Setting up custom domain with SAML Authentication

[JoelMTaylor]

Hi,

I have a vague question to check the potential for running Retype.

I am looking to setup my GitHub/Retype Repo under a custom domain. Also, I need to add a SAML Authentication layer (Azure).

I don't have experience with it, but plan to follow instructions such as:

• https://retype.com/hosting/github-pages/
• https://docs.github.com/en/pages/configuring-a-custom-domain-for-your-github-pages-site/managing-a-custom-domain-for-your-github-pages-site
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/auth-saml
• EDIT: Or, directing the repo straight to Azure Static Web Apps (https://docs.github.com/en/actions/deployment/deploying-to-your-cloud-provider/deploying-to-azure/deploying-to-azure-static-web-app)

Do you foresee any issues that would be encountered as a result of having SAML? For example, the GitHub repo couldn't update the website because it is behind a layer of authentication that it can't access (I imagine this is a fairly ignorant question - I apologise). [Edit: Since this is a vague question, vague answers are appropriate.]

If you have any websites, articles or key words that would be useful in this endeavour, it would be greatly appreciated.

As always, thank you for your assistance.

[geoffreymcgill]

I don't think this kind of architecture is possible if you're hosting with GitHub Pages. I could be very wrong though. I've never been involved in this kind of configuration with Azure.

If you're hosting the site on a solution provided by Azure, it should certainly be possible.

Let me discuss this with the others on the team and we'll try and work out some suggestions.

[JoelMTaylor]

There have been some developments.

Apparently, the use of ./workflows/azure... .yml was not needed. With proper setup, once the retype actions do their work, it will automatically be reflected in the Azure website (similar, I believe, to hosting on GitHub pages).

Therefore, most of the content above is not required, but we are still playing around with the file names and branches (if that flow chart could be made, it would still be really useful).

We need to change the location of the hosted branch. In GitHub Pages > Step 2: Configure GitHub Pages, it says “By default, the Retype Action will publish your website to a retype branch, although you can configure to host from any branch.” If we want to change the default branch, is the only change required in retype-action.yml and specificy the branch as something else?

      - uses: retypeapp/action-github-pages@v2
        with:
          branch: published
          update-branch: true

Also, for some reason the retype actions aren't happening as they were before. In my actions (on my old Repo), I would have a bot come after every push that said: "pages build and deployment". Now (in my new Repo), I don't have any such action appearing - just the push. Is this something I need to worry about and is causing me errors? How would I enable this bot? Note, I did have another workflow that I have since disabled (the azure... .yml), I don't know if this was having priority and preventing the bot.

[geoffreymcgill]

if that flow chart could be made, it would still be really useful

I'll give it a shot. Not sure I can get it done right away, but I'll try.

In general, the workflow is relatively simple:

1. Commit to repo.
2. Retype Action watches for commit.
3. retype build is triggered by the retypeapp/action-build action.
4. retypeapp/action-github-pages action is watching for those generated files, which are being stored in a temp directory in memory.
5. Generated output is sent to the retype branch (by default) by the retypeapp/action-github-pages action.
6. If using GitHub Pages, then the GitHub Pages process is watching for changes in the retype branch and publishes to the live web server.

If we want to change the default branch, is the only change required in retype-action.yml and specificy the branch as something else?

Correct. If you want the Retype build action to deploy the generated files to the published branch, instead of the retype branch (default), then your branch: published config looks correct, although I would use the @latest tag instead of @v2:

      - uses: retypeapp/action-github-pages@latest
        with:
          branch: published
          update-branch: true

You would still use the retypeapp/action-github-pages action to deploy the generated files to the published branch, but since you are not using GitHub Pages, you would not actually enable GitHub Pages.

although you can configure to host from any branch

I will add an actual .yml sample to the docs demonstrating how that branch would be configured, but it would be using the same as you have configured with branch: published.

Retype Build Action:
https://github.com/retypeapp/action-build

Retype GitHub Pages Action:
https://github.com/retypeapp/action-github-pages

Hope this helps.

[geoffreymcgill]

@JoelMTaylor Did you get your setup working?

[JoelMTaylor]

Not yet. We are investigating issues with the Azure side. I will update here when more progress is made.

[JoelMTaylor]

We have not tracked down the issue yet. However, we are investigating some ideas.

I believe that the Azure workflow (./workflows/azure-static-web-apps-<RANDOM_NAME>.yml) is looking for the deployed retype website/app. Normally, this is located in the retype branch (we changed it to "published"). the Azure workflow is looking for the app in the main branch, though.

The obvious solution is to just change where it is looking. We are looking for this, but this would only solve half of the problem.

We also believe that the azure-static-web-apps-<RANDOM_NAME>.yml file needs to be inside the deployed branch (published). The other problem is that when Retype builds and deploys the app, it removes *.yml files from the final solution. I have tried to include it by:

• specifying the location in ./workflows/azure-static-web-apps-<RANDOM_NAME>.yml
• creating a copy in the root and including it
• creating another folder and copy in there and including it
• including any "*.yml" extension.
  None of them are successful.

Do you know of any way that we can include a *.yml extension in the deployed branch?

[geoffreymcgill]

I thought explicitly adding the file to the project include configuration would have worked, but it does not. It appears Retype is just completely ignoring .yml files, even if it's explicitly configured to include.

Within your retype.yml project file, I was expecting the following to work:

include:
  - .github/workflows/azure-static-web-apps-*.yml

I'm going to consider this a defect and we're going to try and fix right away.

There should be a way to work-around the issue by adding some file copy logic into the retype-action.yml file. We'll try and work this out on Monday and get back to you with a solution right away.

[ccmltd]

Hi Geoff, we have confirmed that the logic detailed above is sound and everything works as expected once we get azure-static-web-apps-*.yml into the right branch with the published files, thus if the following 'defect' is resolved and copies across the file then we are good to go.

include:
  - .github/workflows/azure-static-web-apps-*.yml

[geoffreymcgill]

A temporary work-around to at least test that adding the .github/workflows/azure-static-web-apps-*.yml to the retype branch will solve the problem would be to manually add that file to the branch.

Checkout the retype branch and then manually add and commit the required .yml file.

.github
  |- workflows
        |- azure-static-web-apps-test.yml

If the Azure process is monitoring the retype branch for changes, then it should pick up that change and find the new .yml.

Each time the Retype workflow runs, it will remove the contents of the retype branch before adding the newly built files, so your manually added .yml workflow file will be removed. You can just manually add it back.

Our goal is to have v2.3.0 available early next week.

[ccmltd]

Yep, manually adding the file certainly works and keeps Azure happy. With a little bit of JSON specified in the include list we also have it successfully authenticating users via Azure Active Directory :-)

Our current workaround is to go with the option of placing the retype output into a subdirectory in the main branch which keeps the workflow there too. To avoid Azure trying to update before ReType has regenerated the new files I’ve also added a 30sec delay in the Azure workflow which gives ReType a chance to finish processing before pushing over the files.

Thanks for all your hard work on development. We will have in excess of 100 pages so will only be happy to support the project with a pro subscription once this is ready to go.

[geoffreymcgill]

The include defect when trying to force deployment of .yml files has been fixed and will be included within the upcoming Retype v2.3.0 release.

As of v2.3.0, the following statement will deploy the referenced .yml file to the output directory.

include:
  - ".github/workflows/azure-static-web-apps-*.yml"

Hope this helps.

[JoelMTaylor]

Thank you, that will be helpful.

[JoelMTaylor]

Okay, I will have a look and try change this. Can I ask a question that is somewhat related: In GitHub Pages > Step 2: Configure GitHub Pages<https://retype.com/hosting/github-pages/#:~:text=By%20default%2C%20the%20Retype%20Action%20will%20publish%20your%20website%20to%20a%20retype%20branch%2C%20although%20you%20can%20configure%20to%20host%20from%20any%20branch.>, you say “By default, the Retype Action will publish your website to a retype branch, although you can configure to host from any branch.” If we want to change the default branch, do we change the ./retype.yml “output: .retype” code<https://retype.com/samples/advanced-project-config/#:~:text=See%20also%3A%20output%0A%0A%23%20%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D%2D-,output%3A%20.retype,-%23%20Custom%20path%20to>? Thank you for your help. From: Geoffrey McGill ***@***.***> Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2022 5:24 PM To: retypeapp/retype ***@***.***> Cc: Joel Taylor ***@***.***>; Author ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [retypeapp/retype] Setting up custom domain with SAML Authentication (Discussion #311) In your Azure workflow file, is it configured to watch the retype branch? Maybe the following would be required, instead of main. on: push: branches: - retype I'm kinda shooting in the dark with that idea, but it does look like it's a pathing issue. The deployment is not finding the root index.html file. My first guess would be that is monitoring the wrong repo branch. Hope this helps. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#311 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AXLCFGOFFVUSY5DXHFWSWL3VCYQZNANCNFSM5SD2ZRAQ>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.******@***.***>>

[geoffreymcgill]

Hi. If you would like the Retype GitHub Action to publish to a different branch name, you can configure the following branch value within your projects .github/workflows/azure-static-web-apps-test.yml file.

      - uses: retypeapp/action-github-pages@latest
        with:
          branch: retype #<--- change this branch name
          update-branch: true

Hope this helps.