Bob-the-builder adds a frontend and framework around your scripts. Whilst intended for automating builds, it can be used to assist the running of any UNIX script or program.

Click here for a (GIF) Demo

I wrote this when I was first learning Go, so the code is a monstrosity.

This should be consider a beta-grade system, with possible security flaws. Do not expose any HTTP endpoints to untrusted clients.

• Stores code for the simple run automator 'bob the builder'
• Version 0.1.0

• Install Go
• Get a copy of this repository
• Set the GOPATH to this repository
• cd into this repository
• ./build_deb.sh /tmp/btb
• Install the resulting .deb file on the system you want to use it on.
• Start the service with sudo systemctl start bob-the-builder.service.

• Install Go
• Get a copy of this repository
• Set the GOPATH to this repository
• go build
• Make sure the 'definitions' and 'bases' folder exist in your working directory.
• './bobthebuilder' or 'bobthebuilder.exe' (make sure config.json is in your working directory)
• Follow the steps below to setup your first build definition

There are two components to every run definition. First, there is a configuration JSON file in the definitions/ folder. Second, there is as folder in base/, which should contain any initial files to be copied into the build folder before the build process commences.

All folders are relative to the working directory of bobthebuilder when invoked.

The JSON config file is simply a json file you whack in /definitions. It should be structured like this:

{
  "name": "Build libc",
  "icon": "rocket",
  "base-folder": "arm base",
  "git-src": "https://github.com/twitchyliquid64/bob-the-builder",
  "apt-packages-required": [
    "build-essentials",
    "screen",
    "htop"
  ],
  "steps": [
    {
      "type": "CMD",
      "command": "ping",
      "args": [
        "-c",
        "2",
        "google.com"
      ],
      "can-fail": true
    },
    {
      "type": "CMD",
      "skip-condition": "{{getParameter `include` | eq `true` | not}}",
      "command": "git",
      "args": [
        "log"
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "EXEC",
      "command": "build.sh",
      "can-fail": false
    },
    {
      "type": "S3_UPLOAD",
      "bucket": "example.com.my.bucket",
      "region": "ap-northwest-2",
      "filename": "src/main.c",
      "filename-destination": "main.c",
      "ACL": "public"
    }
  ],
  "params": [
    {
      "type": "check",
      "label": "Update browserify",
      "varname": "update",
      "default": false
    }
  ]
}

These fields can be set on any step.

You may have noticed that a couple of the parameters in certain step types are 'templates'. This means they support Go's powerful templating system, which you can use to provide values dynamically. For instance, you can make the S3 uploader types prefix your files with todays date, or substitute in a tag name, or anything else that the go text/template engine supports. See here for details.

Additionally, the following functions are available for your templates:

• hasTag(tagName) - returns True if a tag is set for the current run.
• getParameter(variablename) - returns the value of the parameter, or '' if none exist. In the case of a checkbox, it returns a type boolean instead of a string.
• allTags() - returns all tags, space delimited.

Parameters allow you to define a form so a user can populate information - just before your definitions run.

parameters are setup by adding new structures to the params list (in the JSON file).

All structures must have at minimum the following attributes:

• label - Name of the field.
• type - one of the field types specified below.
• varname - name of the variable exported to your templates.

{
  "type": "branchselect",
  "label": "Branch",
  "varname": "branch",
  "default": "master",
  "options": {
    "branchNamesOnly": true,
    "git-url": "https://github.com/twitchyliquid64/bob-the-builder"
  }
}

{
  "type": "select",
  "label": "Master Control",
  "varname": "mc",
  "items": {
    "Hello": "Hi"
  },
  "default": "Hi",
}

{
  "type": "text",
  "label": "Name",
  "varname": "stuff",
  "default": "robert",
}

},
{
  "type": "check",
  "label": "Backup build artifacts",
  "varname": "backup",
  "default": true
},
{
  "type": "file",
  "label": "Upload configuration",
  "varname": "file_input_filename",
  "filename": "input.json"
}

You can see all the available settings defined in this struct here.

• Add more valid tags
• Support parameter customizations for CRON jobs
• Support sending an email on success / failure
• cronController to ingest crons-loaded event and refresh datasource.