Execute PowerShell script from network folder

Question

I'm developing a quite large automatic build in TFS2017 with a local VSTS build machine. My custom tasks will be mostly in PowerShell.

The inline PowerShell task handles only 500 or so characters and is too small to use for most tasks. Right now I'm editing my Powershell script, check it in, test run, read log for errors, correct, check in again and so on.

This is a bit tedious and I wonder if there are any options. I would like to avoid checking in each change in the script. Are there any options like executing my Powershell tasks from a network location during development of the build process?

Answer 1

You can use dot sourcing with your UNC path:

PS> . \\server\path\to\your\scriptmcscript.ps1

or use the invocation operator:

& \\server\path\to\your\scriptmcscript.ps1

Answer 2

You can specify UNC file path in PowerShell task.

You also can store the script files in a server (e.g. FTP), then download the file to working directory during build through PowerShell or others task.

On the other hand, there is PowerShell on Target machines task that can execute PowerShell scripts on remote machines.

Answer 3

This is the only way that works for me, call PowerShell from a .batch script with execution policy set to bypass (scope - process only)

-NonInteractive = do not prompt for confirm
-NoProfile = run under system context

powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NonInteractive -Command C:\Users\User\Script.ps1

Answer 4

When you try using a SQL Server job, none of the mentioned will work. Please try the below command; it works flawlessly. You can try adding n number of input params

powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "& { \\Shared\Share\IncrementalProcessing\DimProcessing.ps1 -serverName 'FROST' -databaseName 'Cube' -dir 'C:\SQLFiles\IncrementalProcessingCubes' }"

Answer 5

You can use UNC path for the file with Powershell Task. Or you could use the Powershell on target machine to run it.

But be careful about your choice. You have to keep in mind that who is running your script is the build/deployment agent. So while you are running it in your corporate network everything will be fine, because your agent can see your UNC path.

The moment you use that agent on a machine outside your network you will have to think about another solution, which may include saving your powershell file to a repo like Git or TFVC and then download the file to the local computer where you are running the agent.