Lock resources between multiple builds that run parallel in Azure DevOps - azure-devops

Question

Suppose I have a build:
Job1:
Task1: Build
Job2:
dependsOn: Job1
Task2: Test
And the test task uses some kind of database, or another unique resource.
I would like to know if it is possible, when multiple builds are running in parallel, to lock Job2 to run unique without other builds trying to access the same resource.
I am using cmake and ctest, so I know I can do something similar between separate unit tests with RESOURCE_LOCK, but I am certain that I will not be able to lock that resource between multiple ctest processes.

Answer 1

Agree with #MarTin's work around. Set one variable with powershell task in Job1, then get this variable and use it in job condition for Job2.
You don't need to use API to add global variable. There has another easier way can for you try: Output variables. We expand one feature that customer can configure one output variable and access this output variable in the next job which is depending on the first job.
The sample of set output variable in Job1:
##vso[task.setvariable variable=firstVar;isOutput=true]Job2 Need skip
Then get the output variable from Job1 in Job2:
Job2Var: $[dependencies.Job1.outputs['outputVars.firstVar']]
Then, in job2, you can use it into job condition:
condition: eq(dependencies.Job1.outputs['outputVars.firstVar'], 'Job2 Need skip')
The completed simple sample script look like this:
jobs:
- job: Job1
steps:
- task: PowerShell#2
inputs:
targetType: 'inline'
script: 'echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=firstVar;isOutput=true]Need skip Job2"'
name: outputVars
- job: Job2
dependsOn: Job1
variables:
Job2Var: $[dependencies.Job1.outputs['outputVars.firstVar'], 'Need skip Job2']
steps:
...
...
The logic I want to express is dynamically assign values to output variable based on Job1 and the current pipeline execution state. One specific value represent that the Job2 should be locked, which means skip its execution. In Job2's condition expression, when the obtained value $[dependencies.Job1.outputs['outputVars.firstVar'] satisfies the predefined expected value, skip current Job2.