What are they?
Expressions are a mechanism for the autocompletion of values which may not be known until build execution time (for example the current build number). They can also be used to autocomplete variables.
Where can I use them?
Expressions can be utilised in several dialog fields throughout Continua (they are especially useful within stage actions, and build event handlers).
The expansion icon (below) denotes fields that have expression capabilities.
Expression Expansion
To initiate an expansion, simply type the dollar symbol '$' and the expression auto complete will present (note: not all objects are available in all fields).
$Workspace
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Represents the full path of a build's workspace folder. | String | $Workspace$\testfolder | "D:\ContinuaAgent\Ws\19\" |
$Build
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Id | A unique Integer allocated automatically to this build | String | $Build.Id$ | "10" |
| Version | A reference object for the build version (as defined below). | Version | $Build.Version$ | N/A |
| StartedBy | The username of the user who initiated the build | String | $Build.StartedBy$ | "peter.toms@finalbuilder.com" |
| IsFeatureBranchBuild | Utilised via build triggers. This expression is set to true when a build is triggered on a non-default branch | Boolean | $Build.IsFeatureBranchBuild$ | true |
| BuildNumber | A zero-based auto-incremented integer allocated to this build (the first build will be build 0, the second build 1, etc) | Integer | $Build.BuildNumber$ | 100 |
| Metrics | A reference object to the metrics associated with this build (as defined below). | Metrics | $Build.Metrics$ | N/A |
| HasNewChanges | Does this build contain changesets which have not been associated with a previous build? | Boolean | $Build.HasNewChanges$ | true |
| LinkUrl | Build details URL | String | $Build.LinkUrl$ | "http:\\SERVERNAME\New_Project_1\ci\builds\view\123" |
$Configuration
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Name of the configuration (as defined within the Configuration details page) | String | $Configuration.Name$ | "New Configuration 1" |
| RunningBuilds | The number of currently running builds | Integer | $Configuration.RunningBuilds$ | 1 |
| QueuedBuilds | The number of currently queued builds | Integer | $Configuration.QueuedBuilds$ | 1 |
| InitialisingBuilds | The number of currently initialising builds | Integer | $Configuration.InitialisingBuilds$ | 1 |
$Agent
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port | The port number used for agent communication | String | $Agent.Port$ | "9000" |
| Hostname | The agents host name | String | $Agent.Hostname$ | "AGENTMACHINE" |
| Now | The current date and time given as local to the agent | DateTime | $Agent.Now$ | "2014 4:51:44 PM" |
| NowUTC | The current date and time given as UTC | DateTime | $Agent.NowUtc$ | "2014 6:52:25 AM" |
| InstallPath | The installation path of the agent | String | $Agent.InstallPath$ | "C:\Program Files\VSoft Technologies\ContinuaCIAgent\" |
| GetUserEnvironmentVariable | Gets the specified Windows user environment variable (relative to the agent machine's service user, and relative to the agent machine) | String | $Agent.GetUserEnvironmentVariable("TEMP")$ | "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp" |
| GetMachineEnvironmentVariable | Gets the specified Windows machine environment variable (relative to the agent machine) | String | $Agent.GetMachineEnvironmentVariable("NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS")$ | "8" |
| N/A | Within the Agent object is a list of the current agent property collectors | Property Collector | $Agent.NuGet.Default.Path$ | "C:\Program Files\NuGet\NuGet.exe" |
$Project
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | The name of the project the current configuration is a part of (as provided on the Project details page) | String | $Project.Name$ | "New Project 1" |
| Description | The description of the project the current configuration is a part of (as provided on the Project details page) | String | $Project.Description$ | "This is a description for new project 1" |
| Slug | A shortened version of the project name which is safe to use within URLs and other whitespace sensitive identifiers. | String | $Project.Slug$ | "New_Project_1" |
$Source
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | A list of repositories associated with the current configuration | Repository | $Source.Reponame$ | "Mercurial_Test_1" |
$Server
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Now | The current date and time given as local to the server | DateTime | $Server.Now$ | "01/01/2014 5:03:18 PM" |
| NowUtc | The date and time given as UTC | DateTime | $Server.NowUtc$ | "01/01/2014 7:04:01 AM" |
| Hostname | The Continua server hostname | String | $Server.Hostname$ | "SERVERMACHINE" |
| InstallPath | The Continua server install path | String | $Server.InstallPath$ | "C:\Program Files\VSoft Technologies\ContinuaCI\" |
| Url | The web service URL | String | $Server.Url$ | "http:\\SERVERNAME:8080" |
$Utils
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NewGuid | Create a new randomly generated GUID | Guid | $Utils.NewGuid$ | "da47b2d6-3580-48ed-b27a-f152da2345e6" |
| RandomNumber | Generate a new random integer value If one parameter is provided it designates a random number in the range of greater than or equal to zero and the number provided will be generated If two parameters are provided they designate the range for the generated number. If no parameters are provided a 32-bit integer greater than or equal to zero and less than Int32 max value (2,147,483,647) will be generated. | Integer | $Utils.RandomNumber("1", "10")$ $Utils.RandomNumber("10")$ $Utils.RandomNumber$ | 5 2 1906529119 |
Repository (used by $Source )
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branch | The full name of the branch associated with the build for the given repository | String | $Source.RepoName.Branch$ | "/branches/a_test_branch" |
| BranchName | The branch name of the branch associated with the build for the given repository | String | $Source.RepoName.BranchName$ | "a_test_branch" |
| LatestChangeset | A reference object to the changeset information related to the most recent changeset for the given repository (as defined below). | Changeset | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.Comment$ | "a comment from the last commit" |
| Path | The disk location of the source associated with the build for the given repository | String | $Source.RepoName.Path$ | "C:\ContinuaAgent\Ws\44\Source\" |
| Tag | The tag name (if one exists) associated with the build for the given repository | String | $Source.RepoName.Tag$ | "v3-release" |
| Type | The repository product being used | String | $Source.RepoName.Type$ | "Mercurial" |
| Url | The URL of the repository in question (as defined within the repository preferences) | String | $Source.RepoName.Url$ | "https://github.com/VSoftTechnologies/Delphi-Mocks.git" |
Changeset (used by $Source)
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Id | A unique identifier given to this changeset | String | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.Id$ | "a4ae66dffe5342e47c3aaf987bced4e9a320559e" |
| Comment | This comment associated with this changeset | String | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.Comment$ | "This is a test commit" |
| RepositoryUsername | The username of the repository user who committed this changeset | String | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.RepositoryUsername$ | "Peter Toms" |
| Branch | The full branch path of the latest changeset associated with this repository | String | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.Branch$ | "/branches/a_test_branch" |
| BranchName | The branch name of the latest changeset associated with this repository | String | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.BranchName$ | "a_test_branch" |
| Created | The date and time when the changeset was committed or created within the source repository | DateTime | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.Created$ | "11/09/2014 1:48:36 AM" |
| FileCount | The number of file changes associated with this commit | Integer | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.FileCount$ | 1 |
| CommitterUserName | The username of the Continua User who committed this changeset (if one exists based on user repository mappings ) | String | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.CommitterUserName$ | "peter.toms@finalbuilder.com" |
| CommitterFullName | The full name of the Continua user who committed this changeset (if one exists based on user repository mappings) | String | $Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.CommitterFullName$ | "Peter Toms" |
Stage (used by $Source)
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | The stage name as defined within the workflow editor | String | $Build.Stage.Name | "this is a test stage" |
| Metrics | A reference object to the metrics associated with this build (as defined below). | Metrics | $Build.Stage.Metrics | N/A |
Metrics (used by $Build)
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compiler.Warning | The total number of compiler warnings for the current build (eg MSBuild or Visual Studio build warnings) | Integer | $Build.Metrics.Compiler.Warning$ | 5 |
| Compiler.Error | The total number of compiler errors for the current build (eg MSBuild or Visual Studio build errors) | Integer | $Build.Metrics.Compiler.Error$ | 5 |
| Unit Tests | A reference object for the unit test metric details (as defined below) | Unit Tests | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests | N/A |
Unit Tests (used by $Build.Metrics)
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FixtureCount | The total number of test fixtures | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.FixtureCount$ | 5 |
| CaseCount | The total number of test cases | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.CaseCount$ | 5 |
| Passed | The number of passed tests | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Passed$ | 10 |
| Failed | The number of failed tests | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Failed$ | 5 |
| Error | The number of tests in error | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Error$ | 1 |
| NotRun | The number of tests not run | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.NotRun$ | 1 |
| Inconclusive | The number of inconclusive tests | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Inconclusive$ | 1 |
| Ignored | The number of ignored tests | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Ignored$ | 1 |
| Invalid | The number of invalid tests | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Invalid$ | 1 |
| Skipped | The number of skipped tests | Integer | $Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Skipped$ | 1 |
Version (used by $Build.Version)
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default | A reference object for the default version | Default | $Build.Version.Default | N/A |
| DotNet | A reference object for the .Net version | DotNet | $Build.Version.DotNet | N/A |
Default (used by $Build.Version.Default)
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | The version major portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.Default.Major$ | "1" (given "1.2.3.4") |
| Minor | The version minor portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.Default.Minor$ | "2" (given "1.2.3.4") |
| Build | The version build portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.Default.Build$ | "3" (given "1.2.3.4") |
| Revision | The version revision portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.Default.Revision$ | "4" (given "1.2.3.4") |
DotNet (used by $Build.Version.DotNet)
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | The version major portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.DotNet.Major$ | "1" (given "1.2.0.1287") |
| Minor | The version minor portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.DotNet.Minor$ | "2" (given "1.2.0.1287") |
| Build | The version build portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.DotNet.Build$ | "0" (given "1.2.0.1287") |
| Revision | The version revision portion of the version number | Integer | $Build.Version.DotNet.Revision$ | "1287" (given "1.2.0.1287") |
General Functions
| Name | Description | Type | Usage Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Formats a date or time value using standard or custom .Net formatting strings | String | $Server.Now.Format("hh:mm")$ | "23:55" (given the date time "31/12/2000 23:55:333") |
| ToLower | Converts a string to lowercase | String | $Source.RepoName.Branch.ToLower$ | "version 1.5" (given "Version 1.5") |
| ToUpper | Converts a string to uppercase | String | $Project.Name.ToUpper$ | "PROJECT X" (given "Project X") |