[XplatGenerateReleaseNotes V3] stagename always undefined

[johanndev]

I tried to run the local testconsole to test the release notes generator, unfortunately I can't get it to work with an example build.
I cloned the repo and tried to follow the steps outlined here: https://github.com/rfennell/AzurePipelines/blob/main/Extensions/XplatGenerateReleaseNotes/V3/testconsole/readme.md#testing-a-classic-build-or-yaml-pipeline
Here is my debug output:

➜ node GenerateReleaseNotesConsoleTester.js --filename build-settings.json --pat $env:pat
Debugger attached.
##vso[task.debug]agent.TempDirectory=undefined
##vso[task.debug]agent.workFolder=undefined
##vso[task.debug]loading inputs and endpoints
##vso[task.debug]loaded 0
##vso[task.debug]Agent.ProxyUrl=undefined
##vso[task.debug]Agent.CAInfo=undefined
##vso[task.debug]Agent.ClientCert=undefined
##vso[task.debug]Agent.SkipCertValidation=undefined
Starting Tag XplatGenerateReleaseNotes Local Tester
Command Line Arguments:
  --filename: build-settings.json
  --pat: ************************************************537q
  --githubpat:  (Optional)
  --bitbucketuser:  (Optional)
  --bitbucketsecret:  (Optional)
  --payloadFile: undefined (Optional)
Loading settings from build-settings.json
Running the tester against the Azure DevOps API
Creating Azure DevOps API connections for https://dev.azure.com/<TeamProject> with 'allowRetries' set to 'true' and 'maxRetries' count to '3'
Creating the credential handler using override PAT (suitable for local testing or if the OAUTH token cannot be used)
Getting the current build details
##vso[task.debug]System.StageName=undefined
Getting items associated the builds since the last successful build to the stage 'undefined'
The most common runtime reason for the task to fail is due API ECONNRESET issues. To avoid this failing the pipeline these will be treated as warnings and an attempt to generate any release notes possible
TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'length')
    at C:\projects\AzurePipelines\Extensions\XplatGenerateReleaseNotes\V3\ReleaseNotesFunctions.js:1014:23
    at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
    at C:\projects\AzurePipelines\Extensions\XplatGenerateReleaseNotes\V3\ReleaseNotesFunctions.js:8:71
    at new Promise (<anonymous>)
    at __awaiter (C:\projects\AzurePipelines\Extensions\XplatGenerateReleaseNotes\V3\ReleaseNotesFunctions.js:4:12)
    at getLastSuccessfulBuildByStage (C:\projects\AzurePipelines\Extensions\XplatGenerateReleaseNotes\V3\ReleaseNotesFunctions.js:1013:12)
    at Object.<anonymous> (C:\projects\AzurePipelines\Extensions\XplatGenerateReleaseNotes\V3\ReleaseNotesFunctions.js:1196:60)
    at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
    at fulfilled (C:\projects\AzurePipelines\Extensions\XplatGenerateReleaseNotes\V3\ReleaseNotesFunctions.js:5:58)
    at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:96:5)
Total Builds: [0]
Total Commits: [0]
Total Workitems: [0]
Total Related Workitems (Parent/Children): [0]
Total Release Tests: [0]
Total Tests: [0]
Total Manual Test Runs: [0]
Total Manual Test Configurations: [0]
Total Pull Requests: [0]
Total Indirect Pull Requests: [0]
Total Associated Test WI: [0]
Total Consumed Artifacts: [0]
Total WIQL Workitems: [0]
Writing payload data to file payload.json
Generating the release notes, the are 1 template(s) to process
##vso[task.debug]Using template mode File
Loading template file build-handlebars-template.md
##vso[task.debug]Loading handlebar template
##vso[task.debug]Processing template
##vso[task.debug]  WI: 0
##vso[task.debug]  CS: 0
##vso[task.debug]  PR: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Builds: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Manual Tests: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Manual TestConfigurations: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Release Tests: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Related WI: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Related Tests: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Indirect PR: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Consumed Artifacts: 0
##vso[task.debug]  Query WI: 0
##vso[task.debug]Processing handlebar template
Loading handlebars-helpers extension
##vso[task.debug]An absolute path has not been provided for the customHandlebarsExtensionFolder, pre-pending the current working directory
##vso[task.debug]Attempting to load custom handlebars extension from C:\projects\AzurePipelines\Extensions\XplatGenerateReleaseNotes\V3\testconsole\customHandlebars.js}
##vso[task.debug]Custom handlebars extension file does not exist
Completed processing template
Writing output file output.md
Finished writing output file output.md
Output variable 'no available in this tool' set to value of first generated release notes
Writing output variable no available in this tool
##vso[task.debug]set no available in this tool=# Notes for build %0D`n**Build Number**: <Build number redacted>%0D`n**Build Trigger PR Number**: <redacted> %0D`n%0D`n# Associated Pull Requests (0)%0D`n%0D`n# Global list of WI (0)%0D`n%0D`n# Global list of CS (0)%0D`n
##vso[task.setvariable variable=no available in this tool;isOutput=false;issecret=false;]# Notes for build %0D`n**Build Number**: <Build number redacted>%0D`n**Build Trigger PR Number**: <redacted> %0D`n%0D`n# Associated Pull Requests (0)%0D`n%0D`n# Global list of WI (0)%0D`n%0D`n# Global list of CS (0)%0D`n
Tool exited
Waiting for the debugger to disconnect...

As you can see, the variable System.StageName is undefined. The build pipeline that produced the build has a named stage, so I don't understand why the variable is not populated. The basic connection seems to work, as the currentBuild variable gets populated.

Does anybody have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[rfennell]

I think you are nearly there, as you said the system.stagename needs to match the name of the stage you are simulating running the task in. This is usually set with a pipeline automatically, but you need to set it in your build-settings.json file.

if your pipeline is a single stage one (where the stage is not actually defined), as I remember the name is default, but you can see this from your build logs

[johanndev]

It works!
I failed to read the next section where the overrideStageName setting is mentioned.

Thank you very much!