ALOps Docker Start¶

Start a Business Central Docker container for CI/CD pipelines.

Property	Value
Task name (Azure DevOps)	`ALOpsDockerStart@3`
Action name (GitHub)	`alops-dockerstart`
Version	`3.0.0`
Category	Utility
OS requirement	Both
Preview	yes

Start or reuse a Business Central Docker container. Handles Docker registry authentication (username/password), container creation with feature toggles, SQL database configuration, DLL add-in installation, Azure Key Vault setup, and build tagging.

Inputs¶

docker¶

Name	Type	Required	Default	Platform	Description
`fixed_tag`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Fixed container label. When set, the container is tagged with this value instead of the build ID. Enables container reuse across builds.
`ignore_no_container_warning`	Boolean	no	`true`	Both	Suppress the warning when no existing container is found for reuse.
`docker_image`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Full Docker image name including tag, for example mcr.microsoft.com/businesscentral:ltsc2022. Leave empty to use the default BC sandbox image.
`docker_pull`	Boolean	no	`true`	Both	Pull the Docker image before creating the container. Disable to use a locally cached image.
`accept_image_eula`	Boolean	no	`true`	Both	Accept the End User License Agreement for the Business Central Docker image.
`accept_image_outdated`	Boolean	no	`true`	Both	Accept an outdated Docker image without failing the task.
`container_restart`	PickList	no	`no`	Both	Docker restart policy for the container. Options: `no`, `on-failure`, `unless-stopped`, `always`.
`memory_gb`	Text	no	`-1`	Both	Memory limit in GB for the container. Set to -1 for no limit.
`docker_parameters`	MultiLine	no	(empty)	Both	Additional parameters passed to docker create. One parameter per line.

features¶

Name	Type	Required	Default	Platform	Description
`enable_symbol_loading`	Boolean	no	`false`	Both	Enable symbol loading in the Business Central server instance.
`enable_api_services`	Boolean	no	`false`	Both	Enable API services in the Business Central server instance.
`multitenant`	Boolean	no	`false`	Both	Configure the Business Central server instance for multitenancy.

authentication¶

Name	Type	Required	Default	Platform	Description
`docker_authentication`	PickList	no	`None`	Both	Authentication method for the Docker registry. Options: `None`, `UsernamePassword`.
`docker_username`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Username for Docker registry authentication.
`docker_password`	Secret	no	(empty)	Both	Password for Docker registry authentication. Store this in a pipeline secret variable.
`docker_registry`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Docker registry URL. When empty, the registry is derived from the image name.

database¶

Name	Type	Required	Default	Platform	Description
`sql_server`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	External SQL Server hostname. Leave empty to use the container's built-in SQL instance.
`sql_server_instance`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	SQL Server named instance.
`sql_database`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	SQL database name to use for the Business Central service tier.
`sql_database_user`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	SQL Server authentication username.
`sql_database_user_password`	Secret	no	(empty)	Both	SQL Server authentication password. Store this in a pipeline secret variable.
`sql_backup_file`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Path to a .bak file to restore into the container's SQL instance.

licensing¶

Name	Type	Required	Default	Platform	Description
`licensefile`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Path to a Business Central license file (.flf or .bclicense) to import into the container.
`encryption_key`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Path to an encryption key file to import into the container.

scheduler¶

Name	Type	Required	Default	Platform	Description
`taskscheduler`	PickList	no	`Keep`	Both	Configure the BC task scheduler. Keep preserves the default, Enable starts it, Disable stops it. Options: `Keep`, `Enable`, `Disable`.

keyvault¶

Name	Type	Required	Default	Platform	Description
`keyvault_pfxfile`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Path to the PFX certificate file for Azure Key Vault authentication.
`keyvault_pfxpassword`	Secret	no	(empty)	Both	Password for the PFX certificate. Store this in a pipeline secret variable.
`keyvault_clientid`	Text	no	(empty)	Both	Azure AD application (client) ID used for Key Vault authentication.
`keyvault_publisher_validation`	Boolean	no	`false`	Both	Enable publisher validation for Key Vault extension settings.

Outputs¶

Name	Description
`container_id`	The Docker container ID.
`container_label`	The label used to tag the container.

Usage¶

Azure DevOpsGitHub Actions

- task: ALOpsDockerStart@3
  displayName: 'ALOps Docker Start'
  inputs:
    fixed_tag:                            # Fixed container label. When set, the container is tagged with this value instead of the build ID. Enables container reuse across builds. $(fixed_tag)
    ignore_no_container_warning: True     # Suppress the warning when no existing container is found for reuse. $(ignore_no_container_warning)
    docker_image:                         # Full Docker image name including tag, for example mcr.microsoft.com/businesscentral:ltsc2022. Leave empty to use the default BC sandbox image. $(docker_image)
    docker_pull: True                     # Pull the Docker image before creating the container. Disable to use a locally cached image. $(docker_pull)
    accept_image_eula: True               # Accept the End User License Agreement for the Business Central Docker image. $(accept_image_eula)
    accept_image_outdated: True           # Accept an outdated Docker image without failing the task. $(accept_image_outdated)
    container_restart: no                 # Docker restart policy for the container. $(container_restart)
    memory_gb: -1                         # Memory limit in GB for the container. Set to -1 for no limit. $(memory_gb)
    docker_parameters:                    # Additional parameters passed to docker create. One parameter per line. $(docker_parameters)
    enable_symbol_loading: False          # Enable symbol loading in the Business Central server instance. $(enable_symbol_loading)
    enable_api_services: False            # Enable API services in the Business Central server instance. $(enable_api_services)
    multitenant: False                    # Configure the Business Central server instance for multitenancy. $(multitenant)
    docker_authentication: None           # Authentication method for the Docker registry. $(docker_authentication)
    docker_username:                      # Username for Docker registry authentication. $(docker_username)
    docker_password:                      # Password for Docker registry authentication. Store this in a pipeline secret variable. $(docker_password)
    docker_registry:                      # Docker registry URL. When empty, the registry is derived from the image name. $(docker_registry)
    sql_server:                           # External SQL Server hostname. Leave empty to use the container's built-in SQL instance. $(sql_server)
    sql_server_instance:                  # SQL Server named instance. $(sql_server_instance)
    sql_database:                         # SQL database name to use for the Business Central service tier. $(sql_database)
    sql_database_user:                    # SQL Server authentication username. $(sql_database_user)
    sql_database_user_password:           # SQL Server authentication password. Store this in a pipeline secret variable. $(sql_database_user_password)
    sql_backup_file:                      # Path to a .bak file to restore into the container's SQL instance. $(sql_backup_file)
    licensefile:                          # Path to a Business Central license file (.flf or .bclicense) to import into the container. $(licensefile)
    encryption_key:                       # Path to an encryption key file to import into the container. $(encryption_key)
    taskscheduler: Keep                   # Configure the BC task scheduler. Keep preserves the default, Enable starts it, Disable stops it. $(taskscheduler)
    keyvault_pfxfile:                     # Path to the PFX certificate file for Azure Key Vault authentication. $(keyvault_pfxfile)
    keyvault_pfxpassword:                 # Password for the PFX certificate. Store this in a pipeline secret variable. $(keyvault_pfxpassword)
    keyvault_clientid:                    # Azure AD application (client) ID used for Key Vault authentication. $(keyvault_clientid)
    keyvault_publisher_validation: False  # Enable publisher validation for Key Vault extension settings. $(keyvault_publisher_validation)

- name: ALOps Docker Start
  uses: HodorNV/ALOps-V3/alops-dockerstart@v3   <!-- TODO: confirm action repo path -->
  with:
    fixed_tag: ''
    ignore_no_container_warning: 'true'
    docker_image: ''
    docker_pull: 'true'
    accept_image_eula: 'true'
    accept_image_outdated: 'true'
    container_restart: 'no'
    memory_gb: '-1'
    docker_parameters: ''
    enable_symbol_loading: 'false'
    enable_api_services: 'false'
    multitenant: 'false'
    docker_authentication: 'None'
    docker_username: ''
    docker_password: ''
    docker_registry: ''
    sql_server: ''
    sql_server_instance: ''
    sql_database: ''
    sql_database_user: ''
    sql_database_user_password: ''
    sql_backup_file: ''
    licensefile: ''
    encryption_key: ''
    taskscheduler: 'Keep'
    keyvault_pfxfile: ''
    keyvault_pfxpassword: ''
    keyvault_clientid: ''
    keyvault_publisher_validation: 'false'