Batch script to Queue the builds in tfs 2015/2017 - visual-studio

Question

I was trying to execute builds using a Batch script, I wrote one but getting this error:
please define the Build definition name. tfsbuild start /collection:https://tfs.prod.dcx.int.bell.ca/tfs/bellca/Consumer/builds/All Definitions/{Release)/{Project-name}/{Build definition name}
How can can I fix this?

Answer 1

The tfsbuild command line tool is only for XAML builds. For modern builds, you'll need to use the REST API or the C# wrapper for the REST API.
The documentation has good examples, but basically POST https://{instance}/DefaultCollection/{project}/_apis/build/builds?api-version={version}
with an appropriate body:
{
"definition": {
"id": 25
},
"sourceBranch": "refs/heads/master",
"parameters": "{\"system.debug\":\"true\",\"BuildConfiguration\":\"debug\",\"BuildPlatform\":\"x64\"}"
}

Answer 2

Yes, just as Daniel said, you need to use the REST API, See Queue-a-build.
You could simply use below PowserShell script to queue the builds (Just replace the params accordingly):
Param(
[string]$collectionurl = "http://server:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection",
[string]$projectName = "ProjectName",
[string]$keepForever = "true",
[string]$BuildDefinitionId = "34",
[string]$user = "username",
[string]$token = "password"
)
# Base64-encodes the Personal Access Token (PAT) appropriately
$base64AuthInfo = [Convert]::ToBase64String([Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetBytes(("{0}:{1}" -f $user,$token)))
function CreateJsonBody
{
$value = #"
{
"definition": {
"id": $BuildDefinitionId
},
"parameters": "{\"system.debug\":\"true\",\"BuildConfiguration\":\"debug\",\"BuildPlatform\":\"x64\"}"
}
"#
return $value
}
$json = CreateJsonBody
$uri = "$($collectionurl)/$($projectName)/_apis/build/builds?api-version=2.0"
$result = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $uri -Method Post -Body $json -ContentType "application/json" -Headers #{Authorization=("Basic {0}" -f $base64AuthInfo)}