Cannot get GenerateReleaseNotes@3 DevOps Task filling handlebars template. Help needed.

[RalfHeitmann]

Hi all,
just trying my first initial steps with the GenerateReleaseNotes@3 DevOps Task in YAML.

 task: GenerateReleaseNotes@3
  condition: and(succeeded(), eq('${{ parameters.doReleaseNotes }}', true))  
  displayName: 'Use GenerateReleaseNote to create ReleaseNotes.md'
  inputs:
    outputfile: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)\ReleaseNotes.md'
    templateLocation: 'File'
    templatefile: '.ci\build-handlebars-template.md'
    generateForOnlyPrimary: False
    generateForOnlyTriggerArtifact: False
    dumpPayloadToConsole: false
    dumpPayloadToFile: false
    replaceFile: True
    appendToFile: True
    getParentsAndChildren: False
    getAllParents: False
    getIndirectPullRequests: False
    stopOnError: True

Copied the 'build-handlebars-template.md' to the .ci folder.
After running the pipeline successfully I will find the ReleaseNotes.md in the ArtifactsStagingDirectory.
But this is still the raw template (nothing replaced!). What is missing?

Looking into the diagnostic output I can see that at least the commits are processed.

Starting: Use GenerateReleaseNote to create ReleaseNotes.md
Task         : Generate Release Notes for Pipeline Builds or Releases (PowerShell)
Description  : Generates a release notes file in a format of your choice for Azure DevOps Pipeline Builds or Releases. Windows based agents only
Version      : 3.8.1
Author       : Black Marble
Help         : Version: 3.8.1. [More Information](https://github.com/rfennell/vNextBuild/wiki/GenerateReleaseNotes%20-Tasks/)
##[debug]INPUT_GENERATEFORONLYPRIMARY: 'False'
##[debug]INPUT_GENERATEFORONLYTRIGGERARTIFACT: 'False'
##[debug]INPUT_GENERATEFORCURRENTRELEASE: 'True'
##[debug]INPUT_OVERRIDESTAGENAME (empty)
##[debug]INPUT_EMPTYSETTEXT: 'None'
##[debug]INPUT_MAXCHANGES: '50'
##[debug]INPUT_MAXWI: '50'
##[debug]INPUT_WIFILTER (empty)
##[debug]INPUT_WISTATEFILTER (empty)
##[debug]INPUT_SHOWPARENTS: 'False'
##[debug]INPUT_APPENDTOFILE: 'True'
##[debug]INPUT_UNIFIEDLIST: 'False'
##[debug]INPUT_BUILDTAGS (empty)
##[debug]collectionUrl = [https://azdevops.company.com/projects/]
##[debug]teamproject = [TwinCAT Base]
##[debug]releaseid = []
##[debug]releasedefid = []
##[debug]stageName = []
##[debug]overrideStageName = []
##[debug]buildid = [91808]
##[debug]builddefname = [AdsPackages]
##[debug]releasedefname = []
##[debug]buildnumber = [5.0.439-beta.2]
##[debug]outputVariableName = []
##[debug]generateForOnlyPrimary = [False]
##[debug]generateForOnlyTriggerArtifact = [False]
##[debug]generateForCurrentRelease = [True]
##[debug]maxWi = [50]
##[debug]maxChanges = [50]
##[debug]showParents  =[False]
##[debug]wiFilter = []
##[debug]wiStateFilter = []
##[debug]appendToFile = [True]
##[debug]In Build mode
##[debug]    Getting build details for BuildID [91808]
##[debug]Using SystemVssConnection personal access token
##[debug]ENDPOINT_URL_SystemVssConnection: 'https://azdevops.company.com/projects/'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_AUTH_SystemVssConnection: '********'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_DATA_SystemVssConnection (empty)
##[debug]        Getting up to 50 associated changesets/commits for build [91808]
##[debug]Using SystemVssConnection personal access token
##[debug]ENDPOINT_URL_SystemVssConnection: 'https://azdevops.company.com/projects/'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_AUTH_SystemVssConnection: '********'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_DATA_SystemVssConnection (empty)
##[debug]Using SystemVssConnection personal access token
##[debug]ENDPOINT_URL_SystemVssConnection: 'https://azdevops.company.com/projects/'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_AUTH_SystemVssConnection: '********'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_DATA_SystemVssConnection (empty)
##[debug]Using SystemVssConnection personal access token
##[debug]ENDPOINT_URL_SystemVssConnection: 'https://azdevops.company.com/projects/'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_AUTH_SystemVssConnection: '********'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_DATA_SystemVssConnection (empty)
##[debug]        Getting up to 50 associated work items for build [91808]
##[debug]Using SystemVssConnection personal access token
##[debug]ENDPOINT_URL_SystemVssConnection: 'https://azdevops.company.com/projects/'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_AUTH_SystemVssConnection: '********'
##[debug]ENDPOINT_DATA_SystemVssConnection (empty)
##[debug]        Found 0 WI directly associated with build
##[debug]        Running in directly associated WI only mode
##[debug]Using template mode [File]
##[debug]Loading template file [C:\agent\_work\1\s\.ci\build-handlebars-template.md]
##[debug]Processing template
##[debug]There are [1] builds to process
##[debug]Appending to output file [C:\agent\_work\1\a\ReleaseNotes.md].
##[debug]Skipping setting output variable name as parameter was not set.
Finishing: Use GenerateReleaseNote to create ReleaseNotes.md

This is the Releasenotes.md created as Artifact:

# Notes for build 
**Build Number**: {{buildDetails.id}}
**Build Trigger PR Number**: {{lookup buildDetails.triggerInfo 'pr.number'}} 

# Associated Pull Requests ({{pullRequests.length}})
{{#forEach pullRequests}}
{{#if isFirst}}### Associated Pull Requests (only shown if  PR) {{/if}}
*  **{{this.pullRequestId}}** {{this.title}}
{{/forEach}}

# Global list of WI ({{workItems.length}})
{{#forEach workItems}}
{{#if isFirst}}## Associated Work Items (only shown if  WI) {{/if}}
*  **{{this.id}}**  {{lookup this.fields 'System.Title'}}
  - **WIT** {{lookup this.fields 'System.WorkItemType'}} 
  - **Tags** {{lookup this.fields 'System.Tags'}}
  - **Assigned** {{#with (lookup this.fields 'System.AssignedTo')}} {{displayName}} {{/with}}
{{/forEach}}

# Global list of CS ({{commits.length}})
{{#forEach commits}}
{{#if isFirst}}### Associated commits  (only shown if CS) {{/if}}
* ** ID{{this.id}}** 
  -  **Message:** {{this.message}}
  -  **Commited by:** {{this.author.displayName}} 
{{/forEach}}

## Global list of ConsumedArtifacts ({{consumedArtifacts.length}})
| Category | Type | Version Name | Version Id | Commits | Workitems |
|-|-|-|-|-|-|
{{#forEach consumedArtifacts}}
 |{{this.artifactCategory}} | {{this.artifactType}} | {{#if versionName}}{{versionName}}{{/if}} | {{truncate versionId 7}} | {{#if this.commits}} {{this.commits.length}} {{/if}} | {{#if this.workitems}} {{this.workitems.length}} {{/if}} |
{{/forEach}}

Ralf

[rfennell]

That is strange, can you re-run the pipeline with either a variable set to `system.debug=true' or check the run with diagnostics

This will give the detailed logging as to what is going on, I would have at least expected the {{...}} blocks to be removed.

[RalfHeitmann]

"Enable system diagnostics" was already on. That produces the ##[Debug] lines above. Would using `system.debug=true' have different output?
By the way we are using a Devops OnPremise Server. It seems to be the version
Version Azure DevOps Server 2020 Update 1 and the GenerateReleaseNotes@3 template task (Version 3.8.1?) was already installed/included.

[rfennell]

Sorry, I was too quick with my default first response.

But I do see the problem now...

You are running 3.8.1 of my 'Generate Release Notes for Pipeline Builds or Releases (PowerShell)' - note that there is a 3.9.4 version of this task but the version is not the issue.

The issue is you are trying to use a template designed for my Generate Release Notes (Crossplatform) task not my Powershell based task and the formats are different. Hence the task does not replace the {{...}} tags as it expecting something very different.

• You can find sample PowerShell based task templates here
• And Crossplatform Node based task templates here

I would strongly recommend that you move to use my Generate Release Notes (Crossplatform) task as

1. It has far more functionality
2. And my PowerShell task is flagged for depreciation in the near future as stated in its marketplace entry

Sorry I did not spot the issue sooner

[RalfHeitmann]

Thanks a lot for your quick response. I have read a lot about the different versions (confusing me partly). My mistake was that I thought to have already the crossplatform version when I use the "Major" Version number 3 in
GenerateReleaseNotes@3 and
3.8.1 of my 'Generate Release Notes for Pipeline Builds

With knowing that, the Wiki is much clearer for me :-)