[Bug]: Build in CICD is skipped because of the json error parsing

[nemanja899]

AL-Go version

9

Describe the issue

Build in CI/CD is not running because of the condition when evaluating wheather to run Build action.
Issue is in this code fromJson(needs.Initialization.outputs.buildOrderJson)[0].projectsCount > 0

Logs in Determine Project to Build action
is posted in bellow section

This is error in Build part
evaluate reusable workflow template if: Error when evaluating 'if' for job 'Build'. .github/workflows/CICD.yaml (Line: 186, Col: 9): could not get operand for index access: could not get operand for index access: Error from function 'fromJson': empty input

Expected behavior

Expected Build action to start manually and when it's pushed to main.

Steps to reproduce

Push commint to main or PR or run manually CI/CD from action

Additional context (logs, screenshots, etc.)

`Run microsoft/AL-Go-Actions/DetermineProjectsToBuild@v9.0
with:
shell: powershell
maxBuildDepth: 1
env:
workflowDepth: 1
ALGoOrgSettings: "doNotRunTests":true,"BcContainerHelperVersion": "preview","keyVaultCodesignCertificateName": "SIGNCERT","keyVaultName": "","KeyVaultCertificateUrlSecretName": "", "projects": [ "." ],"KeyVaultCertificatePasswordSecretName": "","KeyVaultClientIdSecretName":"KeyVaultClientId","cacheKeepDays": 10,"cacheImageName":"currentVersion","conditionalSettings": ["workflows": [ "Update AL-Go System Files" ],"settings": "workflowSchedule": "cron": "0 1 * * 6"]
ALGoRepoSettings:
type: AppSource App
powerPlatformSolutionFolder:
trackALAlertsInGitHub: False
useGitSubmodules: false
Settings: "keyVaultCertificateUrlSecretName":"","microsoftTelemetryConnectionString":"InstrumentationKey=cd2cc63e-0f37-4968-b99a-532411a314b8;IngestionEndpoint=https://northeurope-2.in.applicationinsights.azure.com/","conditionalSettings":[***"settings":***"workflowSchedule":***"cron":"0 1 * * 6","workflows":["Update AL-Go System Files"]],"useGitSubmodules":"false","type":"AppSource App","sendExtendedTelemetryToMicrosoft":false,"appBuild":569,"installTestApps":[],"versioningStrategy":0,"installApps":[],"installTestLibraries":false,"runNumberOffset":0,"codeSignCertificatePasswordSecretName":"codeSignCertificatePassword","vsixFile":"","country":"w1","templateSha":"04f60f74bafd03df919955477c3dd27964fec65c","partnerTelemetryConnectionString":"","doNotRunTests":true,"workflowDefaultInputs":[],"runs-on":"windows-latest","configPackages":[],"generateDependencyArtifact":false,"excludeEnvironments":[],"keyVaultCertificatePasswordSecretName":"","rulesetFile":"","licenseFileUrlSecretName":"licenseFileUrl","enableExternalRulesets":false,"memoryLimit":"","keyVaultClientIdSecretName":"KeyVaultClientId","testFolders":["test"],"githubRunner":"windows-latest","trackALAlertsInGitHub":false,"trustMicrosoftNuGetFeeds":true,"doNotBuildTests":false,"enableTaskScheduler":false,"companyName":"","features":[],"assignPremiumPlan":false,"shortLivedArtifactsRetentionDays":1,"artifact":"////weekly","ghTokenWorkflowSecretName":"ghTokenWorkflow","enableCodeAnalyzersOnTestApps":false,"pageScriptingTests":[],"enableCodeCop":false,"runTestsInAllInstalledTestApps":false,"repoVersion":"28.0","doNotPublishApps":false,"githubRunnerShell":"powershell","appFolders":["app"],"cacheKeepDays":10,"bcptTestFolders":[],"workspaceCompilation":"enabled":false,"parallelism":1,"updateDependencies":false,"cacheImageName":"currentVersion","trustedSigning":"Endpoint":"","Account":"","CertificateProfile":"","powerPlatformSolutionFolder":"","treatTestFailuresAsWarnings":false,"bcptThresholds":"DurationWarning":10,"DurationError":25,"NumberOfSqlStmtsWarning":5,"NumberOfSqlStmtsError":10,"additionalCountries":[],"preprocessorSymbols":[],"alDoc":"continuousDeployment":false,"deployToGitHubPages":true,"maxReleases":30,"groupByProject":true,"includeProjects":[],"excludeProjects":[],"header":"HRM and Payroll (Serbia) features","footer":"NPSPyR Tehnička dokumentacija REPOSITORY-VERSION","defaultIndexMD":"### Tehnička dokumentacija i uputstvo aplikacije HRM and Payroll (Serbia) features\n \u003e Možete ispratiti razvoj naših aplikacija na na board-u kao i progres issue-a koji ste prijavili na github-u na linku [support project](Client Support "githib project") .\n\u003e Prijavite bugove ili predloge kako možemo da unapredimo našu aplikaciju na sledećem linku [issue](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/issues/new/choose "github issue support").\n\nDa biste mogli da prijavite bug-ove ili predloge morate imati GItHub nalog.\n\nUputstvo za korišćenje Lokalizacije se nalazi na sledećem linku [help HR and Payroll (Serbia) features](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/wiki/HR-and-Payroll-(Serbia) "help HR and Payroll (Serbia)").","defaultReleaseMD":"### Dokumentacija za verziju VERSION u \n \u003e Možete ispratiti razvoj naših aplikacija na na board-u kao i progres issue-a koji ste prijavili na github-u na linku [support project](Client Support "github project") .\n\u003e Prijavite bugove ili predloge za Localization Features VERSION kako bi mogli da unapredimo našu aplikaciju, na sledećem linku [issue](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/issues/new/choose "github issue support").\n\nDa biste mogli da prijavite bug-ove ili predloge morate imati GItHub nalog.\n\nUputstvo za korišćenje Lokalizacije se nalazi na sledećem linku [help HR and Payroll (Serbia) features](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/wiki/HR-and-Payroll-(Serbia) "help HR and Payroll (Serbia)").\n\n\n### Šta je novo u VERSION \n\nRELEASENOTES***","customCodeCops":[],"doNotRunPageScriptingTests":false,"appDependencies":[],"doNotRunBcptTests":false,"nuGetFeedSelectMode":"LatestMatching","appDependencyProbingPaths":[],"useCompilerFolder":false,"installTestFramework":false,"keyVaultCodesignCertificateName":"SIGNCERT","BcContainerHelperVersion":"preview","installOnlyReferencedApps":true,"CICDPushBranches":["main","release/","feature/","VEN/Task1406_Zaposleni"],"obsoleteTagMinAllowedMajorMinor":"","applicationDependency":"18.0.0.0","applicationInsightsConnectionStringSecretName":"applicationInsightsConnectionString","shell":"powershell","deliverToAppSource":"mainAppFolder":"app","productId":"b30dc84e-983b-4672-a26b-64bfe96284cb","includeDependencies":[],"continuousDelivery":false*,"projectsToTest":[],"environments":[],"failOn":"error","gitSubmodulesTokenSecretName":"gitSubmodulesToken","projects":["."],"appSourceCopMandatoryAffixes":["NPSPyR"],"projectName":".","testDependencies":[],"appRevision":0,"restoreDatabases":[],"codeSignCertificateUrlSecretName":"codeSignCertificateUrl","keyVaultName":"","reportSuppressedDiagnostics":false,"customALGoFiles":"filesToInclude":[],"filesToExclude":[],"useProjectDependencies":false,"unusedALGoSystemFiles":[],"buildModes":[],"enableUICop":false,"templateBranch":"","installPerformanceToolkit":false,"pullRequestTrigger":"pull_request","commitOptions":"messageSuffix":"","pullRequestAutoMerge":false,"pullRequestMergeMethod":"squash","pullRequestLabels":[],"createPullRequest":true***,"doNotSignApps":false,"repoName":"HRM-and-Payroll","postponeProjectInBuildOrder":false,"fullBuildPatterns":[],"alwaysBuildAllProjects":false,"skipUpgrade":false,"templateUrl":"https://github.com/microsoft/AL-Go-AppSource@main","$schema":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/AL-Go-Actions/v9.0/.Modules/settings.schema.json","installTestRunner":false,"incrementalBuilds":***"onPush":false,"onPull_Request":true,"onSchedule":false,"retentionDays":30,"mode":"modifiedApps"***,"adminCenterApiCredentialsSecretName":"adminCenterApiCredentials"***
Run D:\a_actions\microsoft\AL-Go-Actions\v9.0\DetermineProjectsToBuild/../Invoke-AlGoAction.ps1 -ActionName "DetermineProjectsToBuild" -Action ***
D:\a_actions\microsoft\AL-Go-Actions\v9.0\DetermineProjectsToBuild/../Invoke-AlGoAction.ps1 -ActionName "DetermineProjectsToBuild" -Action ***
D:\a_actions\microsoft\AL-Go-Actions\v9.0\DetermineProjectsToBuild/DetermineProjectsToBuild.Action.ps1 -baseFolder D:\a\HRM-and-Payroll\HRM-and-Payroll -token *** -maxBuildDepth $env:_maxBuildDepth

---

shell: C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.EXE -command ". '0'"
env:
workflowDepth: 1
ALGoOrgSettings: "doNotRunTests":true,"BcContainerHelperVersion": "preview","keyVaultCodesignCertificateName": "SIGNCERT","keyVaultName": "","KeyVaultCertificateUrlSecretName": "", "projects": [ "." ],"KeyVaultCertificatePasswordSecretName": "","KeyVaultClientIdSecretName":"KeyVaultClientId","cacheKeepDays": 10,"cacheImageName":"currentVersion","conditionalSettings": ["workflows": [ "Update AL-Go System Files" ],"settings": "workflowSchedule": "cron": "0 1 * * 6"]
ALGoRepoSettings:
type: AppSource App
powerPlatformSolutionFolder:
trackALAlertsInGitHub: False
useGitSubmodules: false
Settings: "keyVaultCertificateUrlSecretName":"","microsoftTelemetryConnectionString":"InstrumentationKey=cd2cc63e-0f37-4968-b99a-532411a314b8;IngestionEndpoint=https://northeurope-2.in.applicationinsights.azure.com/","conditionalSettings":[***"settings":***"workflowSchedule":***"cron":"0 1 * * 6","workflows":["Update AL-Go System Files"]],"useGitSubmodules":"false","type":"AppSource App","sendExtendedTelemetryToMicrosoft":false,"appBuild":569,"installTestApps":[],"versioningStrategy":0,"installApps":[],"installTestLibraries":false,"runNumberOffset":0,"codeSignCertificatePasswordSecretName":"codeSignCertificatePassword","vsixFile":"","country":"w1","templateSha":"04f60f74bafd03df919955477c3dd27964fec65c","partnerTelemetryConnectionString":"","doNotRunTests":true,"workflowDefaultInputs":[],"runs-on":"windows-latest","configPackages":[],"generateDependencyArtifact":false,"excludeEnvironments":[],"keyVaultCertificatePasswordSecretName":"","rulesetFile":"","licenseFileUrlSecretName":"licenseFileUrl","enableExternalRulesets":false,"memoryLimit":"","keyVaultClientIdSecretName":"KeyVaultClientId","testFolders":["test"],"githubRunner":"windows-latest","trackALAlertsInGitHub":false,"trustMicrosoftNuGetFeeds":true,"doNotBuildTests":false,"enableTaskScheduler":false,"companyName":"","features":[],"assignPremiumPlan":false,"shortLivedArtifactsRetentionDays":1,"artifact":"////weekly","ghTokenWorkflowSecretName":"ghTokenWorkflow","enableCodeAnalyzersOnTestApps":false,"pageScriptingTests":[],"enableCodeCop":false,"runTestsInAllInstalledTestApps":false,"repoVersion":"28.0","doNotPublishApps":false,"githubRunnerShell":"powershell","appFolders":["app"],"cacheKeepDays":10,"bcptTestFolders":[],"workspaceCompilation":"enabled":false,"parallelism":1,"updateDependencies":false,"cacheImageName":"currentVersion","trustedSigning":"Endpoint":"","Account":"","CertificateProfile":"","powerPlatformSolutionFolder":"","treatTestFailuresAsWarnings":false,"bcptThresholds":"DurationWarning":10,"DurationError":25,"NumberOfSqlStmtsWarning":5,"NumberOfSqlStmtsError":10,"additionalCountries":[],"preprocessorSymbols":[],"alDoc":"continuousDeployment":false,"deployToGitHubPages":true,"maxReleases":30,"groupByProject":true,"includeProjects":[],"excludeProjects":[],"header":"HRM and Payroll (Serbia) features","footer":"NPSPyR Tehnička dokumentacija REPOSITORY-VERSION","defaultIndexMD":"### Tehnička dokumentacija i uputstvo aplikacije HRM and Payroll (Serbia) features\n \u003e Možete ispratiti razvoj naših aplikacija na na board-u kao i progres issue-a koji ste prijavili na github-u na linku [support project](Client Support "githib project") .\n\u003e Prijavite bugove ili predloge kako možemo da unapredimo našu aplikaciju na sledećem linku [issue](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/issues/new/choose "github issue support").\n\nDa biste mogli da prijavite bug-ove ili predloge morate imati GItHub nalog.\n\nUputstvo za korišćenje Lokalizacije se nalazi na sledećem linku [help HR and Payroll (Serbia) features](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/wiki/HR-and-Payroll-(Serbia) "help HR and Payroll (Serbia)").","defaultReleaseMD":"### Dokumentacija za verziju VERSION u \n \u003e Možete ispratiti razvoj naših aplikacija na na board-u kao i progres issue-a koji ste prijavili na github-u na linku [support project](Client Support "github project") .\n\u003e Prijavite bugove ili predloge za Localization Features VERSION kako bi mogli da unapredimo našu aplikaciju, na sledećem linku [issue](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/issues/new/choose "github issue support").\n\nDa biste mogli da prijavite bug-ove ili predloge morate imati GItHub nalog.\n\nUputstvo za korišćenje Lokalizacije se nalazi na sledećem linku [help HR and Payroll (Serbia) features](https://github.com/NPSBeograd/NPS-Support/wiki/HR-and-Payroll-(Serbia) "help HR and Payroll (Serbia)").\n\n\n### Šta je novo u VERSION \n\nRELEASENOTES***","customCodeCops":[],"doNotRunPageScriptingTests":false,"appDependencies":[],"doNotRunBcptTests":false,"nuGetFeedSelectMode":"LatestMatching","appDependencyProbingPaths":[],"useCompilerFolder":false,"installTestFramework":false,"keyVaultCodesignCertificateName":"SIGNCERT","BcContainerHelperVersion":"preview","installOnlyReferencedApps":true,"CICDPushBranches":["main","release/","feature/","VEN/Task1406_Zaposleni"],"obsoleteTagMinAllowedMajorMinor":"","applicationDependency":"18.0.0.0","applicationInsightsConnectionStringSecretName":"applicationInsightsConnectionString","shell":"powershell","deliverToAppSource":"mainAppFolder":"app","productId":"b30dc84e-983b-4672-a26b-64bfe96284cb","includeDependencies":[],"continuousDelivery":false*,"projectsToTest":[],"environments":[],"failOn":"error","gitSubmodulesTokenSecretName":"gitSubmodulesToken","projects":["."],"appSourceCopMandatoryAffixes":["NPSPyR"],"projectName":".","testDependencies":[],"appRevision":0,"restoreDatabases":[],"codeSignCertificateUrlSecretName":"codeSignCertificateUrl","keyVaultName":"","reportSuppressedDiagnostics":false,"customALGoFiles":"filesToInclude":[],"filesToExclude":[],"useProjectDependencies":false,"unusedALGoSystemFiles":[],"buildModes":[],"enableUICop":false,"templateBranch":"","installPerformanceToolkit":false,"pullRequestTrigger":"pull_request","commitOptions":"messageSuffix":"","pullRequestAutoMerge":false,"pullRequestMergeMethod":"squash","pullRequestLabels":[],"createPullRequest":true***,"doNotSignApps":false,"repoName":"HRM-and-Payroll","postponeProjectInBuildOrder":false,"fullBuildPatterns":[],"alwaysBuildAllProjects":false,"skipUpgrade":false,"templateUrl":"https://github.com/microsoft/AL-Go-AppSource@main","$schema":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/AL-Go-Actions/v9.0/.Modules/settings.schema.json","installTestRunner":false,"incrementalBuilds":***"onPush":false,"onPull_Request":true,"onSchedule":false,"retentionDays":30,"mode":"modifiedApps"***,"adminCenterApiCredentialsSecretName":"adminCenterApiCredentials"***
_maxBuildDepth: 1
Using BcContainerHelper preview version
Downloading BcContainerHelper preview version from Blob Storage
Import from C:\ProgramData\BcContainerHelper\6.1.15-preview2410237\BcContainerHelper\BcContainerHelper.ps1
BcContainerHelper version 6.1.15-preview2410237
Ignoring unchanged config setting useCompilerFolder
Ignoring unchanged config setting SendExtendedTelemetryToMicrosoft
Ignoring unchanged config setting PartnerTelemetryConnectionString
Setting MicrosoftTelemetryConnectionString = InstrumentationKey=cd2cc63e-0f37-4968-b99a-532411a314b8;IngestionEndpoint=https://northeurope-2.in.applicationinsights.azure.com/
BC.HelperFunctions emits usage statistics telemetry to Microsoft
Running on Windows, PowerShell 5.1.26100.32684
push on main
Get Projects To Build
Determining projects to build in D:\a\HRM-and-Payroll\HRM-and-Payroll
Found AL-Go Projects: .
Analyzing projects in D:\a\HRM-and-Payroll\HRM-and-Payroll
Analyzing project: ., ::Debug::[AL-Go]Applying settings from ALGoOrgSettings (Variable)
folders containing apps:

• .\app
• .\test
  Analyzing dependencies
• .
  Set ProjectDependencies for . to
  No additional dependencies found, add project to build order
  Adding projects without dependents to last build job
  Adding test and some minor refactoring in Create app workflow #1 - build projects: .
  Calculating full build matrix
  No build modes found for project ., using default build mode 'Default'.
  Projects to build: .
  Enabling Microsoft telemetry...
  SkippedProjectsJson=[]
  ProjectsJson=["."]
  ProjectDependenciesJson=".":[]
  BuildOrderJson=["projects":["."],"projectsCount":1,"buildDimensions":["githubRunnerShell":"powershell","gitHubRunner":""windows-latest"","projectName":".","project":".","buildMode":"Default"]]
  BuildAllProjects=True
  BaselineWorkflowRunId=0
  BaselineWorkflowSHA=
  Enabling Microsoft telemetry...`

[nemanja899]

This might be an issue why this error is showing

The issue is that GitHub Actions evaluates the if condition during workflow planning, and it's trying to parse buildOrderJson before it's set. The fix is to check if the output exists before parsing it:
GitHub Actions evaluates workflows in two phases:

Planning Phase (before any job runs):

Parses the workflow YAML
Evaluates all if conditions
Determines matrix expansions
Builds the execution graph
Problem: At this point, needs.Initialization.outputs.buildOrderJson is empty/undefined
Execution Phase (after jobs run):

Actually runs jobs
Outputs become available
Too late - the workflow structure is already determined

[aholstrup1]

@nemanja899

Looking at your log, I suspect there's an issue with one of your secrets. See for example this snippet:

"commitOptions":***"messageSuffix":"","pullRequestAutoMerge":false,"pullRequestMergeMethod":"squash","pullRequestLabels":[],"createPullRequest":true***

commitOptions is a json construct so it uses curly brackets. However, in your log the curly brackets are masked.

This happens when you have newlines in your secrets. Did you recently add a new secret to your repo or organization? Or did you recently rotate an existing secret?
#244 (comment)

Try running the Troubleshooting workflow. That should help you narrow down which secret is the problematic one.

[nemanja899]

That is true I wasn't aware of that it has to be compressed json, recently I updated AZURE_CREDENTIALS secret and it's not compressed.

This is an error in troubleshoot action

Checking AL-Go Workflow settings file in .github\Test Current.settings.json (type = Workflow)
Checking AL-Go Workflow settings file in .github\Test Next Major.settings.json (type = Workflow)
Checking AL-Go Workflow settings file in .github\Test Next Minor.settings.json (type = Workflow)
Checking secret INSTALATION_ID
Enabling Microsoft telemetry...
Downloading Nuget package Microsoft.ApplicationInsights 2.20.0...
Error: Unexpected error when running action. Error Message: The property 'Name' cannot be found on this object. Verify that the property exists., StackTrace: at CheckSecretForCommonMistakes, D:\a\_actions\microsoft\AL-Go-Actions\v9.0\Troubleshooting\Troubleshoot.Secrets.ps1: line 54 <- at <ScriptBlock>, D:\a\_actions\microsoft\AL-Go-Actions\v9.0\Troubleshooting\Troubleshoot.Secrets.ps1: line 83 <- at <ScriptBlock>, D:\a\_actions\microsoft\AL-Go-Actions\v9.0\Troubleshooting\Troubleshooting.ps1: line 48 <- at <ScriptBlock>, D:\a\_temp\7975cbad-5819-4e91-ab6d-79b271c97f06.ps1: line 3 <- at <ScriptBlock>, D:\a\_actions\microsoft\AL-Go-Actions\v9.0\Invoke-AlGoAction.ps1: line 21 <- at <ScriptBlock>, D:\a\_temp\7975cbad-5819-4e91-ab6d-79b271c97f06.ps1: line 2 <- at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1
Error: Process completed with exit code 1.

Why is it evaluating Instalation ID this secret is not part of the AL-Go , added this for my Github App.

Thanks @aholstrup1 for help. Will change Secret json format and see if this solves a problem.

[nemanja899]

@aholstrup1 Compressed json was the issue, now Build is running. 😄

[aholstrup1]

@nemanja899 thanks for confirming 👍 I'll close the issue then. If you run into more issues feel free to open a new issue