For the list of expressions available for version 1.9.1 of Continua CI see Expression Objects.

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. Note is some areas, such as configuration variables, you can click on this icon to disable expressions

 

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

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Examples
N/ARepresents the full path of a build's workspace folder.String$Workspace$\testfolder"D:\ContinuaAgent\Ws\19\"


$Build

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
IdA unique Integer allocated automatically to this buildString$Build.Id$"10"
VersionA reference object for the build version (as defined below).Version$Build.Version$N/A
StartedByThe username of the user who initiated the buildString$Build.StartedBy$"peter.toms@finalbuilder.com"
IsFeatureBranchBuildUtilised via build triggers. This expression is set to true when a build is triggered on a non-default branchBoolean$Build.IsFeatureBranchBuild$true
BuildNumberA zero-based auto-incremented integer allocated to this build (the first build will be build 0, the second build 1, etc)Integer$Build.BuildNumber$100
MetricsA reference object to the metrics associated with this build (as defined below).Metrics$Build.Metrics$N/A
HasNewChangesDoes this build contain changesets which have not been associated with a previous build?Boolean$Build.HasNewChanges$true
LinkUrlBuild details URLString$Build.LinkUrl$"http:\\SERVERNAME\New_Project_1\ci\builds\view\123" 


$Configuration

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Examples
NameName of the configuration (as defined within the Configuration details page)String$Configuration.Name$"New Configuration 1"
RunningBuildsThe number of currently running buildsInteger$Configuration.RunningBuilds$1
QueuedBuildsThe number of currently queued buildsInteger$Configuration.QueuedBuilds$1
InitialisingBuildsThe number of currently initialising buildsInteger$Configuration.InitialisingBuilds$1


$Agent

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
PortThe port number used for agent communicationString$Agent.Port$"9000"
HostnameThe agents host nameString$Agent.Hostname$"AGENTMACHINE"
NowThe current date and time given as local to the agentDateTime$Agent.Now$"2014 4:51:44 PM"
NowUTCThe current date and time given as UTCDateTime$Agent.NowUtc$"2014 6:52:25 AM"
InstallPathThe installation path of the agentString$Agent.InstallPath$"C:\Program Files\VSoft Technologies\ContinuaCIAgent\"
GetUserEnvironmentVariableGets 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"
GetMachineEnvironmentVariableGets the specified Windows machine environment variable (relative to the agent machine) String$Agent.GetMachineEnvironmentVariable("NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS")$"8"
N/AWithin the Agent object is a list of the current agent property collectorsProperty Collector$Agent.NuGet.Default.Path$"C:\Program Files\NuGet\NuGet.exe"


$Project

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
NameThe name of the project the current configuration is a part of (as provided on the Project details page)String$Project.Name$"New Project 1"
DescriptionThe 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"
SlugA 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

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
N/AA list of repositories associated with the current configurationRepository$Source.Reponame$"Mercurial_Test_1"


$Server

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
NowThe current date and time given as local to the serverDateTime$Server.Now$"01/01/2014 5:03:18 PM"
NowUtcThe date and time given as UTCDateTime$Server.NowUtc$"01/01/2014 7:04:01 AM"
HostnameThe Continua server hostnameString$Server.Hostname$"SERVERMACHINE"
InstallPathThe Continua server install pathString$Server.InstallPath$"C:\Program Files\VSoft Technologies\ContinuaCI\"
UrlThe web service URLString$Server.Url$"http:\\SERVERNAME:8080"


$Utils

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
NewGuidCreate a new randomly generated GUIDGuid$Utils.NewGuid$"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 )

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
BranchThe full name of the branch associated with the build for the given repositoryString$Source.RepoName.Branch$"/branches/a_test_branch"
BranchNameThe branch name of the branch associated with the build for the given repositoryString$Source.RepoName.BranchName$"a_test_branch"
BuiltChangesetA reference object to the changeset information related to the changeset which is being built for the given repository (as defined below)Changeset$Source.RepoName.BuildChangeset.TagNames$"tag1,tag2,tag3"
CommitsSinceLatestTagThe number of commits listed in the changeset history for the current branch of the given repository since the latest tagInteger$Source.RepoName.CommitsSinceLatestTag$3
LatestChangesetA reference object to the changeset information related to the most recent changeset for the given repository (as defined below).Changeset$Source.RepoName.LatestChangeset.Comment$"a comment from the last commit"
LatestTagNameThe latest tag name (if one exists) listed in the changeset history for the current branch of the given repositoryString$Source.RepoName.LatestTagName$"tag3"
LatestTriggeringChangesetA reference object to the changeset information related to the latest changeset for the given repository which triggerred this build (as defined below)Changeset$Source.RepoName.BuildChangeset.BranchName$"master"
PathThe disk location of the source associated with the build for the given repositoryString$Source.RepoName.Path$"C:\ContinuaAgent\Ws\44\Source\"
TagThe tag name (if one exists) associated with the build for the given repositoryString$Source.RepoName.Tag$"v3-release"
TypeThe repository product being usedString$Source.RepoName.Type$"Mercurial"
UrlThe URL of the repository in question (as defined within the repository preferences)String$Source.RepoName.Url$"https://github.com/VSoftTechnologies/Delphi-Mocks.git"


Changeset (used by $Source)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
IdA unique identifier given to this changesetString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.Id$"a4ae66dffe5342e47c3aaf987bced4e9a320559e"
CommentThis comment associated with this changesetString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.Comment$"This is a test commit"
RepositoryUsernameThe username of the repository user who committed this changesetString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.RepositoryUsername$"Peter Toms"
BranchThe full branch path of the latest changeset associated with this repositoryString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.Branch$"/branches/a_test_branch"
BranchNameThe branch name of the latest changeset associated with this repositoryString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.BranchName$"a_test_branch"
CreatedThe date and time when the changeset was committed or created within the source repositoryDateTime$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.Created$"11/09/2014 1:48:36 AM"
FileCountThe number of file changes associated with this commitInteger$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.FileCount$1
CommitterUserNameThe username of the Continua User who committed this changeset (if one exists based on user repository mappings )String$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.CommitterUserName$"peter.toms@finalbuilder.com"
CommitterFullNameThe full name of the Continua user who committed this changeset (if one exists based on user repository mappings)String$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.CommitterFullName$"Peter Toms"
FirstTagNameThe name of the first (or earliest) tag associated with this changesetString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.FirstTagName$"tag1"
LatestTagNameThe name of the latest tag associated with this changesetString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.LatestTagName$"tag3"
TagNamesA comma-delimited list of tags associated with this changesetString$Source.RepoName.BuiltChangeset.TagNames$"tag1,tag2,tag3"
ChangedTagNameThe name of the tag which was changed by this changesetString$Source.RepoName.LatestTriggeringChangeset.ChangedTagName$"tag3"


Stage (used by $Build)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
NameThe stage name as defined within the workflow editorString$Build.Stage.Name"this is a test stage"
MetricsA reference object to the metrics associated with this build (as defined below).Metrics$Build.Stage.MetricsN/A


Metrics (used by $Build)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
Compiler.WarningThe total number of compiler warnings for the current build (eg MSBuild or Visual Studio build warnings)Integer$Build.Metrics.Compiler.Warning$5
Compiler.ErrorThe total number of compiler errors for the current build (eg MSBuild or Visual Studio build errors)Integer$Build.Metrics.Compiler.Error$5
UnitTestsA reference object for the unit test metric details (as defined below)UnitTests$Build.Metrics.UnitTestsN/A


UnitTests (used by $Build.Metrics)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
FixtureCountThe total number of test fixturesInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.FixtureCount$5
CaseCountThe total number of test casesInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.CaseCount$5
PassedThe number of passed testsInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Passed$10
FailedThe number of failed testsInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Failed$5
ErrorThe number of tests in errorInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Error$1
NotRunThe number of tests not runInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.NotRun$1
InconclusiveThe number of inconclusive testsInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Inconclusive$1
IgnoredThe number of ignored testsInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Ignored$1
InvalidThe number of invalid testsInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Invalid$1
SkippedThe number of skipped testsInteger$Build.Metrics.UnitTests.Skipped$1


Version (used by $Build.Version)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
DefaultA reference object for the default versionDefault$Build.Version.DefaultN/A
DotNetA reference object for the .Net versionDotNet$Build.Version.DotNetN/A


Default (used by $Build.Version.Default)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
MajorThe version major portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.Default.Major$"1" (given "1.2.3.4")
MinorThe version minor portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.Default.Minor$"2" (given "1.2.3.4")
BuildThe version build portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.Default.Build$"3" (given "1.2.3.4")
RevisionThe version revision portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.Default.Revision$"4" (given "1.2.3.4")


DotNet (used by $Build.Version.DotNet)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Example
MajorThe version major portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.DotNet.Major$"1" (given "1.2.0.1287")
MinorThe version minor portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.DotNet.Minor$"2" (given "1.2.0.1287")
BuildThe version build portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.DotNet.Build$"0" (given "1.2.0.1287")
RevisionThe version revision portion of the version numberInteger$Build.Version.DotNet.Revision$"1287" (given "1.2.0.1287")


General Functions (used by DateTime and String objects)

NameDescriptionTypeUsage Examples
FormatFormats a date or time value using standard or custom .Net formatting stringsString$Server.Now.Format("hh:mm")$"23:55" (given the date time "31/12/2000 23:55:333")
ToLowerConverts a string to lowercaseString$Source.RepoName.Branch.ToLower$"version 1.5" (given "Version 1.5")
ToUpperConverts a string to uppercaseString$Project.Name.ToUpper$"PROJECT X" (given "Project X")
TrimRemoves all leading and trailing occurrences of whitespace or the characters in the string providedString

$Build.Version.Trim$

$Build.Version.Trim(".,")$

"a b c d" (given " a b c d  ")

"a.b.c.d" (given ",a.b.c.d.")

ReplaceReplaces all occurrences of the first specified string in the current string with the second specified stringString$Configuration.Name.Replace("v.", "version" )$"Test Config version 10" (given "Test Config v. 10")