ARM Parameter file decompilation - fatal error

[lukeuhren]

Bicep version
Bicep CLI version 0.2.328 (a13b032)

Describe the bug

I use separate parameter files in all my json templates in the repo in devops. Running this from vscode.

This is simply an issue where I can't decompile a .json parameter file to .bicep. I can't see where if it's unsupported right now reading.

Example take a simple parameter file like

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentParameters.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "test": {
      "value": "test"
    },
    "test2": {
      "value": "test2"
    }
  }
}

try to decompile with .... bicep decompile .\param.json

errors out with ... "Decompilation failed with fatal error "[5:13]: Unable to locate 'type' for parameter 'test'"

Fails on the first parameter on all the files I have tried.

To Reproduce

1. Create .json file like below as a test parameter file

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentParameters.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "test": {
      "value": "test"
    },
    "test2": {
      "value": "test2"
    }
  }
}

2. run the following:
   bicep decompile filename

it will error out like so ... Decompilation failed with fatal error "[5:13]: Unable to locate 'type' for parameter 'test'"

Additional context
If it's in the works and not supported yet all good :)

[miqm]

Bicep does not have own parameters values file to be used in deployments and therefore decompiler tries to interpret this file as it was a template file, hence the missing type.

Perhaps we could check the schema and warn/block decompilation, but that field is not required.

[alex-frankel]

The other thing I would add is once #858 is done, you will be able to pass the parameters json file with a .bicep file for your deployment. We also have #1278 which will let you link the parameters JSON file while authoring to get deeper validation.

[anthony-c-martin]

One option is to tighten up the validation we do on the JSON $schema property, and simply fail decompilation with a better error message if it doesn't match one of the expected template root schemas (e.g. https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#, https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2018-05-01/subscriptionDeploymentTemplate.json# etc).

[lukeuhren]

Thanks for the replies everyone. This clears it up for me as to why it doesn't work. Cheers!

[Siorhi]

I am also facing same error , can you also please suggest the another approach can be taken for the parameter. json

[lukeuhren]

Well, you can create a bicep param file if you want. I have... here is an example

//this would be C:\temp\biceptemplate-params.bicep
//C:\temp\biceptemplate.bicep would be a template for the resource
//you do need to set-location usually and then use ../ in the module location

//for example below
//../../biceptemplate.bicep

//keyvault params to associate keyvault if needed
param kvName string = 'name of keyvault'
param subscriptionId string = 'sub id where keyvault resides'
param kvResourceGroup string = 'resource group where it resides'

resource kv 'Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults@2019-09-01' existing = {
name: kvName
scope: resourceGroup(subscriptionId, kvResourceGroup)
}

//module for test
//module test is the location of the actual bicep template. This is feeding its parameters
module test '../../biceptemplate.bicep' = {
name: 'test'
params: {
user: 'testest'
diskPassword: kv.getSecret('StorageAccountKey')
}
}

[lukeuhren]

Then you need to deploy it with something like...

New-AzResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName "RG" -TemplateFile 'C:\temp\biceptemplate-params.bicep' -Verbose

This will tie both together ....

if you don't have a coding background and this is not easy to understand I am sorry :(

I can try and help if needed

[lukeuhren]

I deployed multiple infrastructures now in BICEP with those param files I mentioned. So I can try and help if needed. Maybe will give Microsoft some ideas.

[Siorhi]

Thanks @lukeuhren I will try it update if you how it goes, then we surely give idea to the Microsoft :)