[FIXED] How to specify classifications from .properties file in Jenkins Cucumber report?

Issue

It's straightforward to set hardcoded values in the plugin's Advanced > Presentation > Classifications section, but a value like ${FOO} is displayed literally as ${FOO} instead of expanding.

I set FOO like so in the build shell script, but it does not get displayed in the report.

export FOO=hello

I then tried creating my own .properties file:

echo buildVersion=$LAST_BUILD_VERSION >> report-vars.properties
echo greeting=hola >> report-vars.properties
echo classifications.message=hello >> report-vars.properties
 
cat report-vars.properties

find . -name '*\.properties'

In Console Output below, I can confirm the Cucumber report plugin is finding the .properties file:

[CucumberReport] Copied 2 properties files from workspace

Based on the find output above, the two files must be

• ./sonar-project.properties, and
• ./report-vars.properties

Since those are the only .properties files present.

I have token-macro:2.6 installed.

Solution

We can specify custom classifications by using a pipeline. Create a new Jenkins Pipeline (New Item > Pipeline) and convert your existing job.

A general pipeline may take the following form

@NonCPS
def readLines = { content ->
  def keyValue = []
  content.eachLine { line ->
    keyValue << line
  }
  return keyValue
}

node {
  stage('checkout') {
    git ...
  }
  stage('build') {
    withCredentials(...) {
      sh '''
...
cat << EOF > dynamic.properties
dynamicVar=$(curl ...)
EOF
'''
    }
  }
  stage('post-build') {
    def jenkins_home = manager.getEnvVariable('JENKINS_HOME')
    ...
    def prop_dir = ...

    def contents = readFile("${prop_dir}/dynamic.properties")
    def keyValues = readLines(contents)

    def dynamicVar = keyValues[0].split("=")[1]

    cucumber buildStatus: 'UNSTABLE',
                fileIncludePattern: '**/*.json',
                fileExcludePattern: '',
                jsonReportDirectory: '',
                failedStepsNumber: '0',
                skippedStepsNumber: '0',
                pendingStepsNumber: '0',
                undefinedStepsNumber: '0',
                failedScenariosNumber: '0',
                failedFeaturesNumber: '0',
                sortingMethod: 'ALPHABETICAL',
                trendsLimit: 10,
                classifications: [
                    [
                        'key': 'One such dynamic var',
                        'value': "${dynamicVar}"
                    ]
                ]
  }
}

New to pipelines? Click "Pipeline syntax" link in the left sidebar of a finished job. There are plenty of examples in the Snippet Generator.

Implementation Notes

• Write all necessary variables to a .properties file in the build stage.
• Build up the path to the .properties file referencing various Jenkins env vars.
• Specify dynamic classification values with double-quoted interpolation.
• Groovy Sandbox may or may not need to be disabled

Other questions

• Why can't we use a callback file? Jenkins checksum prevents links to modified files, even if you modify the checksum to the new value in build.xml.
• Why can't we use only groovy-postbuild plugin? The pipeline syntax for Cucumber Reports is specific to Jenkins Pipeline. You don't get that with just the plugin. And, you need to create a new job as a Pipeline. So you would still need to use the Cucumber Reports sample pipeline syntax anyway.

References

• Pipeline syntax for Cucumber Reports https://plugins.jenkins.io/cucumber-reports/
• Reading lines from file https://stackoverflow.com/a/58709471/16681513
• Reading from a properties file (didn't work in this case) https://stackoverflow.com/a/33937828/16681513

Answered By - turtleyacht
Answer Checked By - Willingham (JavaFixing Volunteer)