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Is it possible to use environment variables in dotnet_csproj section

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jstafford

14 Feb, 2018 10:37 PM

I'm trying to better manage version numbers between the build itself and the assembly info in my dotnet core apps. In order to do so, I was attempting to set an environment variable for the application version, reset the version (using that application version) of the build using Update-AppveyorBuild, and then use that same variable in the patching process for csproj. It came out something like this:

dotnet_csproj:
    patch: true
    file: '**\*.csproj'
    version: '$env:app_version'
    package_version: '$env:app_version.{build}'  
    file_version: '$env:app_version.{build}'
    assembly_version: '1.0.0'

But it doesn't seem to be working as I thought it would. I'm not seeing any errors (or the result, for that matter) in the logs, but the builds are failing with several errors that I can only assume are cascading from this (the build was working before this change, so it's not the project), and that it is a result of the assembly patching not succeeding or outputting something invalid:

C:\Users\appveyor\AppData\Local\Temp\1\NuGetScratch\4tbo4y1o.zlv.nugetrestore.targets(131,5): error MSB4018: The "WriteRestoreGraphTask" task failed unexpectedly.

So is it possible to use environment variables in the csproj patching section and how?

1. 1 Posted by Ilya Finkelshte... on 14 Feb, 2018 10:42 PM

   

   You use PowerShell notation. We support the following notations right now:

   $(variable) - MSBuild-like variables
   %variable% - batch-like variables
   ${variable} - Shell-like variables
   

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2. 2 Posted by jstafford on 15 Feb, 2018 12:23 AM

   

   So it would be like this, then?

   dotnet_csproj:
       patch: true
       file: '**\*.csproj'
       version: '${app_version}'
       package_version: '${app_version}.{build}'  
       file_version: '${app_version}.{build}'
       assembly_version: '1.0.0'
   

   This seems to exhibit the same failure (not sure if coincedence. I still can't see what those values are resolving to

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3. 3 Posted by Ilya Finkelshte... on 15 Feb, 2018 12:31 AM

   

   Try to remove '', e.g. package_version: ${app_version}.{build}. Generally I would recommend to use UI and then Export YAML button to spend less time wrestling with YAML syntax.

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4. 4 Posted by jstafford on 15 Feb, 2018 12:41 AM

   

   C:\Users\appveyor\AppData\Local\Temp\1\NuGetScratch\c4oyvlx2.w5v.nugetrestore.targets(131,5): error MSB4018: System.ArgumentException: '$app_version' is not a valid version string. "

   It seems that the variable is not hydrating. Just to make sure my environment variable was declared correctly, I did as you suggested and used the UI to generate the value:

   environment:
       app_version: 2.1.0
   

   dotnet_csproj:
       patch: true
       file: '**\*.csproj'
       version: ${app_version}
       package_version: ${app_version}.{build}
       file_version: ${app_version}.{build}
       assembly_version: '1.0.0'
   

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5. 5 Posted by Ilya Finkelshte... on 15 Feb, 2018 01:03 AM

   

   You found a bug :) https://github.com/appveyor/ci/issues/2078

   Use $(variable) or %variable%. %variable% will require '' in YAML.

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6. 6 Posted by jstafford on 15 Feb, 2018 01:28 AM

   

   Ok thanks. So that resolved the error but now it is not filling in the Build number

   I've tried:

   • $(app_version).{build}
   • $(app_version.(build)
   • $(app_version).$(build)
   • $(app_version).$(APPVEYOR_BUILD_NUMBER)

   and all are naming the nuget package 2.1.0 instead of 2.1.0.410

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7. 7 Posted by Ilya Finkelshte... on 15 Feb, 2018 01:55 AM

   

   $(app_version).{build} and '%app_version%.{build}' should work. If not, send the whole YAML and build log.

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8. 8 Posted by jstafford on 15 Feb, 2018 04:21 PM

   

   Ok I figured it out. I didn't have in the csproj so it was getting skipped, I think. Once I put it in, the versions came out correct. Thanks!

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9. 9 Posted by Ilya Finkelshte... on 15 Feb, 2018 07:47 PM

   

   Right, here is issue about it. We finally decided that it is OK if AppVeyor will add Version and others if they do not exist.

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10. 10 Posted by jstafford on 15 Feb, 2018 08:24 PM

    

    Great. Thanks Ilya. You're a superstar.

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11. 11 Posted by Ilya Finkelshte... on 15 Feb, 2018 08:34 PM

    

    Shhh, don't tell anyone :)

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12. Ilya Finkelshteyn closed this discussion on 25 Aug, 2018 02:27 AM.