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hollywood

A simple little tool for launching

PM> Install-Package hollywood

Introduction

This is a little bit of code for making working on a site in "stealth mode" easier. It is of course inspired by 37signals' definition of a hollywood launch.

Features

  • Simple to set up
  • Use it to do continuous deployment while maintaining a teaser page viewable to the public

Usage

  • First, create a view folder called 'Launch' and add an index view; this will be your teaser page: /Views/Launch/Index.cshtml
<p>Your princess is in another castle. Unless...</p>
  • Next, add web.config settings to control prelaunch. Typically you want prelaunch turned off by default, and on in Release:

Web.config

<appSettings>
    <add key="Prelaunch" value="false" />
    <add key="PrelaunchToken" value="allyourbase" />
</appSettings>

Web.Release.config

<appSettings>
    <add key="Prelaunch" value="true" xdt:Locator="Match(key)" xdt:Transform="Replace" />
</appSettings>
  • Finally, opt-in to the feature by calling this on application startup:

Global.asax.cs

using hollywood;
Launch.InstallPrelaunch();
Launch.AddAllowedUrls("/privacy", "/terms");
  • With everything installed, public-facing users will see your "launch page", while people in the know can pass ?token=allyourbase into the page, and from then on access your site normally.

TODO

Right now, access is provided through a single token mechanism. It should grant by email address, send beta invites, etc.