TFS 2018 and AppCenter Test - tfs

Question

I'm new to CI/CD and can't find any information on the internet on how to use AppCenter Test with TFS 2018. I have my Xamarin projects in TFS but I want to test them within the device cloud of AppCenter Test.
There are a couple documents on MS's docs that make it look like it's possible but for a newbie they give ZERO information on how to implement it. HERE is an example. If you look up top this document is relavant to TFS 2018.

Answer 1

In Azure Pipeline, you can use either YAML or the classic editor to define your pipelines. But YAML build is not supported in TFS 2018 yet.
So you need to use the classic editor to add App Center Test task to your pipeline and then refer to the Arguments in the documentation to define the task.

Answer 2

Here is what I did to get it working. No idea if it's correct or not, but hey, it works!
Xamarin.UITest
If you don't do the following step you'll run your tests locally and
nothing will happen, they'll just immediately exit.
First go to Tools > Options > Test > General > Active Solution then uncheck For improved performance, only use test adapters in test assembly folder or as specified in runsettings file
public class AppInitializer
{
public static IApp StartApp(Platform platform)
{
if (platform == Platform.Android)
{
return ConfigureApp.Android
// You may need to adjust the following relative path based on where you created your UITest project
.ApkFile(#"..\..\..\<AppName>\<AppName>.Android\bin\Release\<App Package Name>.apk")
// Uncomment if you are running locally and you want VS to launch/install app
//.PreferIdeSettings()
.StartApp();
}
return ConfigureApp.iOS.StartApp();
}
}
Do not add references to your Android and iOS projects like the MS
docs say. This will lead you down the path of hours of useless troubleshooting
Deploy your agent on a development windows box. Follow these instructions: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/agents/v2-windows?view=azure-devops
TFS 2018 Configuration
In TFS click into the repository of your project
Click "Build and Release"
Up top right click "+New"
Click "Continue"
Scroll down and click "Xamarin.Android"
on the next screen set the Agent queue to whatever you created ealier, probably Default
List of my build tasks
Nuget Tool Installer
.NET Core
Nuget
Xamarin.Android
MSBuild
Android signing
Node Tool Installer
Nuget
App Center Test
Here are my build steps in detail
Nuget Tool Installer
Use Nuget
version of nuget to install : 4.9.3 (this is what I noticed my VS was using)
all else defaults
.NET Core
command: restore
path to projects: **/*.csproj
all else defaults
Nuget
Command: custom
Command and arguments: restore -MsbuildPath "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\MSBuild\15.0\Bin"
All else defaults
Xamarin.Android
Project: **/*Droid*.csproj
Target: (empty)
Output directory: $(build.binariesdirectory)\$(BuildConfiguration)
Configuration: $(BuildConfiguration)
MSBuild: enable Specify Location
MSBuild Location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\MSBuild\15.0\Bin
JDK Options, JDK 8 x64
all else defaults
MSBuild
Project: (fit this to match your uitest project): **/*UITest*.csproj
MSBuild version: Latest
Platform: (empty)
Configuration: $(BuildConfiguration)
MSBuild Arguments: /p:OutputPath="$(build.binariesdirectory)\$(BuildConfiguration)\test-assembly"
all else defaults
Android Signing
APK Files: $(build.binariesdirectory)\$(BuildConfiguration)\*.apk
Check sign the APK and put in your info
Jarsigner arguments: -verbose -sigalg MD5withRSA -digestalg SHA1
Check to Zipalign
Zipalign location: (empty)
all else defaults
Node Tool Installer
Version Spec: (choose whatever version you already have on your system) 10.11.0
all else defaults
Note: Prior to the next step create a new variable called
XamarinUITestVer and set the value to whatever value you want to use
for the Xamarin.UITest Nuget package you want to install. In my case
the value I set was: 2.2.7
Nuget
Command: custom
Command and Arguments (refer to note above): install Xamarin.UITest -Version $(XamarinUITestVer) -OutputDirectory "$(Agent.BuildDirectory)\Nuget"
all else defaults
App Center Test
Binary Application File Path: $(build.binariesdirectory)\$(BuildConfiguration)\*.apk
Artifacts Directory: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)\AppCenterTest
Check: 'Prepare Tests`
Test Framework: Xamarin UI Test
Build Directory: $(build.binariesdirectory)\$(BuildConfiguration)\test-assembly
Store File: (empty)
Store Password: (empty)
Key Alias: (empty)
Key Password: (empty)
Test Tools Directory: $(Agent.BuildDirectory)\Nuget\Xamarin.UITest.$(XamarinUITestVer)\tools\
Signing Information: (empty)
Additional Options: (empty)
Check: Run Tests
Authentication Method: App Center Connection
App Center Connection: (create a new connection)
App Slug: obtain this by "almost" creating a test in AppCenter. From your app in AppCenter create a New Test Run, select device(s), select Next and choose Xamarin.UITest and hit Next. Down below you'll see the --app string and this is what you use for this field.
Devices: obtain this by "almost" creating a test in AppCenter. From your app in AppCenter create a New Test Run, select device(s), select Next and choose Xamarin.UITest and hit Next. Down below you'll see the --devices string and this is what you use for this field.
all else defaults