[Bug] Azure DevOps UseGitVersion@5 task and GitVersion 5.2.4 produces an error "AssemblyInfoFilename file not found at null" when `UpdateAssemblyInfo: true` is set

[davidbutler-rldatix]

Describe the bug
I have recently been updating pipelines to use the UseGitVersion@5 task, replacing the obsolete GitVersion@5 task. For the most part, this has been easy, and I did not encounter any problems until I switched out the task on a pipeline which use GitVersion to update the AssemblyInfo.cs files for a .Net Framework solution. When run, the build fails on the UseGitVersion@5 task, with the error message:

##[error]Error: AssemblyInfoFilename file not found at null

The task is defined in my pipeline as per the example in the GitVersion docs:

- task: UseGitVersion@5
  inputs:
    versionSpec: '5.x'
    updateAssemblyInfo: true

Expected Behavior

The UseGitVersion@5 task should update all AssemblyInfo.cs files under the repository

Actual Behavior

Task execution fails with the error AssemblyInfoFilename file not found at null.

Possible Fix

Unfortunately, I have nothing concrete to offer beyond wild speculation.

Steps to Reproduce

This may be reproduced using the simple pipeline below, in a repo containing a .Net Framework solution with projects that include AssemblyInfo.cs files.
Gitversion.yml file also attached.

See the attached log from pipeline task execution
UserGitVersionPipelineTaskLog.log
with debugging enabled

Context

No longer able to automate the versioning of assemblies with UseGitVersion@5 as ws possible with GitVersion@5 task.

Your Environment

Azure DevOps Pipelines running on MS hosted Windows Agent

• Version Used:

• windows-latest MS hosted agent
• UseGitVersion@5 - v5.1.2
• GitVersion 5.2.4

Sample Pipeline

pool:
  vmImage: 'windows-latest'

steps:
- task: UseGitVersion@5
  inputs:
    versionSpec: '5.x'
    updateAssemblyInfo: true

Sample GitVersion.yml config used...nothing to see here really

branches: {}
ignore:
  sha: []
merge-message-formats: {}

[suddenelfilio]

We are currently experiencing the same issue. No solution found yet.

[salaerts]

We have encountered the same issue today.

Pipeline YAML

trigger:
- master
- feature/*

pool:
  vmImage: 'windows-latest'

variables:
  solution: '**/*.sln'
  buildPlatform: 'Any CPU'
  buildConfiguration: 'Release'
  GitVersion.SemVer: ''
  DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: true
  DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT: true

steps:
- task: NuGetToolInstaller@1

- task: NuGetCommand@2
  inputs:
    restoreSolution: '$(solution)'

- task: UseGitVersion@5
  displayName: gitversion
  inputs: 
    versionSpec: '5.x'
    updateAssemblyInfo: true

Gitversion YAML config

mode: ContinuousDeployment
next-version: 1.0
assembly-versioning-scheme: MajorMinorPatch
assembly-file-versioning-scheme: MajorMinorPatchTag
assembly-informational-format: '{InformationalVersion}'
increment: Inherit
continuous-delivery-fallback-tag: ci
tag-prefix: '[vV]'
major-version-bump-message: '\+semver:\s?(breaking|major)'
minor-version-bump-message: '\+semver:\s?(feature|minor)'
patch-version-bump-message: '\+semver:\s?(fix|patch)'
no-bump-message: '\+semver:\s?(none|skip)'
legacy-semver-padding: 4
build-metadata-padding: 4
commits-since-version-source-padding: 4
commit-message-incrementing: Enabled
commit-date-format: 'yyyy-MM-dd'
merge-message-formats: {}

[salaerts]

If I specify the full path to the assembly info file

- task: UseGitVersion@5
  displayName: gitversion
  inputs: 
    versionSpec: '5.x'
    updateAssemblyInfo: true
    updateAssemblyInfoFilename: 'src/Project/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs'

We get a slightly different error:

##[error]Error: AssemblyInfoFilename file not found at src/Project/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs

The path to the assembly file is correct so that is not the issue.

[salaerts]

So, apparently using the full absolute path to the AssemblyInfo.cs file seems to work:

- task: UseGitVersion@5
  displayName: gitversion
  inputs: 
    versionSpec: '5.x'
    updateAssemblyInfo: true
    updateAssemblyInfoFilename: '$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/src/Project/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs'

Using a shared GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs file combined with this configuration might be a suitable workaround. But I would expect something like this to work just fine:

- task: UseGitVersion@5
  displayName: gitversion
  inputs: 
    versionSpec: '5.x'
    updateAssemblyInfo: true
    updateAssemblyInfoFilename: '**/AssemblyInfo.cs'

And perhaps this could even be the default convention?

The only remaining issue at this point is that we now get this warning:

Warning : File contains assembly version attributes which conflict with the attributes generated by GitVersion Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs

Which seems weird, because we don't have any version-related properties in the assembly info file:

using System.Reflection;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

// General Information about an assembly is controlled through the following
// set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information
// associated with an assembly.
[assembly: AssemblyTitle("Project")]
[assembly: AssemblyDescription("")]
[assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCompany("Company NV")]
[assembly: AssemblyProduct("Product")]
[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("Copyright ©  2020")]
[assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCulture("")]

// Setting ComVisible to false makes the types in this assembly not visible
// to COM components.  If you need to access a type in this assembly from
// COM, set the ComVisible attribute to true on that type.
[assembly: ComVisible(false)]

// The following GUID is for the ID of the typelib if this project is exposed to COM
[assembly: Guid("10aa69b4-2816-44a2-8097-1385fcb369c7")]

[davidbutler-rldatix]

So, apparently using the full absolute path to the AssemblyInfo.cs file seems to work:

Sadly, I have multiple AssemblyInfo.cs files to update during a build.

But I would expect something like this to work just fine:

- task: UseGitVersion@5
  displayName: gitversion
  inputs: 
    versionSpec: '5.x'
    updateAssemblyInfo: true
    updateAssemblyInfoFilename: '**/AssemblyInfo.cs' 

As would I, but it does not. It was also unnecessary to be explicit about AssemblyInfo.cs file paths in the obsolete GitVersion@5 task. The simplicity of configuration/inputs in the original GitVersion@5 task was a big driver behind why we adopted it in our organization. The UseGitVersion@5 is even better with seemingly even less to express to get it to "do the right thiing" - I don't believe it was the intent that the behavior of simply setting updateAssemblyInfo: true was meant to break or even change in the UseGitVersion@5 task.

While I appreciate the sentiments and suggestions expressed above, an AssemblyInfo.cs shared across projects is unfortunately not a viable workaround in my particular situation (impacts too many projects).

Also, since a file pattern such as updateAssemblyInfoFilename: '$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/**/AssemblyInfo.cs also does not work, then there has clearly been a regression as compared to the, now deprecated, GitVersion@5 task. The UseGitVersion@5 task appears to be completely incapable of updating multiple AssemblyInfo.cs files, which does not align with either the documented behavior or, as already mentioned, implicit behavior in GitVersion@5.

As an aside, I've also noticed a comparatively large performance degradation in UseGitVersion@5 vs GitVersion@5. It seems on average UseGitVersion@5 runs roughly 6-7 times slower at around 30-35 seconds, versus GitVersion@5 which runs in roughly 5-6 seconds on the same agent and repository. This is not a deal-breaker by any means, merely an observation for the feedback bucket.