TFS 2015.1 - vNext - Using NuGet Packager but can&

Question

I'm using TFS 2015.1 (on premises not VSO), trying to build up to CI. The problem is that when using TFS "Nuget Packager" it is failing to create the nuget package from a csproj file. The same project can create on locally on my machine by using the same parameters.

Can anyone suggest why? Thanks.

Here is the packager log:

2016-04-13T17:37:34.3861624Z Set workingFolder to default: C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\tasks\NuGetPackager\0.1.56
2016-04-13T17:37:34.3881631Z Executing the powershell script: C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\tasks\NuGetPackager\0.1.56\NuGetPackager.ps1
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5071696Z Checking pattern is specified
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5081742Z No Pattern found in solution parameter.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5121695Z Found files: 1
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5141691Z --File: C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s\WebFeatureService.csproj
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5151718Z Creating Nuget Arguments:
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5231689Z --ARGS: pack C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s\WebFeatureService.csproj -OutputDirectory C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s -Properties Configuration=Debug
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5241691Z Invoking nuget with pack C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s\WebFeatureService.csproj -OutputDirectory C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s -Properties Configuration=Debug on C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s
2016-04-13T17:37:34.5241691Z C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\agent\worker\tools\NuGet.exe pack C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s\WebFeatureService.csproj -OutputDirectory C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\_work\2\s -Properties Configuration=Debug
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9111884Z pack: invalid arguments.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9321907Z usage: nuget pack <nuspec | project> [options]
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9321907Z Creates a NuGet package based on the specified nuspec or project file.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9331905Z      Specify the location of the nuspec or project file to create a package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9331905Z options:
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9341894Z  -OutputDirectory                                                          Specifies the directory for the created NuGet package file. If not specified, uses the current directory.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9341894Z  -BasePath                                                                 The base path of the files defined in the nuspec file.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9341894Z  -Verbose                                                                  Shows verbose output for package building.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9351910Z  -Version                                                                  Overrides the version number from the nuspec file.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9351910Z  -Exclude +                                                                Specifies one or more wildcard patterns to exclude when creating a package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9361907Z  -Symbols                                                                  Determines if a package containing sources and symbols should be created. When specified with a nuspec, creates a regular NuGet package file and the corresponding symbols package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9361907Z  -Tool                                                                     Determines if the output files of the project should be in the tool folder. 
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9371921Z  -Build                                                                    Determines if the project should be built before building the package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9371921Z  -NoDefaultExcludes                                                        Prevent default exclusion of NuGet package files and files and folders starting with a dot e.g. .svn.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9371921Z  -NoPackageAnalysis                                                        Specify if the command should not run package analysis after building the package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9381908Z  -ExcludeEmptyDirectories                                                  Prevent inclusion of empty directories when building the package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9381908Z  -IncludeReferencedProjects                                                Include referenced projects either as dependencies or as part of the package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9391903Z  -Properties +                                                             Provides the ability to specify a semicolon ";" delimited list of properties when creating a package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9391903Z  -MinClientVersion                                                         Set the minClientVersion attribute for the created package.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9401904Z  -MSBuildVersion                                                           Specifies the version of MSBuild to be used with this command. Supported values are 4, 12, 14. By default the MSBuild in your path is picked, otherwise it defaults to the highest installed version of MSBuild.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9401904Z  -Help                           (?)                                       help
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9401904Z  -Verbosity                                                                Display this amount of details in the output: normal, quiet, detailed.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9411909Z  -NonInteractive                                                           Do not prompt for user input or confirmations.
2016-04-13T17:37:34.9411909Z For more information, visit http://docs.nuget.org/docs/reference/command-line-reference

Answer 1

It looks like a problem with the location where the build is running on the build server:

C:\TFS Build Agent\agent\agent\worker\tools\NuGet.exe pack C:\TFS Build Agent\agent_work\2\s\WebFeatureService.csproj -OutputDirectory C:\TFS Build Agent\agent_work\2\s -Properties Configuration=Debug

This is probably struggling on the server due to the lack of quotes around the path to the CSPROJ file.

On my VSTS hosted build agent everything is executing in C:\a\1\s\....

Try changing the local installation of the Agent.

If that turns out to be it, let me know, I think I know what needs to be done to fix it.