Microsoft Cross Platform Build Agent

A cross platform build agent for Microsoft Visual Studio Online (VSO) and Team Foundation Server (TFS). Supported on Mac OSX and Linux.

NOTE: This is for the unreleased build.vnext service which is in preview for a subset of accounts

Pre-Reqs

Node and Npm:

Mac OSX: Download and install node from nodejs.org

Linux: Install using package manager

From a terminal ensure at least node 0.10 and npm 1.4:

$ node -v && npm -v
v0.12.0
2.5.1

Agent From Package

Installs the agent installer once globally.

$ sudo npm install vsoagent-installer -g

Update the installer with a new version. It has been more reliable to uninstall and install

$ sudo npm uninstall vsoagent-installer -g
$ sudo npm install vsoagent-installer -g

This does not update your agents. It simply pulls down the latest version of the agent installer. Stop old agents and configure new/updated agents in a new directory. Updating an agent in place is coming soon.

Create Agents

From a directory you created for the agent, run the installer. Repeat from different folders for multiple agents.

$ vsoagent-installer

Provide Permissions to Account

>> VIDEO: Configure Permissions <<

Determine which account the agent will run as.

1. Enable alternate credentials for account agent will run builds as.
2. Project Admin UI: (from project, gear upper right)
   • Ensure queue created. Name first default. (elect to create a pool if creating)
3. Collection Admin UI: Security tab,
   • Add user to Project Collection Build Service Accounts (allows agent to write back build data)
4. Account Admin (Control Panel): Agent Pools tab, expand pool
   • Add user to Agent Pool Administrators (allows adding agent to pool)
   • Add user to Agent Pool Service Accounts (allows agent to listen to the build queue)

Configure Agent

>> VIDEO: OSX Configure - Interactive or Service <<

Run the agent from the agent folder. Configuration will ask for the username and password of the account the agent will run as. note: if the agent isn't configured, on first run, it will configure.

$ node vsoagent

Enter poolName(enter sets default) > 
Enter serverUrl > https://contoso.visualstudio.com
...
Config saved
Waiting ...

Change Configuration Later:

$ node configure

Run as a Service

Run in the agent directory note: only works on OSX right now

Install Service

OSX Types

Run as a daemon (OSX | Linux)

$ ./svc.sh install

Run as launch agent (only OSX)

$ ./svc.sh install agent

potentially run UI tests Auto Logon and Lock

Check Status

$ ./svc.sh status
8367	-	vsoagent.myaccount.agent1

*note: output is (pid) (rc) (name) if it is running pid will have a positive number rc is last exit code. if negative, term signal number. if postive, err return code from last run. *

Stop

$ ./svc.sh stop

Start

$ ./svc.sh start

Uninstall Service

Stop first and then:

$ ./svc.sh uninstall

Contents

OSX:
/Library/LaunchDaemons/vsoagent.{accountName}.{agentName}.plist 

Building From Source

Clone the repo

git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/vso-agent.git

Build Pre-reqs

Gulp is the build engine. The cli needs to be installed globally

sudo npm install -g gulp

Install remaining pre-reqs and gulp tasks (run from root of repo)

sudo npm install

Build

run gulp in the root of the repo

$ gulp
...
[22:58:35] Finished 'default' after 2.39 s

This creates a _package which is what is pushed to npm.

Install from _package

This installs from a local package instead of pulling from npm.

cd _package
$ sudo npm install ./vsoxplat -g

Go to Create Agent above.

Run Tests

Run all suites:

gulp test

Test agent and tasks:

gulp test --suite builds

Test vso-task-lib:

gulp test --suite tasklib