BuildHTTPClient not able to get Build Definition Steps? - tfs

Question

We are using the BuildHTTPClient to programmatically create a copy of a build definition, update the variables in memory and then save the updated object as a new definition.
I'm using Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build2.WebApi.BuildHTTPClient 16.141. The TFS version is 17 update 3 (rest api 3.x)
This is a similar question to https://serverfault.com/questions/799607/tfs-buildhttpclient-updatedefinition-c-example but I'm trying to stay within using the BuildHttpClient libraries and not go directly to the RestAPIs.
The problem is the Steps list is always null along with other properties even though we have them in the build definition.
UPDATE Posted as an answer below
After looking at #Daniel Frosts attempt below we started looking at using older versions of the NuGet package. Surprisingly the supported version 15.131.1 does not support this but we have found out that the version="15.112.0-preview" does.
After rolling back all of our Dlls to match that version the steps were cloned when saving the new copy of the build.
All of the code examples we used work when you are using this package. We were unable to get Daniel's example working but the version of the Dll was the issue.
We need to create a GitHub issue and report it to MS
First Attempt - GetDefinitionAsync:
VssConnection connection = new VssConnection(DefinitionTypesDTO.serverUrl, new VssCredentials());
BuildHttpClient bdClient = connection.GetClient<BuildHttpClient>();
Task <BuildDefinition> resultDef = bdClient.GetDefinitionAsync(DefinitionTypesDTO.teamProjectName, buildID);
resultDef.Wait();
BuildDefinition updatedDefinition = UpdateBuildDefinitionValues(resultDef.Result, dr, defName);
updatedTask = bdClient.CreateDefinitionAsync(updatedDefinition, DefinitionTypesDTO.teamProjectName);
The update works on the variables and we can save the updated definition back to TFS but there are not any tasks in the newly created build definition. When we look at the object that is returned from GetDefinitionAsync we see that the Steps list is empty. It looks like GetDefinitionAsync just doesn't get the full object.
Second Attempt - Specific Revision:
int rev = 9;
Task <BuildDefinition> resultDef = bdClient.GetDefinitionAsync(DefinitionTypesDTO.teamProjectName, buildID, revision: rev);
resultDef.Wait();
BuildDefinition updatedDefinition = UpdateBuildDefinitionValues(resultDef.Result, dr, defName);
Based on SteveSims post we were thinking we are not getting the correct revision. So we added revision to the request. I see the same issue with the correct revision. Similarly to SteveSims post I can open the DefinitionURL in a browser and I see that the tasks are in the JSON in the browser but the BuildDefinition object is not populated with them.
Third Attempt - GetFullDefinition:
So then I thought to try getFullDefinition, maybe that's that "Full" means of course with out any documentation on these libraries I have no idea.
var task2 = bdClient.GetFullDefinitionsAsync(DefinitionTypesDTO.teamProjectName, "MyBuildDefName","$/","TfsVersionControl");
task2.Wait();
Still no luck, the Steps list is always null even though we have steps in the build definition.
Fourth Attempt - Save As Template
var task2 = bdClient.GetTemplateAsync DefinitionTypesDTO.teamProjectName, "1_Batch_Dev");
task2.Wait();
I tried saving the Build Definition off as a template. So in the Web UI I chose "Save as Template", still no steps.
Fifth Attempt: Using the URL as mentioned in SteveSims post:
Finally i said ok, i'll try the solution SteveSims used, using the webclient to get the object from the URL.
var client = new WebClient();
client.UseDefaultCredentials = true;
var json = client.DownloadString(LastDefinitionUrl);
//Convert the JSON to an actual builddefinition
BuildDefinition result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<BuildDefinition>(json);
This also didn't work. The build definition steps are null. Even when looking at the Json object (var json) i see the steps. But the object is not loaded with them.
I've seen this post which seems to add the Steps to the base definition, i've tried this but honestly I'm having an issue understanding how he has modified the BuildDefinition Object when referencing that via NuGet?
https://dennisdel.com/blog/getting-build-steps-with-visual-studio-team-services-.net-api/

Answer 1

After looking at #Daniel Frosts attempt below we started looking at using older versions of the NuGet package. Surprisingly the supported version 15.131.1 does not support this but we have found out that the version="15.112.0-preview" does.
After rolling back all of our Dlls to match that version the steps were cloned when saving the new copy of the build.
All of the code examples above work when you are using this package. We were unable to get Daniel's example working but we didn't try hard as we had working code.
We need to create a GitHub issue for this.

Answer 2

Found this in my code, which works.
Use this package, not sure if it could have an impact (joke).
...packages\Microsoft.TeamFoundationServer.Client.15.112.1\lib\net45\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build2.WebApi.dll
private Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.WebApi.BuildDefinition GetBuildDefinition(string projectName, string buildDefinitionName)
{
var buildDefinitionReferences = _buildHttpClient.GetFullDefinitionsAsync(projectName, "*", null, null, DefinitionQueryOrder.DefinitionNameAscending, top: 1000).Result;
return buildDefinitionReferences.SingleOrDefault(x => x.Name == buildDefinitionName && x.DefinitionQuality != DefinitionQuality.Draft);
}

Answer 3

With the newer clients Steps will always be empty. In newer api-versions (which are used by the newer clients) the steps have moved to Phases. If you use GetDefinitions or GetFullDefinitions and look in
definition.Process.Phases[0].Steps
you'll find them. (GetDefinitions gets shallow references so the process won't be included.)
The Steps collection still exists for compatibility reasons (we don't want apps to crash with stuff like MethodNotFoundExceptions) but it won't be populated.

Answer 4

I was having this problem, although I able to get Phases[0] information at runtime, but could not get it at design time. I solved this problem using dynamic type.
dynamic process = buildDefTemplate.Process;
foreach (BuildDefinitionStep tempStep in process.Phases[0].Steps)
{
// do some work here
}
Not, it is working!

Answer 5

Microsoft.TeamFoundationServer.Client version 16.170.0 I can get build steps through process.Phases[0].Steps only with process and step being dynamic as #whitecore above stated
var definitions = buildClient.GetFullDefinitionsAsync(project: project.Name);
foreach (var definition in definitions.Result)
{
Console.WriteLine(string.Format("\n {0} - {1}:", definition.Id, definition.Name));
dynamic process = definition.Process;
foreach (dynamic step in process.Phases[0].Steps)
{
Console.WriteLine(step.DisplayName);
}
}