Get Build Version in automated build deployment using TFS - deployment

I am deploying web application to azure using TFS CI automated build deployment.
In our config maintain build version like 2014.05.19.1 which is $(Date).$(rev) format.
All I want to update config each time build is deployed.For that I am passing value to 'BuildVersion' parameter in template to powershell script which actually performs publishing to azure.
I tried using $(Date:yyyyMMdd)$(Rev:.r) but it is considered string as it is.
I want to get current build version just like IBuildDetail.BuildNumber
within template.
My question is how to get the build version?

If you are using Invoke Process, instead of passing value for BuildVersion parameter you can directly use 'BuildDetail.BuildNumber' in parameters for process like
String.Format("-BuildNumber ""{0}""",BuildDetail.BuildNumber)
This would give the required build number.

If your PowerShell script is being executed from your TFS build, it should have access to the environment variables specific to the TFS context of the build. If that is the case, you actually don't need to pass the $(BuildVersion) parameter to the script, as it already is accessible to the PS script in the $env:TF_BUILD_BUILDNUMBER environment variable. Try testing something like $env:TF_BUILD_BUILDNUMBER | Out-File "D:\Dev\BuildNumber.txt" in your script. You should hopefully see the file containing your build number after running your build.
(I am assuming you are using a relatively new build process template...one that contains the "Post-Build script path" parameter, such as TfvcTemplate.12.xaml)
Hope this is helpful.

I would recommend that you use the right tool for the right job. The build system, is really only for building (compile & test). We have been using it for other things for years coz we did not have another integrated solution. However Microsoft recently bought InRelease and rebranded as Release Management for Visual Studio 2013. I have successfully integrated this with TFS 2012 as well.

Related

Azure DevOps - Set a Build variable using another variable (nested/composed variables)

In Azure DevOps I have a Pipeline variable "package version" and I set it using 0.1.3$(Rev:.r)-alpha .
I use that variable to replace the "Version" in the .net core project file.
In the Build tasks the dotnet build give me this error:
so I assume the Pipeline variable cannot use a nested variable.
There is a nother way or a different syntax to do it?
[Edit]
The nested variables should work.
I think the error was the dotnet pack using Automatic package versioning set to "Use the build number" that contain the wrong $(rev:.r) (lowercase!).
Using a custom string for Version in the VS project file gives noise on VS (error if the file is open, warning otherwise) and now the Pipeline Build give me an error on dotnet nuget restore because of the invalid Version.
I decided to use a simple clean version, <Version>0.1.2</Version>, that I can choose and document.
Then I want to find a way to read it in the build pipeline and create a custom variable attaching the Build Revision:
0.1.2$(Rev:.r) => 0.1.2.123
That is the result I want.
I found this: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=tmarkovski.projectversionasvariable
I'm using it with the default settings.
I'm using the variables it creates to compose a new variable, "package version":
and I use that in the nuget pack task:
but it does not work.
The resulting variable still contain "$(Rev:.r)" not parsed.
I'll try to use again the "Automatic package versioning" and create the build number in the Options...
[Edit 2]
Set the build version number in the Pipeline Build Options worked.
It's not the optimal solution because the Build Number is not parsed and looks awful.
[Solution]
$(Rev:.r) is not available outside Build / Options.
I used $(Build.BuildNumber) and I'm able to create a composed variable:
$(Version.MajorMinor).$(Build.BuildNumber)-alpha
Build.BuildNumber is valorized in Build/Options: $(Build.DefinitionVersion)$(Rev:.r)
Version.MajorMinor is created by the Project Version As Build Variable add-on.
I don't know how to obtain the same result without using a third party component.
I'm glad my extension helped and thanks for the nice review. If you want more control and have a little time to spend to play with PowerShell, you can easily achieve what you want in two steps, without using third party extensions.
Read and parse the .csproj file as XML
Set build variables
Here are couple of links on reading XML files and working with build variables, it's actually pretty easy.
https://www.business.com/articles/powershell-read-xml-files/
VSTS: Pass build/release variables into Powershell script task
[xml]$XmlDocument = Get-Content -Path $env:project_file
echo $XmlDocument.Project.PropertyGroup.Version
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/process/variables?view=vsts&tabs=yaml%2Cbatch
Write-Host '##vso[task.setvariable variable=package_version;issecret=true]0.1.2.'
Note: my answer wouldn't fit in a comment, I had to post an answer.

How to get Roslyn Analizer results in VSTS Build Definition?

I'm working on DevSecOps. Related to that, I want to secure my application with the help of Roslyn Analyzer. For that I created an MVC Web Application along with custom ruleset in Visual Studio and it's working fine with outputs clearly.
But, when I tried to do same thing with the help of VSTS Build task in my Build Definition in VSTS account. By referring the link, I known that with the help of MSBuild task we can get the Roslyn Analyser results by default. But I didn’t get the results of Roslyn Analyzer results after running my Build Definition. Can you suggest me to “How to overcome this situation”?
If that works locally when run msbuild in command line, then you can try below items to narrow down the issue:
Add a command line task to run the msbuild command line script
directly.
Change another hosted agent.
Deploy an private agent on your dev machine, then check if that works
with the private agent.
You can also reference below articles to troubleshoot the issue:
Using, configuring and distributing Roslyn analysers in teams
Running Code Analyzers on Build Server

tfs 2013 pass build variable post build script powershell

I am using default build template with TFS 2013 and want to pass the name of the person, who initiated the build, as a variable to a post build powershell script.
I know, that there are a couple of "env:TF_BUILD..." variables, that are filled during build process, but I couldn't find a variable, that holds the "user", who triggered the build.
The variable I am looking for is suppose to be something like "$BUILD_REQUESTEDFOR".
I try to put a -user "$BUILD_REQUESTEDFOR" into section 2.5 as Post-build script arguments in a build definition, but it seems, that it wouldn't be filled or interpreted.
Is there something i have missed or is there an other way to get my problem solved.
Any help appreciated.
The predefined variable "$BUILD_REQUESTEDFOR" is only available for vNext build (TFS 2015 and later version). See Build variables for details.
For xaml build, there isn't the variable to get the current user who triggered the build within the build process. See Team Foundation Build environment variables for details.

Visual Studio Online / Azure stopping and starting web applications using Powershell

I'm using Visual Studio Online's build tools to deploy web applications from a single solution. I've occasionally been running into file locking issues.
Error: Web Deploy cannot modify the file 'Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.CSharp.dll' on the destination because it is locked by an external process.
After some Googling, I believe the "fix" is to stop the web applications before deployment on Azure and start it back up after. Sounds legit.
However, there does not seem to be a straight forward way to do this directly on VSO's build definitions. I've created an "Azure Powershell" build task, but it wants a PS1 file from the repository. It doesn't seem to let me just run Azure Powershell commands (e.g. Stop-AzureWebsite) from here. My team has created a work-around where we have a "run.ps1" that just executes the command you pass as a parameter, but none of us are satisfied by that.
What are we missing? There has got to be an easier way to do this without having a PS1 script checked into source control.
I solved this by installing Azure App Services - Start and Stop extension from Visual Studio Marketplace.
When installed, it will allow you to wrap the Deploy Website to Azure task in your Release definition with Azure AppServices Stop and Azure AppServices Start tasks, effectively eliminating the lock issues.
Check if you are using "/" on the "Web Deploy Package" path for folder separators instead of "\".
i.e. change
$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/My Project/drop/MyFolder/MyFile.zip
for
$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)\My Project\drop\MyFolder\MyFile.zip
I noticed that was the only difference between the one I was getting the error and the others (the Restart step I added was not helping). Once I modified the path, I got it working.
Sounds crappy, but fixed my issue.
Did you use the Build Deployment Template that sets the correct msbuild parameters for you for your package? You can see how here. I would create a build using that template and see if you have the same issues. If so ping me on Twitter #DonovanBrown and I will see if I can figure what is going on.
As a rule it is good practice to have any scripts or commands required to deploy your software to be checked into source control as part of your build. They can then be easily run repeatedly with little configuration at the build level. This provides consistency and transparency.
Even better is to have deployment scripts output as part of the build and use a Release Management tool to control the actual deployment.
Regardless having configuration as code is a mantra that all Dev and Ops teams should live by.

Automatic installer deploy to remote server using TeamCity and MSBuild

I'm having a .net WPF project that compiles to a bunch of dlls. I also have another project that compiles all the dlls and creates an installator exe.
I am also using TeamCity to automatically do those tasks for me with a press of a button.
The problem is that I want to have a separate TeamCity build configuration intended to automatically copy the result installator exe to a number of remote machines, each having specific credentials. But, unfortunately, I don't get how do I do this.
I have found some articles on automatic deploying (like this http://www.troyhunt.com/2010/11/you-deploying-it-wrong-teamcity.html), but, obviously, they are very specific for web projects.
So, how should I correctly deploy my installator on build?
Your best bet is to research NAnt and make a simple task that will copy the TeamCity artifact (installer) out to the specified location.
All you would need to do is have TeamCity execute the specified NAnt task after the installer has been built.
http://nant.sourceforge.net/release/0.85/help/tasks/copy.html
Update
Also, check out this question for solutions on specifying the credentials for the copy task.
OK, I've found out that it's pretty easy to do this using the FtpUpload MSBuild community task. There, one can set up the credentials and all other stuff needed for uploading a file (or a set of files) via ftp.