Azure-pipelines-agent: Github-Repository-Resource Service Connection Issue

[JeremyTCD]

Have you tried trouble shooting?

Yes

VSTS Type and Version

VisualStudio.com

Account Name

http://jeremytcd.visualstudio.com

What's not working?

I'm having a service connection issue when attempting to use a Github repository as a resource. I am aware of the advisory Troubleshoot Azure Resource Manager service connections and I've read through all of the information on repository resources and service connections I could find (article 1, article 2, article 3). I could not resolve my issue, so I created reproduction repositories:

IssueReproduction.RepositoryResource.Template

This repository has a single file, template.yml, with the following contents:

jobs:
- job: Test
  pool:
    vmImage: 'vs2017-win2016'
  steps:
  - script: echo success

IssueReproduction.RepositoryResource.Consumer

This repository has a single file, consumer.yml, with the following contents:

resources:
  repositories:
  - repository: templates
    type: github
    name: JeremyTCD/IssueReproduction.RepositoryResource.Template
    endpoint: https://github.com/JeremyTCD/IssueReproduction.RepositoryResource.Template.git

jobs:
- template: template.yml@templates

It adds the template repository as a resource using the method documented here and uses template.yml.

Pipeline

After creating those repositories, I created a pipline - IssueReproduction.RepositoryResource.Consumer-CI.

Note, initially, consumer.yml had no endpoint option, as per the documentation. Without it, I got these
errors:

Repository templates requires an endpoint

Parameter name: endpoint,Unable to cast object of type 'Microsoft.TeamFoundation.DistributedTask.Pipelines.Yaml.Templates.JobsTemplateReference' to type 'Microsoft.TeamFoundation.DistributedTask.Pipelines.Yaml.Templates.Job'.

The documentation might need updating with regard to endpoint being required.

With the endpoint, I get these errors:

Repository templates references endpoint https://github.com/JeremyTCD/IssueReproduction.RepositoryResource.Template.git which does not exist or is not authorized for use

Unable to cast object of type 'Microsoft.TeamFoundation.DistributedTask.Pipelines.Yaml.Templates.JobsTemplateReference' to type 'Microsoft.TeamFoundation.DistributedTask.Pipelines.Yaml.Templates.Job'.

Here is an example build result: result.

What I've tried

I noticed that tasks accept service connection options, like azureSubscription. The documentation does not specify any equivalent for repositories. I tried random stuff like githubSubscription but nothing worked.

Some Github issues, such as this one suggested stuff like adding variables and switching branches. These seem to apply more for when .ymls are changed after their initial loading. I tried them anyway and nothing worked.

I've checked my pipeline's service connections. Since the root repository is also on Github, Get Sources already has a valid service connection to Github. I'm not sure if this connection is used for all jobs. Regardless, I could not find any way to add a service connection "for the entire pipline".

[TingluoHuang]

@JeremyTCD https://github.com/Microsoft/azure-pipelines-yaml is the new repository for all yaml related question moving forward.

you need to create a github endpoint like this:

resources:
  repositories:
  - repository: templates
    type: github
    name: JeremyTCD/IssueReproduction.RepositoryResource.Template
    endpoint: <name you give when create the endpoint>

jobs:
- template: template.yml@templates

[JeremyTCD]

@TingluoHuang Thanks for the quick response!

https://github.com/Microsoft/azure-pipelines-yaml is the new repository for all yaml related question moving forward.

Okay, would be helpful if this was noted in the ReadMe for this repository.

The fix worked, though the documentation here needs to be fixed:

resources:
  repositories:
  - repository: string  # identifier (no spaces allowed)
    type: enum  # see below
    name: string  # repository name (format depends on `type`)
    ref: string  # ref name to use, defaults to 'refs/heads/master'
    endpoint: string  # endpoint for a GitHub repository

I've opened a separate issue in the docs repository, will update it.

[martinm82]

Also this documentation should be updated accordingly: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/process/templates?view=azure-devops#using-other-repositories

[wkrea]

Hi @TingluoHuang

What is happening, what is wrong? I have referenced this variables in all ways that i know 😞

Any help its appreciated :+1:

[bdelsaz]

@wkrea I think you need to reference your variables in the template like this: $(varname) (notice the parenthesis)