Use of LinterCop.json in pipeline

[jwikman]

Hi Stefan,

I'm having issues with getting the LinterCop.json to work in my pipelines...

Where should the file be placed to work with Compile-AppInBcContainer?

It seems to be ignored if it's in the root folder (same folder as app.json) of the app being compiled. I've tried a few other places as well (as same folder as BusinessCentral.LinterCop.dll), but no luck...

[jwikman]

Ok, it seems as it works when i run alc.exe manually in the container if the LinterCop.json is in the same folder as alc.exe...

But I just cannot get that to work in my pipeline (using Compile-AppInBcContainer), even if i put LinterCop.json in C:\build\vsix\extension\bin inside the container.

@rvanbekkum, I know you are using LC in your pipelines - Are you also using LinterCop.json in the pipelines? If so, where do you put that file in the container?

[rvanbekkum]

@rvanbekkum, I know you are using LC in your pipelines - Are you also using LinterCop.json in the pipelines? If so, where do you put that file in the container?

Hi @jwikman,
Yes, we are using it in our pipelines, but no, we do not have a LinterCop.json, so unfortunately I don't have a reference for you, sorry. 😅
My initial thoughts would be that it needs to be placed in the root directory of your app folder (where you also have your app.json), or that it needs to be in the agent/PowerShell work directory, but like I said, I have not tried it, so I am not sure.
Would be a good addition to the README.md if you find out :).

Off-topic: What might also be a good addition to the README.md with regards to this is the information in this blog: https://stefanmaron.com/2022/01/11/business-central-lintercop-with-older-versions-of-bc/

[jwikman]

Thanks @rvanbekkum,

Too bad you didn't use that...

I've tested

• in the app root (same as app.json)
• same folder as alc.exe (C:\build\vsix\extension\bin)
• same folder as BusinessCentral.LinterCop.dll, which I've tried in different places as well:
  • same folder as alc.exe (C:\build\vsix\extension\bin)
  • the Analyzer folder (C:\build\vsix\extension\bin\Analyzer)
  • Any other folder shared with the container
  • The PowerShell script folder

As seen at

BusinessCentral.LinterCop/Helpers/LinterSettings.cs

Line 19 in 954ce94

StreamReader r = File.OpenText("LinterCop.json");

, LinterCop.json is opened without path. And fromt the docs this means that it is opened from "the current working" directory. And I probably "just" need to figure out which folder that is when running the pipeline. I'll see if I can add some debugging info in the pipeline.

I'll get back and update this issue and the README.me if I figure this out.

[jwikman]

So... long story, short: The LinterCop.json should be copied to C:\build\vsix\extension\bin\win32\LinterCop.json if it should be used inside a container when compiling.

To figure this out, I had to build my own BusinessCentral.LinterCop.dll and output the return value of System.IO.Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() in a rule...

Putting a file inside C:\build\vsix\extension\bin\win32\ sound easy, but it had it's challenges as well. ;-)
This folder is normally created inside Compile-AppInBcContainer when it is unpacking the vsix to get the compiler files. But I need to copy my file to that folder before I call Compile-AppInBcContainer. And if the folder c:\build already exists when Compile-AppInBcContainer is called, it'll skip the unpacking of the vsix - and then the compiler is not found and we have a fail...

So what I did, was to unpack the vsix myself, before calling Compile-AppInBcContainer.

Sample code to achieve this: (I hope the variable names is self explaining)

        # Unpack compiler
        Invoke-ScriptInBcContainer -containerName $containerName -ScriptBlock {    
            if (!(Test-Path "c:\build" -PathType Container)) {
                Write-Host "Unpack AL Language VSIX"
                $tempZip = Join-Path $env:temp "alc.zip"
                Copy-item -Path (Get-Item -Path "c:\run\*.vsix").FullName -Destination $tempZip
                Expand-Archive -Path $tempZip -DestinationPath "c:\build\vsix"
            }
        }
        $LinterCopLocalPath = Join-Path $AppSourcePath 'BusinessCentral.LinterCop.dll'
        . (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot ".\Download-LinterCop.ps1") -TargetPath $LinterCopLocalPath
        $CustomCodeCops = @()
        Write-Host "Use BC LinterCop with path '$LinterCopLocalPath'"
        $CustomCodeCops += $LinterCopLocalPath
        $params += @{
            "CustomCodeCops" = $CustomCodeCops
        }
        $LCSettingsLocalFilePath = Join-Path $AppSourcePath "LinterCop.json"
        if (Test-Path $LCSettingsLocalFilePath) {
            $LCSettingsContainerFilePath = "C:\build\vsix\extension\bin\win32\LinterCop.json"
            Copy-FileToBcContainer -containerName $containerName -localPath $LCSettingsLocalFilePath -containerPath $LCSettingsContainerFilePath
        }

...
[a lot of other code]
...

$CompiledAppFilePath = Compile-AppInBcContainer @params

And the Download-LinterCop.ps1:

param (
    [string] $TargetPath,
    [switch] $prerelease
)
$latestRelease = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.github.com/repos/StefanMaron/BusinessCentral.LinterCop/releases"

if ($prerelease.IsPresent) {
    Write-Host "Use PreRelease of BC LinterCop"
    $latestRelease = $latestRelease[0]    
}
else {
    $latestRelease = ($latestRelease | Where-Object { $_.prerelease -eq $false })[0]        
}

if (!(Test-Path $TargetPath -PathType leaf)) {
    Write-Host "Download BC LinterCop from '$($latestRelease.assets[0].browser_download_url)'"
    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $latestRelease.assets[0].browser_download_url -OutFile $TargetPath
} else {
    Write-Host "BC LinterCop already downloaded"
}

I don't think all this needs to be in the README.me, but I'll reference this issue for details.