Debugging Packer builds within a CI pipeline

[Adam Rush]

I know we can use `-debug` and `-on-error=ask` when doing local Packer builds, but they don't seem to work within a CI build pipeline (like Jenkins).

Has anyone else found a solution for debugging within a CI pipeline?

[Alvaro Miranda Aguilera]

have you tried PACKER_LOG=DEBUG as environment variable ?

On Tue, May 5, 2020 at 7:24 PM Adam Rush <adamr...@gmail.com> wrote:

I know we can use `-debug` and `-on-error=ask` when doing local Packer builds, but they don't seem to work within a CI build pipeline (like Jenkins).

Has anyone else found a solution for debugging within a CI pipeline?

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Alvaro

[Adam Rush]

I tried that but no joy. I think that just enables the logging, and I already had `PACKER_LOG=1`.

On Wednesday, 6 May 2020 19:23:00 UTC+1, Alvaro Miranda Aguilera wrote:

have you tried PACKER_LOG=DEBUG as environment variable ?

On Tue, May 5, 2020 at 7:24 PM Adam Rush <adamr...@gmail.com> wrote:

I know we can use `-debug` and `-on-error=ask` when doing local Packer builds, but they don't seem to work within a CI build pipeline (like Jenkins).

Has anyone else found a solution for debugging within a CI pipeline?

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Alvaro

[Lesley Kimmel]

Can you describe more what you are trying to see and why you are unable to? I'm currently using Packer inside a CI pipeline. The pipeline itself usually gives me the Packer output at the end. I also found that, on the Packer server itself, Packer has a log (/tmp/packer-logXXXXXX) that contains all of it's normal CLI output. Packer logging is generally pretty clear on what any issues are.

[Adam Rush]

Sure. For some context, I'm running Packer via a Jenkins pipeline, which spins up an ephemeral container within a Kubernetes cluster.

As some builds can take an hour or more to run, I'd like Packer to pause when an error occurs, then I can attach to the container and start debugging the current environment.

This would greatly improve the dev process and make debugging much faster.

I believe this doesnt currently work as I thought as the container doesnt have a terminal attached, so I'm looking for possible solutions.

[Megan Marsh]

I'd suggest just setting --on-error=abort; that will make Packer exit without cleaning up the container so that you can get onto it and start debugging. 

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[Adam Rush]

Thanks Megan. That’s got me closer, but it only leaves the VM. I want the build container to pause, so I can debug from there if possible?

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[Megan Marsh]

I don't think there's a way within packer to do that but if you write a little wrapping script to call Packer you can probably force the build container to pause too. 

[Adam Rush]

Ok thanks Megan. I thought that might be the case.

I'll keep investigating workarounds...I think I'm on to something!