How to Retrieve the Commit Hash of Your Application in Post-Build Events

Learn how to successfully get the commit hash of your application during post-build events in Visual Studio. This blog explains the necessary commands and troubleshooting steps in simple language.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/77288399/ asked by the user 'Dominique' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/4279155/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/77288707/ provided by the user 'TTT' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/184546/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Introduction

If you've ever wondered why you're unable to see the commit hash of your application during a post-build event in Visual Studio, you're not alone. Many developers face this perplexing issue, which often leaves them frustrated. Understanding how to retrieve the commit hash correctly should be straightforward, but minor mistakes can lead to unexpected results, such as the appearance of a single character instead of the full commit hash in your release notes.

In this guide, we will explore why your initial command didn’t work and what you can do to correctly get the commit hash for your application.

Understanding the Issue

What Happened?

You tried using the command git log -1 --format=format:"%H" during a post-build event, expecting it to create a file called Release_Note2.txt containing the latest commit hash. Instead, you only got a file with the letter "H".

This can be frustrating, especially when you're looking to automate your build notes with the latest commit details.

Why Doesn’t It Work?

The reason your command did not output the expected result could be due to one of the following:

String Escaping: In C# applications, certain characters need to be escaped properly. Without the correct escape sequences, your command can misinterpret inputs.

Using the git log Command: The git log command may not be the most efficient way to get just the commit hash.

Solution: Getting the Commit Hash

Use the Right Command

Instead of git log, you can use:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command will print the current commit ID that your HEAD is pointing to. You can substitute HEAD with any specific tag or branch you'd like to check.

Application of the Command

Updating Your Post-Build Event

Here is how you can correctly modify your post-build event command to include the correct way of obtaining the commit hash:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

If You Prefer Using git log

If you do decide to stick with the git log approach, ensure that you correctly escape your command like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This alteration may resolve the issues related to string interpretation within your C# application.

Final Thoughts

In summary, if you want to retrieve the commit hash of your application during a post-build event in Visual Studio, remember to use git rev-parse HEAD. This straightforward command will provide you with the accurate commit ID that you're looking for. If you decide to use git log, don't forget to properly escape the format string.

By following these simple steps, you can ensure your build process is efficient and that your project management remains on top of things.