Maximize how you use your VSTS build and release pipeline with Inline Powershell tasks. In this blog series ‘Tips and Tricks for Inline Powershell’, I will show simple samples on how to get more out of your pipelines. This blog post: VSTS Rest API
VSTS Inline Powershell task
The Inline PowerShell VSTS task enables you to execute PowerShell from a textbox within your build or release pipeline. You can run a PowerShell script on you agent or as Azure Powershell.
Introduction Inline Powershell Task
Install Inline Powershell Task
VSTS Rest API
The VSTS Rest API let you access and change information in your projects. You can start a build, release or change workitems. To access the Rest API from you Powershell you can use a personal access token or use OAUTH token provide in the build. You have to enable Allow script access OAuth Token in you pipeline configuration:
Now you are ready to rock. To access the current build steps you can use the following script:
[String]$buildID = "$env:BUILD_BUILDID"
[String]$project = "$env:SYSTEM_TEAMPROJECT"
[String]$projecturi = "$env:SYSTEM_TEAMFOUNDATIONCOLLECTIONURI"
$headers = @{ Authorization = "Bearer $env:SYSTEM_ACCESSTOKEN" }
$url= $projecturi + $project + "/_apis/build/builds/" + $buildID + "/timeline?api-version=2.0"
Write-Host $url
$responseBuild = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $url -headers $headers -Method Get | select records
foreach ($record in $responseBuild.records)
{
$result = $record.result
$taskname = $record.name
Write-Host "task $taskname: $result"
}
The Rest API will return a list with the status of the tasks. This will let you react on information from the current build. The next sample will create a workitem in you team project:
[String]$project = "$env:SYSTEM_TEAMPROJECT"
[String]$projecturi = "$env:SYSTEM_TEAMFOUNDATIONCOLLECTIONURI"
$headers = @{ Authorization = "Bearer $env:SYSTEM_ACCESSTOKEN" }
$url= $projecturi + $project + '/_apis/wit/workitems/$bug?api-version=2.0'
$body="[
{
`"op`": `"add`",
`"path`": `"/fields/System.Title`",
`"value`": `"workitem create test`"
}
]"
Write-Host "$url"
$response= Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $url -ContentType "application/json-patch+json" -Body $body -headers $headers -Method PATCH
Write-Host $response
If you have any tests in your build and you detect quality degradation, create a issue on your backlog as reminder.
More tips and tricks
Use VSTS variables
Let your task fail
Set progress
Change buildnumber
VSTS Command overview
Call a WebHook
Download a file
Install a Powershell Module
Navigate VSTS as filesystem
Make VSTS API Rest calls
Script example: Act on failed build
Resources
VSTS Rest API Overview
VSTS Rest API Samples
{ Think Rethink } 