Test Agent not using ResultsDirectory in .runsettings file

We’re using a .runsettings file with the ‘Visual Studio Test using Test Agent’ build task:

<RunSettings> <RunConfiguration> <ResultsDirectory>C:\TestRuns</ResultsDirectory> <TargetPlatform>x64</TargetPlatform> <TargetFrameworkVersion>Framework45</TargetFrameworkVersion> </RunConfiguration> </RunSettings>

We expect Test Runs to use the C:\TestRuns directory however it is using the %Temp% directory instead.

It looks like the .runsettings file was used based on the fact that setting the TargetPlatform to ‘x64’ was apparently effective. Also, using the same .runsettings locally in Visual Studio configured the directories as expected to “C:\TestRuns”.

Is there something missing to be configured on the Test Agent or task?

[jibal]

This behavior is by design.

That response makes no sense. There’s a property called ResultsDirectory and it’s documented as being where the test results go. Therefore it cannot be “by design” that they go somewhere else.

Any specific reason why you are interested in having a specific results directory location?

This sort of question is so annoying … there are numerous well-known reasons why people want to keep generated files out of their source folders.

[cjfarrelly]

I was able to set the Results directory by adding an “Override TestRun Parameters” to “ResultsDirectory=.\TestResults”. This created the TestResults directory in the directory above the Build_SourcesDirectory.

I’m not sure how this could possibly work.