GitVersion.CommandLine stopped working

[bergziege]

Hi all,
something happened between yesterday about 2pm (last sucessful build) and today around 9am (problems started).
The pipeline runs in azure devops but I now get the same problem on local builds too.
It seems GitVersion suddenly is having problems at getting a commit ID. And no matter what version of GitVersion I tell cake to use, the problem remains. I am using RC003 but it does not matter. An update to 1.0.0 does not resolve the problem.
Its been dawning on me that maybe something totaly broke my whole repository. But even a clean checkout/clone does not change the behaviour. I currently have no other repository (yet) to cross check the behaviour over there.

The line that triggers the error seems to be: string branchName = context.GitVersion(new GitVersionSettings { NoFetch = true }).BranchName.ToLower();

So here is the log:

[...]
Installing tool 'GitVersion.CommandLine'...
Registering task: Default
Registering task: App
Registering task: Doc
Registering task: Build App
Registering task: Dokumentation -> HTML
Registering task: Dokumentation -> PDF
Registering task: Generate Artifact Version
Registering task: NugetRestore
Registering task: Run Tests
Registering task: Upload Artifacts
Registering task: UploadArtifactsToQueoTransfer
Registering task: ZipAppArtifacts
Registering task: ZipDocArtifacts
Registering setup: Lifetime
Registering teardown: Lifetime

----------------------------------------
Setup
----------------------------------------
Executing custom setup action...
Setting things up...
Cleaning directory C:/Develop/DMT-SummitX/.artifacts
Cleaning directory C:/Develop/DMT-SummitX/SummitX/bin/Release
Cleaning directory C:/Develop/DMT-SummitX/DocRoot/Generated
Executing: "C:/Develop/DMT-SummitX/build/Build/tools/GitVersion.CommandLine.5.6.4/tools/gitversion.exe" -nofetch -verbosity Debug
INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:30] Working directory: C:\Develop\DMT-SummitX
INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:34] Project root is: C:\Develop\DMT-SummitX\
INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:34] DotGit directory is: C:\Develop\DMT-SummitX\.git
INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:39] Begin: Loading version variables from disk cache
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:39] Cache file C:\Develop\DMT-SummitX\.git\gitversion_cache\9F20665AFA9112CB56A065D061604015DAB23EA4.yml not found.
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:39] End: Loading version variables from disk cache (Took: 0.78ms)
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:40] Using latest commit on specified branch
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:41] No branch configuration found for branch cake/lab, falling back to default configuration
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:41] Begin: Attempting to inherit branch configuration from parent branch
    INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:43] Begin: Finding branch source of 'cake/lab'
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:44] Begin: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'master'.
        INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:44] Found merge base of 3daa8d2 cake: Task Abhängigkeiten in separate Datei ausgelagert
        INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Merge base of cake/lab' and 'master is 3daa8d2 cake: Task Abhängigkeiten in separate Datei ausgelagert
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] End: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'master'. (Took: 12.69ms)
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Begin: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'origin/develop'.
        INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Found merge base of ac4037b Artefakt Name hinzugefügt
        DEBUG [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Second ac4037b Artefakt Name hinzugefügt
        DEBUG [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] New Merge base ac4037b Artefakt Name hinzugefügt
        DEBUG [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Breaking
        INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Merge base of cake/lab' and 'origin/develop is ac4037b Artefakt Name hinzugefügt
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] End: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'origin/develop'. (Took: 0.55ms)
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Begin: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'origin/master'.
        INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Found merge base of 3daa8d2 cake: Task Abhängigkeiten in separate Datei ausgelagert
        INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Merge base of cake/lab' and 'origin/master is 3daa8d2 cake: Task Abhängigkeiten in separate Datei ausgelagert
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] End: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'origin/master'. (Took: 0.17ms)
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:45] Begin: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'origin/release/2.3.0'.
      INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:50] End: Finding merge base between 'cake/lab' and 'origin/release/2.3.0'. (Took: 44.78ms)
    INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:50] End: Finding branch source of 'cake/lab' (Took: 67.83ms)
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:50] End: Attempting to inherit branch configuration from parent branch (Took: 81.56ms)
  ERROR [02/09/21 20:48:05:50] An unexpected error occurred:
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at GitVersion.Commit.get_Id()
   at GitVersion.Commit.ToString()
   at System.Text.ValueStringBuilder.AppendFormatHelper(IFormatProvider provider, String format, ParamsArray args)
   at System.String.FormatHelper(IFormatProvider provider, String format, ParamsArray args)
   at GitVersion.RepositoryMetadataProvider.FindMergeBase(IBranch branch, IBranch otherBranch)
   at GitVersion.RepositoryMetadataProvider.<>c__DisplayClass31_0.<GetMergeCommitsForBranch>b__2(IBranch otherBranch)
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.WhereSelectEnumerableIterator`2.MoveNext()
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.WhereEnumerableIterator`1.ToArray()
   at System.Linq.OrderedEnumerable`1.ToList()
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.ToList[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source)
   at GitVersion.RepositoryMetadataProvider.GetMergeCommitsForBranch(IBranch branch, Config configuration, IEnumerable`1 excludedBranches)
   at GitVersion.RepositoryMetadataProvider.FindCommitBranchWasBranchedFrom(IBranch branch, Config configuration, IBranch[] excludedBranches)
   at GitVersion.Configuration.BranchConfigurationCalculator.InheritBranchConfiguration(IBranch targetBranch, BranchConfig branchConfiguration, ICommit currentCommit, Config configuration, IList`1 excludedInheritBranches)
   at GitVersion.Configuration.BranchConfigurationCalculator.GetBranchConfiguration(IBranch targetBranch, ICommit currentCommit, Config configuration, IList`1 excludedInheritBranches)
   at GitVersion.GitVersionContextFactory.Create(GitVersionOptions gitVersionOptions)
   at GitVersion.GitVersionCoreModule.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<RegisterTypes>b__3()
   at System.Lazy`1.ViaFactory(LazyThreadSafetyMode mode)
   at System.Lazy`1.ExecutionAndPublication(LazyHelper executionAndPublication, Boolean useDefaultConstructor)
   at System.Lazy`1.CreateValue()
   at System.Lazy`1.get_Value()
   at GitVersion.VersionCalculation.NextVersionCalculator.get_context()
   at GitVersion.VersionCalculation.NextVersionCalculator.FindVersion()
   at GitVersion.GitVersionCalculateTool.CalculateVersionVariables()
   at GitVersion.GitVersionExecutor.RunGitVersionTool(GitVersionOptions gitVersionOptions)
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:50] Attempting to show the current git graph (please include in issue):
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:50] Showing max of 100 commits
  INFO [02/09/21 20:48:05:65] * 0b3839dc 11 minutes ago  (HEAD -> cake/lab, origin/cake/lab)
* bb5062bc 34 hours ago
* 2c80c08a 35 hours ago
*   8a89de92 2 days ago
|\
| * 224722aa 2 days ago
* | 6413ee72 2 days ago
|/
* a5c4f6f3 2 days ago
*   3e97c541 5 days ago
|\
| * 97f251b8 5 days ago  (origin/cake/lab-flow-fsd-style)
| * b2518298 5 days ago
| * 811be920 5 days ago
|/
* 6167beea 5 days ago
* e9dd6ead 6 days ago
* 1d1696b0 6 days ago
* 53d5a9e1 6 days ago
* 31a7b305 6 days ago
*   ade1365a 6 days ago
|\
| | * a18e6198 30 minutes ago  (origin/feature/#1004-dual-port-mit-wireless)
| | * 2808c54e 9 hours ago
| | * eac31f89 9 hours ago
| | * 0753a01d 9 hours ago
| | * 7dfdceae 24 hours ago
| | * 8bb26b81 26 hours ago
| | * a45d0383 26 hours ago
| | *   e599feea 26 hours ago
| | |\
| | | * 697f3b1b 26 hours ago  (origin/develop)
| | |/
| |/|
| | * 1c93cc3e 33 hours ago
| | * 804ae116 34 hours ago
| | * 121869da 34 hours ago
| | * bd3f334a 2 days ago
| |/
| * ac4037ba 6 days ago
| * ac3d3838 6 days ago
| *   54a7d661 6 days ago
| |\
| |/
|/|
* | 6d88cbc3 6 days ago
* | 74e2ef26 6 days ago
* | d5a48960 6 days ago
* | 5580b21b 6 days ago
|/
*   8619f0a7 6 days ago
|\
| * 3daa8d24 7 days ago  (origin/master, origin/HEAD, master)
| * e1c960e8 8 days ago
| * 804ca470 5 weeks ago
| * f819ac38 5 weeks ago
| *   1da0e077 5 weeks ago  (tag: 2.4.0)
| |\
| |/
|/|
* | 05e115b7 5 weeks ago
* | cd0613a9 7 weeks ago
* | fe319cad 7 weeks ago
* | 2859e435 7 weeks ago
* | 66e21f4f 7 weeks ago
* | 37c9c0bb 7 weeks ago
* | 17646ed4 8 weeks ago
* | 9caaf834 8 weeks ago
* |   535f0c55 8 weeks ago
|\ \
| * | 1ed64168 3 months ago
| * | 31f62c80 3 months ago
| * | cbe721a2 3 months ago
| * | cff9af4f 3 months ago
| * | d90662dd 3 months ago
| * | 887173f0 3 months ago
| * | 1148e116 3 months ago
| * | 68f8b719 3 months ago
| * | a6d2252b 3 months ago
| * | 7c0837bf 3 months ago
| * | 5a0ff4c9 3 months ago
| * | a136d516 3 months ago
| * | 9a90f645 3 months ago
| * | 291e4515 3 months ago
| * | 307d853b 3 months ago
| * | f631e7cf 3 months ago
| * | 60535c68 3 months ago
| * | 77053952 3 months ago
| * | f85340e7 3 months ago
| * | 34dff413 3 months ago
| * | a37f3795 3 months ago
| * | af467259 3 months ago
| * | 2aab0d01 3 months ago
| * | 4c478c1a 3 months ago
| * | 9ef5de4f 3 months ago
| * |   e5be7c9f 3 months ago
| |\ \
* | \ \   4b0df4c7 8 weeks ago
|\ \ \ \
| * | | | 9dbc6df8 3 months ago
| * | | | 2b8bfa25 3 months ago
* | | | | b69e78cb 8 weeks ago
* | | | | 98d48525 8 weeks ago
* | | | | c4447939 8 weeks ago
* | | | | efbc0341 8 weeks ago
* | | | |   06f878ca 8 weeks ago
|\ \ \ \ \
| * | | | | e434077a 3 months ago
| * | | | | d6ecb999 3 months ago
| * | | | | cba9ba51 3 months ago
| * | | | | 91cc2b06 3 months ago
| * | | | | c0d2fc8e 3 months ago
| * | | | | 0c1fb1c9 3 months ago
| * | | | | 9eddfcab 3 months ago
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| * | | | | c63f5e46 3 months ago
| * | | | | 4a1d6239 3 months ago


----------------------------------------
Teardown
----------------------------------------
Executing custom teardown action...
Tearing things down...
Error: Cake.Core.CakeException: GitVersion: Process returned an error (exit code 1).
   at Cake.Core.Tooling.Tool`1.ProcessExitCode(Int32 exitCode)
   at Cake.Core.Tooling.Tool`1.Run(TSettings settings, ProcessArgumentBuilder arguments, ProcessSettings processSettings, Action`1 postAction)
   at Cake.Common.Tools.GitVersion.GitVersionRunner.Run(GitVersionSettings settings)
   at Cake.Common.Tools.GitVersion.GitVersionAliases.GitVersion(ICakeContext context, GitVersionSettings settings)
   at Build.Lifetime.SetBranchInformation(Context context) in C:\Develop\DMT-SummitX\build\Build\Lifetime.cs:line 36
   at Build.Lifetime.Setup(Context context) in C:\Develop\DMT-SummitX\build\Build\Lifetime.cs:line 26
   at Cake.Frosting.FrostingLifetime`1.Cake.Frosting.IFrostingSetup.Setup(ICakeContext context)
   at Cake.Frosting.Internal.FrostingEngine`1.<ConfigureLifetime>b__14_0(ISetupContext info)
   at Cake.Core.DefaultExecutionStrategy.PerformSetup(Action`1 action, ISetupContext context)
   at Cake.Core.CakeEngine.PerformSetup(IExecutionStrategy strategy, ICakeContext context, CakeTask targetTask, CakeTask[] tasks, Stopwatch stopWatch, CakeReport report)
   at Cake.Core.CakeEngine.RunTargetAsync(ICakeContext context, IExecutionStrategy strategy, ExecutionSettings settings)
   at Cake.Cli.BuildScriptHost`1.RunTargetAsync(String target)
   at Cake.Core.Scripting.ScriptHost.RunTarget(String target)
   at Cake.Frosting.Internal.FrostingEngine`1.Run(String target)
   at Cake.Frosting.Internal.DefaultCommand.Execute(CommandContext context, DefaultCommandSettings settings)

Maybe somebody else is experiencing the same problem or has some idea whats going on.

In the meantime I will setup a new repository and start to copy my code over there and check if the error magically goes away ;-)

[bergziege]

Well ... its definitely not the repository! Just found another repo which was last edited on Jan 22 and was green on that date.
Triggered the pipeline manually and now having a failed build with exactly the same problem as above.

[bergziege]

Hmm just had a fresh look at that other repository and its NOT the same problem.

So messed up repository is back in the race ;-)

[nils-a]

GitVersion did a release in the given timeframe. Did you pin the version of GitVersion you use or are you using the latest available version for every build?

[bergziege]

Yepp, I tried 5.6.6 (latest), 5.6.5 and 5.6.4. All of them failing on the azure pipeline.

Just some observation I just made on a LOCAL build:

• Having a branch named "cake/lab" which uses cake 1.0.0 gitversion 5.6.6 that fails
• Having a branch named "feature/Corrected documentation for Directory Alias #1004-xxx" which uses cake 1.0.0 gitversion 5.6.6 and runs perfectly

But both branches mentioned above failing in azure :-(

[bergziege]

Regarding the release : my main branch is still named "master". But if thats the problem .. shouldn't it fail on both branches mentioned above as both somehow branching of "master"?

[bergziege]

Yeah, "main" vs "master" may not be the issue here.
I mentioned another repo in my first comment. The main branch there is named "main" and its also suddenly failing.

[nils-a]

Did you try running the commandline from the log locally, i.e. C:/Develop/DMT-SummitX/build/Build/tools/GitVersion.CommandLine.5.6.4/tools/gitversion.exe" -nofetch -verbosity Debug does that yield the same error as during the CI build?

[augustoproiete]

Are you able to share a small repo that reproduces this error?

[bergziege]

Ill give it a try. At the current state of experimenting creating a fresh repo and copy things over seems like the best way forward.

[devlead]

One thing you could try is to see if pipeline checkout code task changed in a any way i.e. If they optimized away the branch you could try an step before

- bash: 'git checkout -b $(Build.SourceBranchName)'
  displayName: 'Branch checkout'
  continueOnError: true

[bergziege]

Hi, tried it but without any sucess.

Now I think something is totally messed up!
I am having 2 yaml files in my repo. Each for a separate pipeline.
Adding the git checkout to yaml 2 suddenly ran build steps that only occur in yaml 1!

But all this does not explain why I get the error when running stuff locally without any azure pipeline .... aaaaaahhhhhh

[bergziege]

All right. After some experiments I finally merged all open branches back into develop and deleted the now unused branches.
It currently boils down do a problem with our on-site azure agent vs. the pipeline buildagent. Where the error now appears on the on-site agent only.

So thanks for all your help and ideas. From here on its outside the scope of cake and gitversion.