how to run an exe file on release in VSTS - sharepoint

Question

I have created a console application for fetching the SharePoint site title inside visual studio online. The url of the SharePoint site is passed along in the code, but the password needs to entered in at console window on the run-time.
Then i have defined the build definition and is able to build the solution and copy the files to the artifact.
And i configured the release definition, and i am trying to run the build-ed .exe file, but is getting the bellow error:
Unhandled Exception: System.InvalidOperationException: Cannot read keys when either application does not have a console or when console input has been redirected from a file.
PS: I have defined a variable $pass and then added it in the arguments section for getting the password of the SharePoint site.
variable declaration:
Error Screen which i am getting:
Code for the console app:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Security;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Microsoft.SharePoint.Client;
namespace VSTS_Demo_App
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string userName = "$$$#$$$.onmicrosoft.com";
Console.WriteLine("Enter your password.");
SecureString password = GetPassword();
// ClienContext - Get the context for the SharePoint Online Site
// SharePoint site URL - https://c986.sharepoint.com
using (var clientContext = new ClientContext("https://$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"))
{
// SharePoint Online Credentials
clientContext.Credentials = new SharePointOnlineCredentials(userName, password);
// Get the SharePoint web
Web web = clientContext.Web;
// Load the Web properties
clientContext.Load(web);
// Execute the query to the server.
clientContext.ExecuteQuery();
// Web properties - Display the Title and URL for the web
Console.WriteLine("Title: " + web.Title + "; URL: " + web.Url);
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
private static SecureString GetPassword()
{
ConsoleKeyInfo info;
Console.WriteLine("get passwod -called");
//Get the user's password as a SecureString
SecureString securePassword = new SecureString();
do
{
info = Console.ReadKey(true);
if (info.Key != ConsoleKey.Enter)
{
securePassword.AppendChar(info.KeyChar);
}
}
while (info.Key != ConsoleKey.Enter);
return securePassword;
}
}
}

Answer 1

The problem is with you Console.ReadLine() methods.
When running a build, vsts redirects the console input and output.
Your code is breaking here info = Console.ReadKey(true);, based on the stack trace you provided.
You are passing it via args, but you are not using it.
Change your code to:
SecureString password;
if (args.length > 0)
{
password = args;
}
else
{
password = GetPassword();
}
I didn't test if password = args will work directly or if you need to append chars. That I will leave to you.

Answer 2

Update your code like this:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Security;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Microsoft.SharePoint.Client;
namespace VSTS_Demo_App
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string userName = "$$$#$$$.onmicrosoft.com";
Console.WriteLine("Enter your password.");
SecureString password = GetPassword(args);
// ClienContext - Get the context for the SharePoint Online Site
// SharePoint site URL - https://c986.sharepoint.com
using (var clientContext = new ClientContext("https://$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"))
{
// SharePoint Online Credentials
clientContext.Credentials = new SharePointOnlineCredentials(userName, password);
// Get the SharePoint web
Web web = clientContext.Web;
// Load the Web properties
clientContext.Load(web);
// Execute the query to the server.
clientContext.ExecuteQuery();
// Web properties - Display the Title and URL for the web
Console.WriteLine("Title: " + web.Title + "; URL: " + web.Url);
//Console.ReadLine();
}
}
private static SecureString GetPassword(string[] args)
{
ConsoleKeyInfo info;
Console.WriteLine("get passwod -called");
//Get the user's password as a SecureString
SecureString securePassword = new SecureString();
if (args.length > 0)
{
char[] cs= args[0].ToCharArray();
foreach(char c in cs)
{
securePassword.AppendChar(c);
}
}
else
{
do
{
info = Console.ReadKey(true);
if (info.Key != ConsoleKey.Enter)
{
securePassword.AppendChar(info.KeyChar);
}
}
while (info.Key != ConsoleKey.Enter);
}
return securePassword;
}
}
}