Sharing global variables across .cake files

Question

I use CAKE 0.21.1.0.

My build.cake script loads another .cake script: tests.cake.

I have defined some global variables in build.cake that I would like to use in both my .cake scripts.

Let's say I have a global variable named testDllPath.

When I use testDllPath in tests.cake, I see the following error:

error CS0120: An object reference is required for the non-static field, method, or property 'testDllPath'

If I try to declare a new variable also named testDllPath in tests.cake, I see this error instead:

error CS0102: The type 'Submission#0' already contains a definition for 'testDllPath'

How should I get access to the global variables defined in build.cake from another .cake file?

Answer 1

Yes if you load it after you declared it.

I.e. this won't work

#load "test.cake"
FilePath testDLLPath = File("./test.dll");

this will work

FilePath testDLLPath = File("./test.dll");
#load "test.cake"

A more elegant way is probably to have file with common variables and load that first i.e.

#load "parameters.cake"
#load "test.cake"

If you're trying to access a local variable from a static method or a class this won't work because of scoping.

In those scenarios you've got a few options

1. Pass variables to methods
2. Pass variables class constructors
3. Use public static properties/fields which will be accessible from anywhere.

The advantage of static/parameter usage us that load order won't matter.

Example local variable static method

File testDLLPath = File("./test.dll");

RunTests(testDLLPath);

public static void RunTests(FilePath path)
{
    // do stuff with parameter path
}

Example pass variable to constructor

File testDLLPath = File("./test.dll");

var tester = new Tester(testDLLPath);

tester.RunTests();


public class Tester
{
   public FilePath TestDLLPath { get; set; }       

   public void RunTests()
   {
       //Do Stuff accessing class property TestDLLPath
   }

   public Tester(FilePath path)
   {
        TestDLLPath = path;
   }
}

Example static properties

BuildParams.TestDLLPath  = File("./test.dll");

RunTests();


public static void RunTests()
{
    // do stuff with BuildParams.TestDLLPath
}

public static class BuildParams
{
   public static FilePath TestDLLPath { get; set; }    
}