ConString" connectionString="" />
<add name="Excel07ConString" connectionString="" />
</connectionStrings>

Answer 1

Hi @Jay O'Brien ,
From my point of view,you mean that your Web.config is modified when you public this project,
I think it may be some content in Web.Debug.config and Web.Release.config under Web.config to be replaced,
you can show Take a look at your Web.Debug.config and Web.Release.config code, this will give me more information to help you troubleshoot.
The following documents will help you better learn this knowledge, you can refer to it.
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/asp-net-web-projects-web-debug-config-web-release-config
Best regards,
Lan Huang

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Answer 2

My Web.Debug.Config is empty .

Web.Release.config does have RemoveAttributes(debug)

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

<configuration xmlns:xdt="http://schemas.microsoft.com/XML-Document-Transform">

<system.web>
<compilation xdt:Transform="RemoveAttributes(debug)" />

</system.web>
</configuration>

I commented out <compilation xdt:Transform="RemoveAttributes(debug)" /> and the connection string was still removed