# :: Commands

The [core toolkit package](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/tree/master/packages/core) offers a number of convenience functions for
setting results, logging, registering secrets and exporting variables across actions. Sometimes, however, its useful to be able to do
these things in a script or other tool.

To allow this, we provide a special `::` syntax which, if logged to `stdout` on a new line, will allow the runner to perform special behavior on
your commands. The following commands are all supported:

### Set an environment variable

To set an environment variable for future out of process steps, use `::set-env`:

```sh
echo "::set-env name=FOO::BAR"
```

Running `$FOO` in a future step will now return `BAR`

This is wrapped by the core exportVariable method which sets for future steps but also updates the variable for this step

```javascript
export function exportVariable(name: string, val: string): void {}
```

### PATH Manipulation

To prepend a string to PATH, use `::addPath`:

```sh
echo "::add-path::BAR"
```

Running `$PATH` in a future step will now return `BAR:{Previous Path}`;

This is wrapped by the core addPath method:
```javascript
export function addPath(inputPath: string): void {}
```

### Set outputs

To set an output for the step, use `::set-output`:

```sh
echo "::set-output name=FOO::BAR"
```

Running `steps.[step-id].outputs.FOO` in your Yaml will now give you `BAR`

```yaml
steps:
  - name: Set the value
    id: step_one
    run: echo "::set-output name=FOO::BAR"
  - name: Use it
    run: echo ${{ steps.step_one.outputs.FOO }}
```

This is wrapped by the core setOutput method:

```javascript
export function setOutput(name: string, value: string): void {}
```

### Register a secret

If a script or action does work to create a secret at runtime, it can be registered with the runner to be masked in logs.

To mask a value in the logs, use `::add-mask`:

```sh
echo "::add-mask::mysecretvalue"
```

This is wrapped by the core setSecret method

```javascript
function setSecret(secret: string): void {}
```

Now, future logs containing BAR will be masked. E.g. running `echo "Hello FOO BAR World"` will now print `Hello FOO **** World`.

**WARNING** The add-mask and setSecret  commands only support single line secrets. To register a multiline secrets you must register each line individually otherwise it will not be masked.

**WARNING** Do **not** mask short values if you can avoid it, it could render your output unreadable (and future steps' output as well).
For example, if you mask the letter `l`, running `echo "Hello FOO BAR World"` will now print `He*********o FOO BAR Wor****d`

### Group and Ungroup Log Lines

Emitting a group with a title will instruct the logs to create a collapsable region up to the next ungroup command.

```bash
echo "::group::my title"   
echo "::endgroup::"
```

This is wrapped by the core methods:

```javascript
function startGroup(name: string): void {}
function endGroup(): void {}
```

### Problem Matchers
Problems matchers can be used to scan a build's output to automatically surface lines to the user that matches the provided pattern. A file path to a .json Problem Matcher must be provided. See [Problem Matchers](problem-matchers.md) for more information on how to define a Problem Matcher.

```bash
echo "::add-matcher::eslint-compact-problem-matcher.json"   
echo "::remove-matcher owner=eslint-compact::"
```

`add-matcher` takes a path to a Problem Matcher file
`remove-matcher` removes a Problem Matcher by owner
### Save State

Save state to be used in the corresponding wrapper (finally) post job entry point.

```bash
echo "::save-state name=FOO::foovalue"
```

### Log Level

There are several commands to emit different levels of log output:

| log level | example usage |
|---|---|
| [debug](action-debugging.md)  | `echo "::debug::My debug message"` |
| warning | `echo "::warning::My warning message"` |
| error | `echo "::error::My error message"` |

### Command Echoing
By default, the echoing of commands to stdout only occurs if [Step Debugging is enabled](./actions-debugging.md#How-to-Access-Step-Debug-Logs)

You can enable or disable this for the current step by using the `echo` command.

```bash
echo "::echo::on"
```

You can also disable echoing.

```bash
echo "::echo::off"
```

This is wrapped by the core method:

```javascript
function setCommandEcho(enabled: boolean): void {}
```

The `add-mask`, `debug`, `warning` and `error` commands do not support echoing.

### Command Prompt 
CMD processes the `"` character differently from other shells when echoing. In CMD, the above snippets should have the `"` characters removed in order to correctly process. For example, the set output command would be:
```cmd
echo ::set-output name=FOO::BAR
```