GitLab CI and MsBuild - Local CMD Works; GitLab Runner Doesn't?

Question

This is really bizarre, but I'm sure I'm misunderstanding or missing something simple.

Whilst RDP'd to the Windows GitLab runner, the following command works without issue:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe" C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\rS1z3GJ3\0\folder1\client\build\ClientWebsite.msbuild /t:BuildAndPackage /nowarn:CS0618 /p:IisWebAppName=client /p:IncludeSetAclProviderOnDestination=False /p:ProductVersion=1

Going by the MSBuild file, the build files are then created under C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\rS1z3GJ3\0\folder1\client\deploy_files.

But when I run the exact same command in via the gitlab-ci.yml file, the deployment files aren't generated. The output from the GitLab job is:

CMD.EXE "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe" C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\rS1z3GJ3\0\folder1\client\build\ClientWebsite.msbuild /t:BuildAndPackage /nowarn:CS0618 /p:IisWebAppName=client /p:IncludeSetAclProviderOnDestination=False /p:ProductVersion=1 

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17763.2628] 

(c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. 

C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\rS1z3GJ3\0\folder1\client> 

Cleaning up project directory and file based variables 00:00 Job succeeded

I thought perhaps this was an issue with the user the GitLab Runner service was set to run as, but even when trying with a local admin user it still doesn't work. I suspected it was an issue with the cleaning up of the project directory, but even when setting the deployment files to be exported to a separate folder on another drive they still don't appear.

What could I be doing wrong?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT:

GitLab Runner Config:

concurrent = 1
check_interval = 0

[session_server]
  session_timeout = 1800

[[runners]]
  name = "buildserver01"
  url = "https://gitlab.company.co.uk"
  token = "rS1z3GJ392utu-J-CkeM"
  executor = "shell"
  shell = "powershell"
  [runners.custom_build_dir]
  [runners.cache]
    [runners.cache.s3]
    [runners.cache.gcs]
    [runners.cache.azure]

GitLab-Ci.Yml File:

variables:
  SERVICE_NAME: "client"
  NODE_VERSION: "14.15.3"

stages:
  - build $SERVICE_NAME package with MSBuild.exe

build_package:
  stage: build $SERVICE_NAME package with MSBuild.exe
  tags: 
    - client
  script:
    - echo "Installing NodeJS environment $NODE_VERSION if it's not already installed."
    - nvm install $NODE_VERSION
    - echo "Selecting NodeJS environment $NODE_VERSION using NVM"
    - nvm use $NODE_VERSION
    - echo "Creating the Web Deploy Package"
    - CMD.EXE "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe" C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\rS1z3GJ3\0\folder1\client\build\clientWebsite.msbuild /t:BuildAndPackage /nowarn:CS0618 /p:IisWebAppName=client /p:IncludeSetAclProviderOnDestination=False /p:ProductVersion=1

Answer 1

Thanks to GitLab Support, this has now been resolved. They advised to completely remove the 'CMD.EXE' command and instead run MSBuild directly via PowerShell:

'& "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe" $CI_PROJECT_DIR\build\ClientWebsite.msbuild /t:BuildAndPackage /nowarn:CS0618 /p:IisWebAppName=Client /p:IncludeSetAclProviderOnDestination=False /p:ProductVersion=1'