Azure Web App and Azure SQL connectionString error - azure

Question

I have taken the Connection String from my Azure SQL instance via the portal and pasted it into my web.config. If I test the connection string when I create the Publishing Profile it is fine. If I throw an exception in Global.asax to see my connection string like this:
throw new Exception(ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["DefaultConnection"].ConnectionString);
, it shows my correct one. However, I still get this error:
{
"Message": "An error has occurred.",
"ExceptionMessage": "Format of the initialization string does not conform to specification starting at index 0.",
"ExceptionType": "System.ArgumentException",
"StackTrace": " at System.Data.Common.DbConnectionOptions.GetKeyValuePair(String connectionString, Int32 currentPosition, StringBuilder buffer, Boolean useOdbcRules, String& keyname, String& keyvalue)\r\n at System.Data.Common.DbConnectionOptions.ParseInternal(Hashtable parsetable, String connectionString, Boolean buildChain, Hashtable synonyms, Boolean firstKey)\r\n at System.Data.Common.DbConnectionOptions..ctor(String connectionString, Hashtable synonyms, Boolean useOdbcRules)\r\n at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionString..ctor(String connectionString)\r\n at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionFactory.CreateConnectionOptions(String connectionString, DbConnectionOptions previous)\r\n at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnectionPoolGroup(DbConnectionPoolKey key, DbConnectionPoolGroupOptions poolOptions, DbConnectionOptions& userConnectionOptions)\r\n at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.ConnectionString_Set(DbConnectionPoolKey key)\r\n at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.set_ConnectionString(String value)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Interception.DbConnectionDispatcher.<SetConnectionString>b__18(DbConnection t, DbConnectionPropertyInterceptionContext`1 c)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Interception.InternalDispatcher`1.Dispatch[TTarget,TInterceptionContext](TTarget target, Action`2 operation, TInterceptionContext interceptionContext, Action`3 executing, Action`3 executed)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Interception.DbConnectionDispatcher.SetConnectionString(DbConnection connection, DbConnectionPropertyInterceptionContext`1 interceptionContext)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalConnection.InitializeFromConnectionStringSetting(ConnectionStringSettings appConfigConnection)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalConnection.TryInitializeFromAppConfig(String name, AppConfig config)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalConnection.Initialize()\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalConnection.get_ProviderName()\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.get_ProviderName()\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.DefaultModelCacheKeyFactory.Create(DbContext context)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.InitializeContext()\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.Initialize()\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.GetEntitySetAndBaseTypeForType(Type entityType)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.Linq.InternalSet`1.Initialize()\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Internal.Linq.InternalSet`1.Include(String path)\r\n at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DbQuery`1.Include(String path)\r\n at ExpressoApi.Controllers.MenusController.GetMenus() in C:\\Users\\david\\Desktop\\ExpressoApi-master\\ExpressoApi\\Controllers\\MenusController.cs:line 17\r\n at lambda_method(Closure , Object , Object[] )\r\n at System.Web.Http.Controllers.ReflectedHttpActionDescriptor.ActionExecutor.<>c__DisplayClass6_1.<GetExecutor>b__3(Object instance, Object[] methodParameters)\r\n at System.Web.Http.Controllers.ReflectedHttpActionDescriptor.ActionExecutor.Execute(Object instance, Object[] arguments)\r\n at System.Web.Http.Controllers.ReflectedHttpActionDescriptor.ExecuteAsync(HttpControllerContext controllerContext, IDictionary`2 arguments, CancellationToken cancellationToken)\r\n--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---\r\n at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.ThrowForNonSuccess(Task task)\r\n at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)\r\n at System.Web.Http.Controllers.ApiControllerActionInvoker.<InvokeActionAsyncCore>d__1.MoveNext()\r\n--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---\r\n at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.ThrowForNonSuccess(Task task)\r\n at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)\r\n at System.Web.Http.Controllers.ActionFilterResult.<ExecuteAsync>d__5.MoveNext()\r\n--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---\r\n at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.ThrowForNonSuccess(Task task)\r\n at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)\r\n at System.Web.Http.Dispatcher.HttpControllerDispatcher.<SendAsync>d__15.MoveNext()"
}
I've spent a couple of hours trying to fix this, I've made no progress.

Answer 1

I found the problem. Simply pasting the connection string into my web.config of my Azure App does nothing. I needed to add the connection string into my PUBLISHSETTINGS file and the re-publish. Then everything works.