How to debug install.ps1 script of NuGet package

Question

So we can include an install/uninstall powershell scripts in a NuGet package. I tried, but my install.ps1 does not work. Is there any possibility to find out why? Debugging, logging, anything?

Update

Please note that the script is executed as part of an installation process of Nuget package. It may be very Nuget-specific.

Answer 1

Perhaps I am late to the party but here is a solution for debugging NuGet specific scripts, the NuGet package NuGetDebugTools. Its script Add-Debugger.ps1 adds a simple and yet effective debugger to the NuGet package manager console.

UPDATE: The script is now at PSGallery Add-Debugger. The NuGetDebugTools package is no longer updated. Either use PowerShelf or get individual scripts from the repository.

The sample scenario:

• start Visual Studio

• open NuGet console and type commands

    PM> Add-Debugger [-ReadHost]
    PM> Set-PSBreakpoint -Command init
    PM> Set-PSBreakpoint -Command install
  

(or set more specific breakpoints, see help Set-PSBreakpoint)

• open a Visual Studio solution or invoke Install-Package XYZ for already opened

• the debugger input dialog appears on any init.ps1 and install.ps1 invoked

• type ? as debugger input and see what you can do:

    s, StepInto  Step to the next statement into functions, scripts, etc.
    v, StepOver  Step to the next statement over functions, scripts, etc.
    o, StepOut   Step out of the current function, script, etc.
    c, Continue  Continue operation (also on empty input).
    q, Quit      Stop operation and exit the debugger.
    ?, h         Display this help message.
    r            Display PowerShell command history.
    k            Display call stack (Get-PSCallStack).
    <number>     Show debug location in context of <number> lines.
    +<number>    Set location context preference to <number> lines.
    <command>    Invoke any PowerShell <command> and write its output.
  

• type other debugger and PowerShell commands and watch the output in the NuGet console

---

v1.4.0 - New switch ReadHost tells to use Read-Host for input instead of the default GUI input box.

Answer 2

This is how I was able to step-through install.ps1 using PowerShell ISE:

To be able to step through execution of the install script using PowerShell ISE follow these steps: Enable execution of assemblies built with .Net 4

Either

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0 Or

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0

Depending on which version of PS you're using If files are not there create them

Either C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0 Or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0

Depending on which version of PS you're using

If config files are not there create them

powershell.exe.config:

<configuration>  
    <startup useLegacyV2RuntimeActivationPolicy="true">  
        <supportedRuntime version="v4.0.30319"/>  
        <supportedRuntime version="v2.0.50727"/>  
    </startup>  
</configuration>  

powershell_ise.exe.config:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
    <startup>
      <supportedRuntime version="v4.0.30319" />
    </startup>
</configuration>

To be able to run PowerShell scripts included with a NuGet package the execution policy will need to be changed:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope Process

Copy install.ps1 that you want to debug and modify it's contents as follows:

delete the parameters block

param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string]   $installPath,
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string]   $toolsPath,
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]            $package,
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]            $project
)

import a module which allows to use nuget cmdlets outside of the VS host process

Download http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/NuGet/NuGetOutsideVisualStudio.zip Extract contents of the bin folder to some place and then import the PackageManagement.Cmdlets.dll

like so:

import-module "C:\dev\NuGetOutsideVisualStudio\bin\PackageManagement.Cmdlets.dll"

now you are able to set all the parameters manually like so:

$toolsPath="C:\dev\demo-solution\packages\X1.Registration.DbUpdate.0.4\tools"
$installPath="C:\dev\demo-solution\packages\X1.Registration.DbUpdate.0.4"

set-project DemoSolution.Logic C:\dev\demo-solution\DemoSolution.sln

$project = Get-Project -name DemoSolution.Logic

That still leaves $package object unset but I found that script doesn't really refer to that parameter

References: http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/archive/2011/06/12/InstallingNuGetPackagesOutsideVisualStudio.aspx

Answer 3

Use Set-PsDebug -trace 2 to see what is happening.

Answer 4

Run your scripts through the Package Manager Console in VS (details on the console at https://docs.nuget.org/ndocs/tools/package-manager-console) -- and anything that causes an error along the way will be written out in red.

Also, you can write diagnostic trace type info with Write-Host to the same console.

Answer 5

You might call Start-Transcript at the beginning of install script and Stop-Transcript at the end. You would probably wrap the install code like this:

try {
  $ErrorActionPreference = 'stop'  # stop on error
  Start-Transcript c:\a.txt
  ...
}
catch {
  write-host $_
}
finally {
  Stop-Transcript
}

Also $ErrorActionPreference = 'inquire' (instead of stop) could possibly work. However, no chance to try it now. See http://tasteofpowershell.blogspot.com/2008/07/handling-errors-in-powershell.html