Add -vvv briefcase logging in debug-mode CI reruns (#221) - #394
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freakboy3742 merged 2 commits intoAug 30, 2026
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Set BRIEFCASE_VERBOSITY to -vvv when RUNNER_DEBUG is enabled, and pass it to every briefcase invocation in app-build-verify.yml and to 'briefcase new' in the app-create action (used by app-create-verify.yml). The previous attempt (beeware#392, reverted in beeware#393) computed this in a job-level env: block using `runner.debug`, which is invalid -- the runner context is not available there per GitHub's context availability rules [https://docs.github.com/en/actions/reference/workflows-and-actions/contexts#context-availability] (only steps.env can use it). This version computes the value in the first step of the job by reading the RUNNER_DEBUG environment variable directly, and exports it via GITHUB_ENV for use by later steps.
BabuDip
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BabuDip
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BabuDip
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… them Briefcase performs a positional scan of argv for <platform>/<format> before building its argparse parser; placing -vvv (or any flag) before them shifts that scan and breaks parsing (e.g. 'briefcase -vvv create web static' fails with 'unrecognized arguments: web static', silently falling back to the default macOS/app subcommand). Move BRIEFCASE_VERBOSITY to the end of each invocation instead.
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Second time is the charm!
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Summary
Adds Briefcase diagnostic verbosity (
-vvv) to theapp-create-verifyandapp-build-verifyCI actions when a workflow run has debug logging enabled, so CI-only failures are easier to diagnose (Refs #221).Changes
BRIEFCASE_VERBOSITY(-vvvor empty) from theRUNNER_DEBUGenvironment variable in the first step ofapp-build-verify.yml, and export it viaGITHUB_ENVfor use by later steps in the job.${BRIEFCASE_VERBOSITY}to everybriefcase create/build/run/packageinvocation inapp-build-verify.yml, and tobriefcase newin theapp-createcomposite action (used byapp-create-verify.yml).Upload Failure Logsstep in both workflows — no changes needed there.Why the previous attempt was reverted
The previous version (#392, reverted in #393) computed the verbosity flag in a job-level
env:block using${{ runner.debug == '1' && ... }}, which is invalid — therunnercontext is not available injobs.<job_id>.envexpressions, only injobs.<job_id>.steps.env. This broke every consumer repository that calls these reusable workflows (e.g. failed withUnrecognized named-value: 'runner').This version avoids the issue entirely by reading the real
RUNNER_DEBUGenvironment variable directly inside a step, rather than evaluatingrunner.debugas an expression in a disallowed scope.A second issue was caught during consumer-repo testing (see below): Briefcase performs a positional scan of
argvto detect<platform>/<format>before building its argument parser, so-vvvmust be placed after those tokens, not before the subcommand (briefcase create web static -vvv, notbriefcase -vvv create web static). All invocations have been corrected accordingly.Test Consumer project to use and trigger this CI:
PR Checklist:
Assisted-by: Github Copilot (Claude Sonnet 5)