Setting Variable in Azure Pipeline for use in other Jobs doesn’t work as expected

AR5HAM
August 1, 2024
133 views
0 votes
2 Answers

We are setting a variable in Azure Pipeline that we want to use in another job but the variable is not visible in the other job. The following is a simplified YML files we are using with the outputs from the pipeline.

File:BuildTemplate.yml

parameters:
- name: ShortVersion
  type: string
  default: ''

steps:
  - powershell: |
      $DATE = Get-Date
      $CUSTOM_VERSION = "${{ parameters.ShortVersion }}.$($DATE.ToString('yy'))$('{0:D3}' -f $Date.DayOfYear).$(CDP_DEFINITION_BUILD_COUNT)"
      if ('$(Build.SourceBranchName)' -eq "Release") {
        $NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION = "$CUSTOM_VERSION"
      } else {
        $NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION = "$CUSTOM_VERSION-$(Build.SourceBranchName)"
      }
    
    # Set output.
      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION;isOutput=true]$NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=CUSTOM_VERSION;]$CUSTOM_VERSION"
    name: SetNuGetPackageVersion
    displayName: 'Retrieve version'

Printing the variables set in BuildTemplate.yml, everything looks correct.
We have another YML file where the BuildTemplate.yml is getting called from and it looks like something like below.

Based on this documentation for setting an output variable for use in future jobs, I would expect the linux_nuget_feed job should be able to see/set NuGetPackageVersion variable. However it doesn’t. What am I missing here? This doesn’t seem to be a spacing issue in yml as far as I can tell.

- stage: linux
        dependsOn: []
        jobs:
          - job: linux_main
            pool:
              type: linux

            steps:

              - template: .pipelines/BuildTemplate.yml@self
                parameters:
                  ShortVersion: $(SHORT_VERSION)

              - task: PowerShell@2
                displayName: "Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
                inputs:
                  targetType: "inline"
                  script: |
                    Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_0: $(SetNuGetPackageVersion.NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION)"
                    Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=myOutputVar;isOutput=true]$(SetNuGetPackageVersion.NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION)"
                name: passOutput

          - job: linux_nuget_feed
            dependsOn: linux_main
            pool:
              type: windows 
            variables:
              NuGetPackageVersion: $[ dependencies.linux_main.outputs['passOutput.myOutputVar'] ]

            steps:
              - task: PowerShell@2
                displayName: "Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
                inputs:
                  targetType: "inline"
                  script: |
                    Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_0: $[ dependencies.linux_main.outputs['passOutput.myOutputVar'] ]""
                    Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_2: $(NuGetPackageVersion)

Output of the Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION from linux_main, this still looks correct.

Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION (linux_build_container)

NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_0: 2.9.24213.125-Dev-2

Output of the Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION from linux_nuget_feed, this is where things don’t look right anymore.

Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION (windows_build_container)

NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_0: $[ dependencies.linux_main.outputs['passOutput.myOutputVar'] ]"
Write-Host  NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_2:

Answers

You have two outputs in linux_nuget_feed job:

$[ dependencies.linux_main.outputs['passOutput.myOutputVar'] is the runtime expression variable, which should be used in condition and expressions, while not output in task, it cannot be parsed. Remove this output in powershell task. Please check the usage for your reference.
The 2nd output format $(NuGetPackageVersion) is correct. But looks you loose " at the end.

Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_2: $(NuGetPackageVersion)"  # add " at the end

I copied your main yaml, and directly define the variable in 1st job as value is correctly set in template:

trigger: none

stages:
  - stage: linux
    dependsOn: []
    jobs:
      - job: linux_main
        pool:
          vmImage: Ubuntu-latest
        
        variables:
          SetNuGetPackageVersion.NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION: 2.9.24213.125-Dev-2
          
        steps:

          # - template: .pipelines/BuildTemplate.yml@self
          #   parameters:
          #     ShortVersion: $(SHORT_VERSION)

          - task: PowerShell@2
            displayName: "Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
            inputs:
              targetType: "inline"
              script: |
                Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_0: $(SetNuGetPackageVersion.NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION)"
                Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=myOutputVar;isOutput=true]$(SetNuGetPackageVersion.NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION)"
            name: passOutput

      - job: linux_nuget_feed
        dependsOn: linux_main
        pool:
          vmImage: Windows-latest
        variables:
          NuGetPackageVersion: $[ dependencies.linux_main.outputs['passOutput.myOutputVar'] ]

        steps:
          - task: PowerShell@2
            displayName: "Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
            inputs:
              targetType: "inline"
              script: |
                Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_2: $(NuGetPackageVersion)"

I can output the variable in linux_nuget_feed job as below:

You can follow above fixed yaml for a check.

#set output should align with the script, otherwise throw format warning

parameters:
- name: ShortVersion
  type: string
  default: ''

steps:
- powershell: |
    $DATE = Get-Date
    $CUSTOM_VERSION = "${{ parameters.ShortVersion }}.$($DATE.ToString('yy'))$('{0:D3}' -f $Date.DayOfYear)"
    if ('$(Build.SourceBranchName)' -eq "Release") {
      $NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION = "$CUSTOM_VERSION"
    } else {
      $NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION = "$CUSTOM_VERSION-$(Build.SourceBranchName)"
    }

    # Set output.
    Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION;isOutput=true]$NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
    Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=CUSTOM_VERSION;]$CUSTOM_VERSION"
  name: SetNuGetPackageVersion
  displayName: 'Retrieve version'

missing " typo at job linux_nuget_feed

Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_2: $(NuGetPackageVersion)"

Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_0: $[ dependencies.linux_main.outputs['passOutput.myOutputVar'] ]" should be used in condition or expression, can not be directly used in script. Map it first in variables, and refer the variable via $(var)

my simple result with slight modifications:
BuildTemplate.yml

parameters:
- name: ShortVersion
  type: string
  default: ''

steps:
- powershell: |
    $DATE = Get-Date
    $CUSTOM_VERSION = "${{ parameters.ShortVersion }}.$($DATE.ToString('yy'))$('{0:D3}' -f $Date.DayOfYear)"
    if ('$(Build.SourceBranchName)' -eq "Release") {
      $NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION = "$CUSTOM_VERSION"
    } else {
      $NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION = "$CUSTOM_VERSION-$(Build.SourceBranchName)"
    }

    # Set output.
    Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION;isOutput=true]$NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
    Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=CUSTOM_VERSION;]$CUSTOM_VERSION"
  name: SetNuGetPackageVersion
  displayName: 'Retrieve version'

pipeline.yml

variables:
- name: SHORT_VERSION
  value: '1.0.0'

stages:
- stage: linux
  jobs:
  - job: linux_main
    pool:
      vmImage: windows-latest

    steps:
    - template: .pipelines/BuildTemplate.yml@self
      parameters:
        ShortVersion: $(SHORT_VERSION)

    - task: PowerShell@2
      displayName: "Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION"
      inputs:
        targetType: "inline"
        script: |
          Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_0: $(SetNuGetPackageVersion.NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION)"
          Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=myOutputVar;isOutput=true]$(SetNuGetPackageVersion.NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION)"
      name: passOutput

  - job: linux_nuget_feed
    dependsOn: linux_main
    pool:
      vmImage: windows-latest 
    variables:
      NuGetPackageVersion: $[ dependencies.linux_main.outputs['passOutput.myOutputVar'] ]

    steps:
      - task: PowerShell@2
        displayName: "Print NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_1"
        inputs:
          targetType: "inline"
          script: |
            Write-Host "NUGET_PACKAGE_VERSION_2: $(NuGetPackageVersion)"

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