Cannot figure out how to use "link" button on build's test

Question

The company that I work for started using Azure DevOps to speed up the workflow and improve efficiency. We are still adapting to it and there is one particular question that I yet cannot answer. After a successful build, we are able to download the artifacts created (an html and an excel file) via Azure Artifacts which shows a button on the top right corner of the screenshot below:

My team and I would like to access those files directly using the "link" button that is highlighted in grey on the bottom left of the above screenshot. This is because the artifacts downloaded in the manner described before the screenshot come in a .zip file and we would like to access them directly. In case the button has some other functionality I would like to know what that button is used for. I did a fair amount of research while migrating to Azure DevOps but I could not find any information regarding this specific button.

The way in which we add the files to the build to later be presented as artifacts is shown below:

:

Thank you for your time, if you recquire any additional information please let me know.

Answer 1

Cannot figure out how to use “link” button on build's test

There is no such directly access link for the Artifacts file, we just could get the download URL.

When we publish the artifacts to the Azure pipeline, we could access the content of artifacts file by the Artifacts explorer under the Summary tab:

Even we can get the download URL, but we could not get the access link directly, since the artifact file is treated as attachment, which could only get the download link.

On the other hand, I also use fiddler or F12 to get the request link when I click the Artifacts button on the top right corner, I got the URL like:

https://dev.azure.com/<OrganizationName>/_apis/resources/Containers/3166757?itemPath=drop

But, if we open it with browser, we get the result with json format.

For the link you talk about, just like David pointed out, it contain a link to the task(s) related to that build/test.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

remember all of this focuses in continuous integration and continuous delivery/deployment, so when you talk about artifacts is the result of your build or integration pipeline (CI), then you can use those artifacts to release a version of your software and attach them to a release pipeline (CD), if you do it well you never will have to download manually those artifacts and install them on your servers, that's the point that azure devops an many platforms alike are trying to solve, so as far as I know, that button is the only way you get to your artifacts.

In the other hand when you talk about that link button is to link related items like this:

Lets suppose you are using also the backlog at azure devops and your team also uses SCRUM so you use sprints, then you have PBIs and tasks, when the developer works on those tasks he creates his first link: A BRANCH, then he does a Pull Request after code changes, there is your second link; you accept the PR and then it'll create another link to that task. Finally you have a pipeline to run after you accept PR then, when you build your HTML and EXCEL file it will contain a link to the task(s) related to that build.

So is like having a track for all the flow, code changes and other stuff related to a BUILD and a RELEASE.

Here some link types:

I've been using Azure DevOps for a long time and I never seen artifacts "unzipped", maybe is possible but not necessary.