setup-crmsdk

A GitHub Action that installs Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools and sets the CRM_SDK_PATH environment variable for use in CI/CD workflows.

Features

• Installs Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools package (latest or specific version)
• Supports version pinning for reproducible builds
• Sets CRM_SDK_PATH environment variable for subsequent workflow steps
• Skips installation if SDK is already installed
• Automatic cleanup of temporary files

Quick Start

- name: Setup CRM SDK
  uses: marcus-hooper/setup-crmsdk@v1

Inputs

Input	Required	Default	Description
version	No	(latest)	Specific version of Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools to install (e.g., 9.1.0.184)

Usage

Basic Usage

- name: Setup CRM SDK
  id: crmsdk
  uses: marcus-hooper/setup-crmsdk@v1

- name: Run SolutionPackager
  run: |
    $solutionPackager = Join-Path $env:CRM_SDK_PATH "coretools\SolutionPackager.exe"
    & $solutionPackager /action:Extract /zipfile:solution.zip /folder:solution
  shell: powershell

Using Outputs

- name: Setup CRM SDK
  id: crmsdk
  uses: marcus-hooper/setup-crmsdk@v1

- name: Display SDK path
  run: echo "SDK installed at ${{ steps.crmsdk.outputs.sdk-path }}"

Pinning a Specific Version

- name: Setup CRM SDK
  uses: marcus-hooper/setup-crmsdk@v1
  with:
    version: '9.1.0.184'

Complete Workflow Example

Here's a complete workflow that extracts a Dynamics 365 solution:

name: Extract Solution

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  extract:
    name: Extract Solution
    runs-on: windows-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v6

      - name: Setup CRM SDK
        id: crmsdk
        uses: marcus-hooper/setup-crmsdk@v1

      - name: Extract solution
        run: |
          $solutionPackager = Join-Path $env:CRM_SDK_PATH "coretools\SolutionPackager.exe"
          & $solutionPackager /action:Extract /zipfile:MySolution.zip /folder:./solution /packagetype:Both
        shell: powershell

      - name: Upload extracted solution
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
        with:
          name: solution
          path: ./solution

Outputs

Output	Description
sdk-path	Path to the installed CRM SDK directory

Environment Variables

This action sets the following environment variable:

Variable	Description
CRM_SDK_PATH	Path to the installed CRM SDK tools directory

What Gets Installed

The action installs the Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools NuGet package. The tools are located in the coretools subdirectory under CRM_SDK_PATH:

• SolutionPackager.exe - Pack and unpack Dynamics 365 solution files
• PackageDeployer.exe - Deploy packages to Dynamics 365
• CrmSvcUtil.exe - Generate early-bound entity classes
• PluginRegistration.exe - Register plugins and custom workflow activities

Access tools using: Join-Path $env:CRM_SDK_PATH "coretools\ToolName.exe"

Requirements

• Windows runner (runs-on: windows-latest)
• Internet access to download NuGet packages

Limitations

• Windows only - Requires Windows runner; not compatible with Linux or macOS
• Network required - Downloads NuGet CLI and packages at runtime
• Fixed install path - Always installs to $env:LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\

How It Works

1. Checks if CRM_SDK_PATH is already set (skips installation if exists)
2. Creates installation directory at $env:LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\
3. Downloads NuGet CLI from dist.nuget.org
4. Installs Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools package via NuGet (specific version if provided, otherwise latest)
5. Locates SolutionPackager.exe and sets CRM_SDK_PATH to its directory
6. Exports the path to GITHUB_ENV for subsequent workflow steps
7. Cleans up the NuGet CLI

Sample Output

When the action runs successfully, you'll see output similar to:

[INFO] Checking for existing CRM SDK installation...
[INFO] Downloading NuGet CLI...
[INFO] Installing Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools...
[INFO] Package installed successfully
[INFO] Setting CRM_SDK_PATH to C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools.9.1.x\content\bin\coretools
[INFO] SDK installation complete

When the SDK is already installed:

[INFO] Checking for existing CRM SDK installation...
[INFO] CRM SDK is already installed at C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools.9.1.x\content\bin\coretools
[INFO] Skipping installation

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
Unable to download NuGet	Firewall or network restrictions	Ensure runner has access to dist.nuget.org
Package not found	NuGet.org unreachable	Check network connectivity and retry
SolutionPackager.exe not found	Package structure changed	Open an issue with the error details
Action completes but tools not available	CRM_SDK_PATH not in path	Use $env:CRM_SDK_PATH or the sdk-path output
Action skipped installation	SDK already installed	This is expected behavior; the action reuses existing installations

Debug Tips

1. Check workflow logs - Expand the "Setup CRM SDK" step for detailed output
2. Verify environment variable - Add a step to echo $env:CRM_SDK_PATH
3. Check runner type - This action only works on Windows runners
4. Self-hosted runners - Ensure write access to $env:LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\

Development

Requirements

• PowerShell 5.1+ (Windows)
• PSScriptAnalyzer (for linting)

Local Testing

# Run the script directly
.\scripts\Install-CrmSdk.ps1

# Check if environment variable was set
$env:CRM_SDK_PATH

# Verify SolutionPackager exists
Test-Path (Join-Path $env:CRM_SDK_PATH "coretools\SolutionPackager.exe")

Linting

# Install PSScriptAnalyzer if needed
Install-Module -Name PSScriptAnalyzer -Force -Scope CurrentUser

# Run linter
Invoke-ScriptAnalyzer -Path ./scripts -Recurse -Settings PSGallery

Formatting

# Check formatting (CI runs this automatically)
Get-ChildItem -Path ./scripts -Include *.ps1,*.psm1 -Recurse | ForEach-Object {
    $original = Get-Content -Path $_.FullName -Raw
    $formatted = Invoke-Formatter -ScriptDefinition $original
    if ($original -ne $formatted) {
        Write-Host "Needs formatting: $($_.Name)"
    }
}

# Auto-format a file
$content = Get-Content -Path ./scripts/Install-CrmSdk.ps1 -Raw
Invoke-Formatter -ScriptDefinition $content | Set-Content -Path ./scripts/Install-CrmSdk.ps1

Running Tests

# Run Pester tests
Invoke-Pester -Path ./tests -Output Detailed

Project Structure

setup-crmsdk/
├── action.yml                  # GitHub Action definition (composite action)
├── scripts/
│   ├── Install-CrmSdk.ps1      # Entry point script
│   └── Install-CrmSdk.psm1     # PowerShell module with testable functions
├── tests/                      # Pester unit tests
├── .github/
│   ├── ISSUE_TEMPLATE/         # Bug report and feature request forms
│   └── workflows/              # CI, CodeQL, security, release workflows
├── CHANGELOG.md                # Version history
├── CONTRIBUTING.md             # Contribution guidelines
└── SECURITY.md                 # Security policy

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guidelines.

Quick start:

1. Check existing issues or open a new one
2. Fork the repository
3. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/my-feature)
4. Make your changes and add tests if applicable
5. Ensure CI passes (lint, format, and test)
6. Submit a pull request

See the issue templates for bug reports and feature requests.

Related Projects

• Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreTools - The NuGet package this action installs
• Microsoft Power Platform CLI - Modern CLI alternative (pac CLI)
• Power Platform Actions - Official Microsoft GitHub Actions for Power Platform

Security

See SECURITY.md for security policy and reporting vulnerabilities.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.