How to *always* trigger on successful build?

Try to add dependency trigger from TestSuiteB to DeployToStaging, i.e. navigate to DeployToStaging Build Triggers -> Dependency tab and select TestSuiteB. When TestSuiteB finishes successfully DeployToStaging will be invoked.

No, that's not the issue -- the dependency already exists. The problem is that DeployToStaging won't actually run until there are no pending changes in TestSuiteB. I want it to kick off after *every* successful build, whether there are pending changes or not.

I suppose I could put in some sort of artifact based trigger on a file gets written out on completion of TestSuiteB, but that seems entirely too hackish.

Do you really need snapshot dependency from DeployToStaging  on TestSuiteB?

I assume so, if I want DeployToStaging to deploy the same commit that was built by TestSuiteB. True?

It depends. If DeployToStaging is only doing a deployment and does not share source code with TestSuiteB and you want DeployToStaging to execute after every successful build of TestSuiteB then probably you do not need snapshot dependency in this case.

In this case, the source code *is* the application (it's Ruby on Rails), so getting the exact commit of the successful test run is critical.

Darrell, can you provide screenshots of the Settings tabs of all of the mentioned build configurations? Also please indicate what version of TeamCity you are using.

Selenium testing (aka TestSuiteB)

General settings edit »
Name: selenium
Description: none
Build number format: {0}, next build number: #332
Artifact paths: log/**/*.log log/**/features*
Fail build if at least one test failed: ON
Execution timeout: disabled
Maximum number of simultaneously running builds: 1
Status widget: disabled

Version control settings edit »
VCS checkout mode: Automatically on agent (if supported by VCS roots)
Checkout directory: default
Clean all files before build: OFF
VCS labeling: disabled
Attached VCS roots:

Name	Checkout rules	Set label
PDXRails Github	not specified	NO

Runner: Rake edit »
Type of runner: Rake (Runner for executing Rake tasks, Test::Unit and RSpec tests)
Rakefile file: not specified
Working directory: same as checkout directory
Rake tasks: ci:stories:selenium
Additional Rake command line parameters: not specified
Launching Parameters:

• Ruby interpreter path: will be searched in the PATH
• Track invoke/execute stages OFF

Tests Parameters:

• Tests options(TESTOPTS): not specified
• RSpec options(SPEC_OPTS): not specified

Build triggering edit »
Build configuration is active (triggering enabled).
Trigger build by vcs check-in: OFF
Quiet period: not specified
Start new build if last build is failed: OFF
Triggering by time: not configured
This configuration depends on:
PDXRails :: default

Dependencies edit »
Snapshot Dependencies:

Depends on	Dependency options
PDXRails :: default	Do not run new build if there is a suitable one Only use successful builds from suitable ones

Artifact dependencies:

There are no artifact dependencies.

Properties and environment variables edit »
System properties: none defined
Environment variables:
DISPLAY: :2
RAILS_ENV: selenium

Agent requirements edit »
Requirements for system properties: none defined
Requirements for environment variables: none defined

And webrat (aka TestSuiteA)

General settings edit »
Name: webrat
Description: Webrat Features
Build number format: {0}, next build number: #73
Artifact paths: log/**/*.log log/**/features* log/**/*html
Fail build if at least one test failed: ON
Execution timeout: disabled
Maximum number of simultaneously running builds: 1
Status widget: enabled

Version control settings edit »
VCS checkout mode: Automatically on agent (if supported by VCS roots)
Checkout directory: default
Clean all files before build: OFF
VCS labeling: disabled
Attached VCS roots:

Name	Checkout rules	Set label
PDXRails Github	not specified	NO

Runner: Rake edit »
Type of runner: Rake (Runner for executing Rake tasks, Test::Unit and RSpec tests)
Rakefile file: not specified
Working directory: same as checkout directory
Rake tasks: ci:stories:webrat
Additional Rake command line parameters: not specified
Launching Parameters:

• Ruby interpreter path: will be searched in the PATH
• Track invoke/execute stages OFF

Tests Parameters:

• Tests options(TESTOPTS): not specified
• RSpec options(SPEC_OPTS): not specified

Build triggering edit »
Build configuration is active (triggering enabled).
Trigger build by vcs check-in: ON
Quiet period: not specified
Start new build if last build is failed: OFF
Triggering by time: not configured
This configuration depends on:
PDXRails :: default

Dependencies edit »
Snapshot Dependencies:

Depends on	Dependency options
PDXRails :: default	Do not run new build if there is a suitable one Only use successful builds from suitable ones

Artifact dependencies:

There are no artifact dependencies.

Properties and environment variables edit »
System properties: none defined
Environment variables:
RAILS_ENV: webrat

Agent requirements edit »
Requirements for system properties: none defined
Requirements for environment variables: none defined

I have the same problem and this is a big showstopper for me. Is there any solution? On busy days my "parent" build configuration never runs. Because vcs checkins between the initial trigger and the dependend configuration builds force to rerun this dependend builds over and over again, without trigger the parent one.

Please take a look at this issue: http://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/TW-8750
Is this your case?