Solution import error when settings JSON used - CLI and DevOps

[brynhh]

We have built pipelines and releases in Azure DevOps to export managed solutions from dev into QA/Live environments, but I've determined if the --settings-file flag is used, it bombs out with an unexpected error. This is both in ADO and the CLI on a Windows machine, so is proven and repeatable with the newest version of the CLI.

https://github.com/microsoft/powerplatform-build-tools/issues/291 https://github.com/microsoft/powerplatform-build-tools/issues/497 https://github.com/microsoft/powerplatform-build-tools/issues/520

You'll see this has already been raised 3 times and not using the JSON is not a workaround - it means there's no way to update vars and connection refs. Even reverting to manual releases isn't an option as the "current value" stuff is fundamentally broken with having to remove the values before exporting (even though they are meant to be environment specific) and after first import, you're not able to update them anymore. So we're left with no possible way to update these items and blocking any development, even though this is what MS promote as best practice for ALM.

If the product team could look at this, it would be great and I'm happy to provide more info if needed.