MSBuild - getting return code from external batch file

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I'm using TFSBuild/MSBuild for our nightly build process. I want to introduce a task that executes an external batch file, and fails the build if the return code is non-zero. According to the documentation a non-zero return code from an external task should fail the build.

Here's my attempt:

XML

<target name="CheckDBScripts">
  <exec command="$(ExecPath)\CheckScriptsForDBO.bat $(ScriptRootPath)" />
</target>

Here's the batch file contents:

grep --quiet \[dbo\] %1\*.sql
rem swap the result code so that no matches = 0, to suit MSBuild conventions
if %errorlevel%==1 exit /B 0
if %errorlevel%==0 exit /B 1

The target runs and the batch file executes, but the return code is ignored - the build always passes regardless.

Am I missing something out?

Neil

Posted 5-Aug-10 23:39pm

Neil Haughton

Updated 6-Aug-10 0:12am

E.F. Nijboer

v2

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E.F. Nijboer · Answer 1 · 2010-08-06T00:22:00

Solution 1

Try this without the exit call:

VB

grep --quiet \[dbo\] %1\*.sql
if ERRORLEVEL 1 EXIT 0
if ERRORLEVEL 0 EXIT 1

Good luck!

ps. it could also be that you need to lose the /B in the exit call...

Posted 6-Aug-10 0:22am

E.F. Nijboer

Updated 6-Aug-10 0:31am

v4

Neil Haughton · Answer 2 · 2010-08-06T00:25:00

Solution 2

Thanks for the response. Do you mean

if %errorlevel%==0 SET ERRORLEVEL=1 ?

I guess you do.

Posted 6-Aug-10 0:25am

Neil Haughton

Comments

E.F. Nijboer 6-Aug-10 6:28am

No I did not ;-) the dos command script language is somewhat strange. I also copied your if construction in my first answer but updated it. Have a look here for more info on it:
http://www.robvanderwoude.com/errorlevel.php

E.F. Nijboer 6-Aug-10 6:33am

ps. this site also is a very good reference when using batch scripts:
http://www.computerhope.com/msdos.htm
http://www.computerhope.com/batch.htm

Neil Haughton · Answer 3 · 2010-08-06T00:39:00

Solution 3

Thanks - I'll try that and report the result.

Posted 6-Aug-10 0:39am

Neil Haughton

Neil Haughton · Answer 4 · 2010-08-06T01:33:00

It appears the TFSBuild is still not getting the errorcode back. If I amend my build script as

XML

<Target Name="CheckDBScripts">
  <Exec Command ="$(ExecPath)\CheckScriptsForDBO.bat $(ScriptRootPath)\common"/>
  <Message Text="Exitcode=$(ExitCode)"/>
</Target>

I get

Exitcode=

in the log. And the build still does not fail when it should.

ExitCode is documented as an MSBuild Exec task property.

E.F. Nijboer · Answer 5 · 2010-08-06T01:46:00

The following script is working properly, you can test both results. You first need to open the command window and then execute the script. I added the /b again so the command window won't close after execution.

The script below is tested by copying a file. When c:\temp\test.txt exists and can be copied, you will see that both if %errorlevel% lines visible in the command window. This means that the first if was false and the second did execute the exit. When c:\temp\test.txt doesn't exist you will see only the first if and falls true. This means that the script works effectively with the copy process. Hopefully it will work just as well with your command.

VB

copy "c:\temp\test.txt" copy.txt
rem swap the result code so that no matches = 0, to suit MSBuild conventions
if %errorlevel%==1 EXIT /b 0
if %errorlevel%==0 EXIT /b 1

Good luck!

Neil Haughton · Answer 6 · 2010-08-06T01:51:00

Solution 6

I think the problem is not so much the script (my original script works in the same way as yours) but getting the errorcode back to the ExitCode property in MSBuild.

Posted 6-Aug-10 1:51am

Neil Haughton

Neil Haughton · Answer 7 · 2010-08-06T03:19:00

Solution 7

I think I have it working now. Thanks for the help.

Posted 6-Aug-10 3:19am

Neil Haughton

MSBuild - getting return code from external batch file

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