split string line by line and variablize i.e assign it to GITHUB_OUTPUT - workflow

Question

Github action run invokes a powershell that returns as below:

Powershell return function:

return "$($psitem.Key)=$($psitem.Value)"

The return is assigned to a github action variable returnvalue

The return contains a list of key=value pairs separated by ' ' [single spacebar]

I wish to assign each returned key-value pair as github variable=value and then print it.

I use the below workflow run logic to achieve this:

  - name: Powershell to split

    run: |
      "${{ needs.READ_VARS_FROM_XML.outputs.key_value_x }}" -split " " | ForEach-Object {
        echo $_
        echo "$_" >>  $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT 
        }

       
  - name: Print single key-value attemp 2
    run: |
      echo "PORT NUMBER: ${{ env.port }} and {{ port }}"

Output:

Powershell to split

Run "deploy_path=C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\tss.qa port=8814 app_name=Signup-qa debug=true deploy_password=password deploy_user=" -split " " | ForEach-Object {
deploy_path=C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\tss.qa
port=8814
app_name=Signup-qa
debug=true
deploy_password=password
deploy_user=

Print single key-value attemp 2

Run echo "PORT NUMBER:  and {{ port }}"            
PORT NUMBER:  and {{ port }}

I was expecting Port number 8814 to be printed for variable port but it doesn’t seem to hold any value.

Update: Post answer as suggested I printed the environment variables

steps:
  - name: Print Environment Variables
    run: |
      Get-ChildItem Env:

Unfortunately, I don't see any of the key=value i.e port=8814 in the output of environment variables. Please suggest what could be wrong?

Can you please suggest what did I miss?

Try splitting on the return character. You are splitting on spaces. — jdweng, May 23 '23 at 17:17
@jdweng Did not help. Upon your suggestion i changed the powershell return to return "$($psitem.Key)=$($psitem.Value)`r" and git run to "${{ needs.READ_VARS_FROM_XML.outputs.key_value_x }}" -split "`r" | ForEach-Object { — Ashar, May 23 '23 at 17:32
personally I use `-split '[\r\n]+'` that will split on Carriage Return or New Line characters (or both) — TheMadTechnician, May 23 '23 at 18:16
i dont think the issue is with split. it is splitting alright. The issue is unable to assign each line as `$env:GITHUB_OUTPUT` and printing it i.e `port`. — Ashar, May 23 '23 at 18:21
The return character in power shell you use the back tick (below the esc key) for the cntl character followed by either r or n. — jdweng, May 23 '23 at 18:47

jessehouwing · Accepted Answer · 2023-05-25T17:08:39.620

You're creating output variables, not environment variables by appending to $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT. You'll need to make a few changes to work with the env. scope and the shell's environment.

Instead of $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT, use $env:GITHUB_ENV.
Pass the env. scope to the environment of the PowerShell task
(optional) mask passwords

A workflow that works for me is the following:

jobs:
  init:
    env:
      key_value: "deploy_path=C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\tss.qa port=8814 app_name=Signup-qa debug=true deploy_password=FHSGDSJJD deploy_user="    
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - run: |
         $values = $env:key_value -split " "
         foreach ($value in $values)
         {
           if ($value -like "*password*")
           {
             $secret = ($value.split("=",2))[1]
             echo "::add-mask::$secret"
           }
           echo $value
           echo $value >> $env:GITHUB_ENV
         }
      id: split
      shell: pwsh
      env:
        key_value: ${{ env.key_value }}

    - run: |
          echo "PORT NUMBER: ${{ env.port }} and $($env:port)"    
      shell: pwsh
      env: ${{ env }}

For outputs, the steps are very similar:

Add an id: to the step that generates the output variable.
Store the output variables in $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
Pass the previous step's outputs to the env: section of the next step.
Again, optionally mask the passwords

jobs:
  init:
    env:
      key_value: "deploy_path=C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\tss.qa port=8814 app_name=Signup-qa debug=true deploy_password=FHSGDSJJD deploy_user="    
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - run: |
         $values = $env:key_value -split " "
         foreach ($value in $values)
         {
           if ($value -like "*password*")
           {
             $secret = ($value.split("=",2))[1]
             echo "::add-mask::$secret"
           }
           echo $value
           echo $value >> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
         }
      id: split
      shell: pwsh
      env:
        key_value: ${{ env.key_value }}
    - run: |
          echo "PORT NUMBER: ${{ steps.split.outputs.port }} and $($env:port)"    
      shell: pwsh
      env: ${{ steps.split.outputs }}

To dump the contents of a scope to the log, you can use:

    - name: Dump the env scope
      run: |
          echo $env:scope
      env:
        scope: ${{ toJson(env) }}
      shell: pwsh

You can pass vars, env, github, matrix, steps.X.outputs, etc to the toJson function to dump the context to the console.

thanks for the elaborate reply. I tried your solution -> set an environment variable but it does not print the variable `port`. Is there a way I can print all `$env:GITHUB_ENV` and `$env:GITHUB_OUTPUT` inorder to debug the issue further? — Ashar, May 23 '23 at 19:35
i tried your solution and it does not work as I fear neither the environment nor the output is getting updated not sure why?? — Ashar, May 23 '23 at 19:53
`$env:key_value.split(" ",2)` does not work and only loops twice and not the number of times of `key-value`. This appending to `>> $env:GITHUB_ENV` along with `-split '[\r\n]+'` works. I was not able to print `>> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT` anyhow ! Will be glad if I can get a solution for `GITHUB_OUTPUT` as well. — Ashar, May 23 '23 at 20:20

split string line by line and variablize i.e assign it to GITHUB_OUTPUT - workflow

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