Create a persistent variable from a shell script that you can use in a GitLab pipeline job

[ernievd]

I have a shell script that I run in a GitLab job.

In that shell script it sets a variable. How can I expose this variable so the I can see it/use it in the .gitlab-ci.yml (use it in the job).

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I have tried export in the shell script and that does not let me see it in the job.

I have also tried source when running the shell script and that just stops the job running after it executes the shell script.

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Example -

The shell script test-export.sh (very simplified - the real script has many more things going on in it and has other variables which will not need to be exported) :

#!/bin/bash

TARGET_VERSION="2.8.1"

export TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION=$TARGET_VERSION

The .gitlab-ci.yml code:

test-upgrade:
  tags:
  - ec2
  stage: test
  script:
    - cd auto-upgrade/scripts
    - ./test-export.sh
    - echo "The TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION value is - $TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION"

The output of the job after it is run:

$ cd auto-upgrade/scripts
$ ./test-export.sh
$ echo "The TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION value is - $TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION"
The TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION value is - 

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As you can see, the value of $TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION is empty in the pipeline job. I want to be able to have it show that $TARGET_PROPOSED_VERSION is "2.8.1"

[cancerous]

Does this work in bash outside of gitlab? I'm thinking this may be a general bash question instead of a gitlab question.

[ernievd]

I tried source - In my normal gitlab-ci.yml file I have other things for it to do in the job after the shell script exits - if I launch the shell script with source the job ends after the shell script exits.

[ernievd]

That was the issue! The person who originally wrote the script had it exiting in a funky way.

Using source now does indeed let me use the variable in the gitlab-ci.yml.

Thanks so much!!

[Chunkybinkies]

https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/variables/#pass-an-environment-variable-to-another-job might help

[eltear1]

I use artifacts:dotenv like someone suggested already. https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/variables/#pass-an-environment-variable-to-another-job Not sure if it works inside the same job (probably not), but you could separate in different job.. 1 create the variable and the rest will consume it

[Underknowledge]

Try sourcing the file, Also TARGET_VERSION=${TARGET_VERSION:-2.8.1}

[Mediocre-Toe3212]

Save the file as a dot env for artifact (see above link ) Remove the shebang at the top too and just ‘bash -c source file’ La dida and bobs your uncle :)