Set build number for conda metadata inside Azure pipeline - conda-build

Question

I am using the bash script to build the conda pakage in azure pipeline conda build . --output-folder $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory) And here is the issue, Conda build uses the build number in the meta.yml file(see here).
A solution of What I could think of is, first, copy all files to Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory and add the Azure pipeline's Build.BuildNumber into the meta.yml and build the package to Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory (within a sub-folder)
I am trying to avoid do it by writing shell script to manipulate the yaml file in Azure pipeline, because it might be error prone. Any one knows a better way? Would be nice to read a more elegant solution in the answers or comments.

Answer 1

I don't know much about Azure pipelines. But in general, if you want to control the build number without changing the contents of meta.yaml, you can use a jinja template variable within meta.yaml.
Choose a variable name, e.g. CUSTOM_BUILD_NUMBER and use it in meta.yaml:
package:
name: foo
version: 0.1
build:
number: {{ CUSTOM_BUILD_NUMBER }}
To define that variable, you have two options:
Use an environment variable:
export CUSTOM_BUILD_NUMBER=123
conda build foo-recipe
OR
Define the variable in conda_build_config.yaml (docs), as follows
echo "CUSTOM_BUILD_NUMBER:" >> foo-recipe/conda_build_config.yaml
echo " - 123" >> foo-recipe/conda_build_config.yaml
conda build foo-recipe
If you want, you can add an if statement so that the recipe still works even if CUSTOM_BUILD_NUMBER is not defined (using a default build number instead).
package:
name: foo
version: 0.1
build:
{% if CUSTOM_BUILD_NUMBER is defined %}
number: {{ CUSTOM_BUILD_NUMBER }}
{% else %}
number: 0
{% endif %}