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Some time ago Azure DevOps have added a support for YAML build pipelines. This is all nice for power users (I get it, pros only use command line & plain text tools, GUI is for weak) for quite a few reasons.

Is there a way to go back to a GUI (classic editor) to edit an existing pipeline? I have disabled the feature

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as described here https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/get-started-designer?view=azure-devops&tabs=new-nav , however it only helps for new pipelines.

Somehow I haven't yet memorized the syntax and entire set of configuration options for pipeline definitions, so...

I'd like to edit my existing pipeline using the GUI, as I don't have time to read the docs and look for what exactly string do I need to add into which place of YAML in order to set some simple options, however, I am always taken to the YAML view when I try to edit a pipeline (which was created visually some time ago).

Is there a way to open the GUI editor?

Bartosz
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4 Answers4

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There is a link in the Create New Pipeline blade. Click on the "Use the classic editor" link and voila you will get the GUI to work on!

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Jabez
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    The question was about an *existing* pipeline, not a new one. Thanks anyway;) – Bartosz Dec 03 '19 at 10:05
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    So it’s a MS Planning to retire the classic build in favor of YAML, that is what this screen suggests to me. The questioner is right...who wants to learn yet another language when the designer works so nicely. I can see YAML being useful, but not most of the time when all we want is build/deploy...is there a YAML designer planned? – jlo-gmail Apr 15 '20 at 23:38
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for a pipeline thats using yaml - no. you can only configure it in yaml and you can not switch back to UI experience.

If the pipeline is UI - it will continue to work as it was working.

4c74356b41
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    Do you know how we can create a build with the UI experience? Are we being forced down the YAML route now? I have looked over the UI (incl the preview features) and cannot find out how to start a project in UI mode. – MarkD May 15 '19 at 19:34
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You won't be able to use the GUI as it did in the classic editor, but you can click the hyperlinks above your yaml tasks to pop the properties window on the side pane. It's basically a 'designer' for your yaml blocks, so you don't need to 'memorize' anything per se.

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Ε Г И І И О
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    While this wasn't the answer, this helped me a lot to update the different tasks. – Holger Nov 17 '20 at 12:48
  • Well, this is what i was looking for. It helps in a lot way and you are the savior for me today. – Ak777 Jan 23 '23 at 17:11
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As far as pipelines go, MS made the determination to keep the Yaml vs classic (UI) methods of editing entirely separate workflows. Personally, I like having both as an option and see the YAML modifications as a quick and easy way to use pipeline as code and for some make spot modifications, but i think removing the UI will limit their product adoption as sometimes its easiest to master a pipeline first in the ui. Anyway, most pipelines are not SO many steps recreation is prohibitive I would recommend just recreate the pipeline in another tab in your browser. Just look for the reference at creation time for Classic Editor. It asks one time then after that you're in the lane.

Continuous Intuition
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