##[error]Project file(s) matching the specified pattern were not found - azure-devops

Question

I am having problems with a build pipeline.
The agent pools is hosted VS2017
The YAML is
pool:
vmImage: 'VS2017-Win2016'
variables:
buildConfiguration: 'Debug'
steps:
- task: DotNetCoreInstaller#0
displayName: 'Use .NET Core sdk 2.1.5'
inputs:
version: 2.1.403
- task: DotNetCoreCLI#2
displayName: Restore
inputs:
command: restore
projects: '**/Api*.csproj'
#Your build pipeline references an undefined variable named ‘Parameters.projects’. Create or edit the build pipeline for this YAML file, define the variable on the Variables tab. See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=865972
#Your build pipeline references the ‘BuildConfiguration’ variable, which you’ve selected to be settable at queue time. Create or edit the build pipeline for this YAML file, define the variable on the Variables tab, and then select the option to make it settable at queue time. See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=865971
- task: DotNetCoreCLI#2
displayName: Build
inputs:
projects: '$(Parameters.projects)'
arguments: '--configuration $(BuildConfiguration)'
#Your build pipeline references an undefined variable named ‘Parameters.projects’. Create or edit the build pipeline for this YAML file, define the variable on the Variables tab. See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=865972
#Your build pipeline references the ‘BuildConfiguration’ variable, which you’ve selected to be settable at queue time. Create or edit the build pipeline for this YAML file, define the variable on the Variables tab, and then select the option to make it settable at queue time. See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=865971
- task: DotNetCoreCLI#2
displayName: Publish
inputs:
command: publish
publishWebProjects: false
projects: '$(Parameters.projects)'
arguments: '--configuration $(BuildConfiguration) --output $(build.artifactstagingdirectory)'
- task: PublishBuildArtifacts#1
displayName: 'Publish Artifact'
inputs:
PathtoPublish: '$(build.artifactstagingdirectory)'
When it runs, the build task has the following log
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7087338Z ##[section]Starting: Build
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7093502Z ==============================================================================
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7093580Z Task : .NET Core
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7093785Z Description : Build, test, package, or publish a dotnet application, or run a custom dotnet command. For package commands, supports NuGet.org and authenticated feeds like Package Management and MyGet.
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7093818Z Version : 2.141.0
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7093864Z Author : Microsoft Corporation
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7093895Z Help : [More Information](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=832194)
2018-10-29T18:28:43.7093925Z ==============================================================================
2018-10-29T18:28:44.4833128Z [command]C:\Windows\system32\chcp.com 65001
2018-10-29T18:28:44.4926077Z Active code page: 65001
2018-10-29T18:28:45.1965225Z ##[error]Project file(s) matching the specified pattern were not found.
2018-10-29T18:28:45.2037015Z ##[section]Finishing: Build
I note that the log refers to 2.141.0 where as I am restoring the latest SDK 2.1.403 Why would that be? Could it be that the hosted VS2017 agent does not support the latest version of .netcore?
[Update]
I added a variable for Parameters.projects
However the build task has an error still.
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6774331Z ##[section]Starting: Build
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6781540Z ==============================================================================
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6781632Z Task : .NET Core
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6781676Z Description : Build, test, package, or publish a dotnet application, or run a custom dotnet command. For package commands, supports NuGet.org and authenticated feeds like Package Management and MyGet.
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6781762Z Version : 2.141.0
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6781807Z Author : Microsoft Corporation
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6781853Z Help : [More Information](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=832194)
2018-10-29T21:07:38.6781915Z ==============================================================================
2018-10-29T21:07:39.5030735Z [command]C:\Windows\system32\chcp.com 65001
2018-10-29T21:07:39.5157531Z Active code page: 65001
2018-10-29T21:07:39.5840366Z ##[error]Project file(s) matching the specified pattern were not found.
2018-10-29T21:07:39.5916864Z ##[section]Finishing: Build

Answer 1

Posting just in case this helps anyone in the future
I had my vmImage set as ubuntu with the following set:
projects: '**\*.csproj'
The backslash was throwing things off, I had to switch to the following:
projects: '**/*.csproj'
I copied from a guide that was assuming Windows. Subtle enough, it took me a while to notice 😅

Answer 2

You need to define in the build task which .csproj files you want to build.
In your case, the definition is in a variable $(Parameters.projects).
- task: DotNetCoreCLI#2
displayName: Build
inputs:
projects: '$(Parameters.projects)'
arguments: '--configuration $(BuildConfiguration)'
You can replace this variable in your .csproj (e.g. **/*.csproj for all .csproj files in all subfolders):
- task: DotNetCoreCLI#2
displayName: Build
inputs:
projects: '**/*.csproj'
arguments: '--configuration $(BuildConfiguration)'
Or go to the variables tab and add the Parameters.projects variable:

Answer 3

I am trying to build and publish a multiproject solution in dotnet core.
The solution structure is:
sampleTest.API
sampleTest.API.csproj
sampleTest.Data
sampleTest.Data.csproj
sampleTest.Identity
sampleTest.Identity.csproj
sampleTest.Web
sampleTest.Web.csproj
sampleTest.sln
Now, I just want to build the sampleTest.API dotnet core project. I just need to define in the build task, the path to the project as shown below.
The yaml file for build task for the pipeline in Azure Deveops is shown below:
steps:
- task: DotNetCoreCLI#2
displayName: Build
inputs:
projects: 'sampleTest.API/*.csproj'
arguments: '--configuration $(BuildConfiguration)'
If we need to build based on searching for all the 'cs.proj' files - we do
projects: '**/*.csproj'
Sample build task using the classic Editor in Azure Devops is shown below: