Display changes.html in Azure Devops

Adam_Nandos

Hi there - we have a release pipeline using the Redgate SQL Change Automation: Release component. In the artifact that is created i can see the changes.html report. What i want to know is how do i get this to render in Devops or use it after the release is finished?

DanC

Hi @Adam_Nandos

To better help you with this, can I first ask are you using a Microsoft Hosted Agent or a self-hosted Agent?

Adam_Nandos

@DanC At the moment we are using hosted agents for database releases

DanC

Hi @Adam_Nandos

Thanks for coming back to me and confirming that!

The option to publish an HTML report is a longstanding feature request that so far hasn't been officially implemented by Microsoft. However, upon some quick research, there's a third-party extension that you may want to review and try out. 

I would like to express that we haven't officially tested this, nor can we openly endorse/support it. However, if you decide to try it, we would be very eager to hear about your experience. 

Here are the details for the third-party extension:

- https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/idea/491426/support-for-generic-html-publishing-inside-build-a.html

- https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=LakshayKaushik.PublishHTMLReports

Kendra_Little

Hi,

A quick update from our side -- I've been chatting with @DanC and some others about options for this today.

I've tried out the "PublishHTMLReports" plugin by Laksahay Kaushik, and I haven't been able to get it to work for the changes.html report. The plugin is designed for publishing jmeter reports specifically. It might be possible to get this to work with some code contributions to rewrite some of the key files, I am not sure. 

We are looking at a couple of other options:

• If one is using YAML Pipelines, it is possible to add a short bit of YAML to publish the Change and Drift reports as artifacts to the pipeline. This doesn't render the report in the Azure DevOps frame itself, but it does make it very easy to click on the published artifacts associated with a pipeline run and easily download the files and open them in the browser. 
• If one is using Classic Release Pipelines, this requires a different approach. I believe that Classic Release Pipelines still lack the ability to publish artifacts. My colleague is looking at an option to use a fileshare in Azure to publish the latest reports from a pipeline in a way that can be included on an Azure DevOps Dashboard. This approach could fit well with Classic Release Pipelines.
  

Do you already have a preference about whether you plan to use "Classic" pipelines, or YAML pipelines? 

( I think we will be exploring both of the options above as time allows -- there is no wrong answer here. Just curious which feels like it might be the best fit of the two, if either.)

Cheers,
Kendra

Adam_Nandos

Hi @Kendra_Little and @DanC

Thanks for the updates - in the end we took a slightly different approach to this. We are using classic release pipelines to progress the artifact through environments, and we really on have an interest in the changes report for the production step, and more so as an after the fact item. 

So we built out a pipeline that creates a release in github once the release to production has completed. As part of that github release creation we then upload the report to git so that it is available as part of the release. This feels ok at the moment as its clearly available in conjunction with the tagged version of the code that was deployed.

From a personal experience POV - its a shame as past experience integrating with GO.CD was a great experience, and kept the internal audit team very happy!