Add Azure DevOps CI investigation instructions with az CLI preference

.github/README-AI.md

@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ Reusable skills in `.github/skills/` that agents can invoke:
 - **`verify-tests-fail-without-fix/`** - Verifies UI tests catch bugs (auto-detects mode based on git diff)
 - **`write-ui-tests/`** - Creates UI tests for issues following MAUI conventions
 - **`write-xaml-tests/`** - Creates XAML unit tests for parsing, XamlC, and source generation issues
-- **`pr-build-status/`** - Retrieves Azure DevOps build status for PRs
+- **`azdo-build-investigator/`** - Retrieves Azure DevOps build status for PRs
 
 ### Recent Improvements (January 2026)
 
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ For issues or questions about the AI agent instructions:
 
 **Agent Files**:
 - 4 agent files (pr.md, pr/post-gate.md, sandbox-agent.md, write-tests-agent.md)
-- 5 skills (try-fix, verify-tests-fail-without-fix, write-ui-tests, write-xaml-tests, pr-build-status)
+- 5 skills (try-fix, verify-tests-fail-without-fix, write-ui-tests, write-xaml-tests, azdo-build-investigator)
 - All validated and consistent with consolidated structure
 
 **Automation**:

.github/copilot-instructions.md

@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ This guidance assumes:
 - **iOS/macOS**: Xcode (current stable version)
 - **Windows**: Windows SDK
 
+### Azure DevOps CI Access
+
+- **Azure CLI (`az`)** — preferred over `curl`/`Invoke-RestMethod` for CI queries
+  - Install: `brew install azure-cli` (macOS) / `winget install Microsoft.AzureCLI` (Windows)
+  - Setup: `az extension add --name azure-devops` (`az login` optional — `dnceng-public` is publicly accessible)
+  - Defaults: `az devops configure --defaults organization=https://dev.azure.com/dnceng-public project=public`
+  - For structured CI queries, use the `azdo-build-investigator` skill scripts in `.github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/`
+
 ## Project Structure
 
 ### Important Directories

.github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/SKILL.md

@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+---
+name: azdo-build-investigator
+description: "Investigate CI failures for dotnet/maui PRs — build errors, Helix test logs, and binlog analysis. Use when asked about failing checks, CI status, test failures, 'why is CI red', 'build failed', 'what's failing on PR', Helix failures, or device test failures."
+metadata:
+  author: dotnet-maui
+  version: "1.2"
+compatibility: Requires GitHub CLI (gh) authenticated with access to dotnet/maui repository.
+---
+
+# PR Build Status Skill
+
+Investigate CI failures for dotnet/maui PRs — build errors, Helix test logs, and binlog analysis.
+
+## Tools Required
+
+This skill uses `bash` together with `pwsh` (PowerShell 7+) to run the PowerShell scripts. No file editing or other tools are required.
+
+**If `gh` or `pwsh` is missing: stop immediately and tell the user to install the missing tool. Do NOT attempt to install it yourself.**
+
+- `gh`: https://cli.github.com/
+- `pwsh`: https://aka.ms/install-powershell
+
+Optional for binlog analysis (MSBuild failures):
+- `az` (Azure CLI): `brew install azure-cli` / `winget install Microsoft.AzureCLI`, then `az extension add --name azure-devops`
+- `binlogtool`: `dotnet tool install -g binlogtool` (https://www.nuget.org/packages/binlogtool)
+
+## When to Use
+
+- User asks about CI/CD status for a PR
+- User asks about failed checks or builds
+- User asks "what's failing on PR #XXXXX" / "why is CI red" / "build failed"
+- User wants to see test results
+- **User asks about Helix failures (device tests, integration tests, etc.)**
+- **User needs to debug why tests are failing on Helix infrastructure**
+- **Text logs say "Build FAILED" with no detail — use binlog analysis**
+
+## Scripts
+
+All scripts are in `.github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/`
+
+### 1. Get Build IDs for a PR
+```bash
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-PrBuildIds.ps1 -PrNumber <PR_NUMBER>
+```
+
+### 2. Get Build Status
+```bash
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-BuildInfo.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID>
+# For failed jobs only:
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-BuildInfo.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID> -FailedOnly
+```
+
+### 3. Get Build Errors and Test Failures
+```bash
+# Get all errors (build errors + test failures)
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-BuildErrors.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID>
+
+# Get only build/compilation errors
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-BuildErrors.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID> -ErrorsOnly
+
+# Get only test failures
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-BuildErrors.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID> -TestsOnly
+```
+
+### 4. Get Helix Console Logs
+```bash
+# List all Helix work items and their status
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-HelixLogs.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID>
+
+# Filter by platform
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-HelixLogs.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID> -Platform Windows
+
+# Show console log content for failed work items
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-HelixLogs.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID> -ShowConsoleLog
+
+# Filter by work item name and show more log lines
+pwsh .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-HelixLogs.ps1 -BuildId <BUILD_ID> -WorkItem "*Lifecycle*" -ShowConsoleLog -TailLines 200
+```
+
+## Workflow
+
+> **Focus on the first error chronologically — later errors usually cascade from the root cause.**
+
+### Standard Build Failures
+1. Get build IDs: `Get-PrBuildIds.ps1 -PrNumber XXXXX`
+   - If output shows ⚠️ with no build IDs, CI was not triggered — read the diagnostic message
+2. For each build, get status: `Get-BuildInfo.ps1 -BuildId YYYYY -FailedOnly`
+3. For failed builds, get errors: `Get-BuildErrors.ps1 -BuildId YYYYY`
+4. If errors say "Build FAILED" with no detail, check for binlog artifacts (see below)
+
+### Helix Test Failures
+1. Get build IDs: `Get-PrBuildIds.ps1 -PrNumber XXXXX`
+2. Find the build with Helix jobs (e.g., `maui-pr-devicetests`, `maui-integration-tests`)
+3. Get Helix logs: `Get-HelixLogs.ps1 -BuildId YYYYY -ShowConsoleLog`
+4. For specific platform: `Get-HelixLogs.ps1 -BuildId YYYYY -Platform Windows -ShowConsoleLog`
+
+### Binlog Analysis (MSBuild/XamlC/NuGet failures)
+When text logs are inconclusive, `.binlog` artifacts contain the full MSBuild structured log.
+
+**Requires `binlogtool`** (`dotnet tool install -g binlogtool`). If not installed, tell the user and stop.
+
+```bash
+# Download the binlog artifact
+az pipelines runs artifact download --run-id BUILD_ID --artifact-name "binlog" --path /tmp/maui-binlog \
+  --org https://dev.azure.com/dnceng-public --project public
+
+# Search for errors (broad first, then narrow)
+binlogtool search "/tmp/maui-binlog/*.binlog" "error"
+binlogtool search "/tmp/maui-binlog/*.binlog" "error CS"    # C# compiler
+binlogtool search "/tmp/maui-binlog/*.binlog" "error NU"    # NuGet
+binlogtool search "/tmp/maui-binlog/*.binlog" "XamlC"       # XAML compiler
+binlogtool search "/tmp/maui-binlog/*.binlog" "XA"          # Android build errors
+
+# Reconstruct full text log (useful when you need context around an error)
+binlogtool reconstruct "/tmp/maui-binlog/*.binlog" > /tmp/maui-build.log
+
+# Detect double-write errors (multiple tasks writing to the same output file)
+binlogtool doublewrites "/tmp/maui-binlog/*.binlog"
+
+# Clean up
+Remove-Item -Recurse -Force /tmp/maui-binlog
+```
+
+## Understanding Helix Logs
+
+Helix is the .NET engineering infrastructure that runs tests across multiple platforms and device types. Tests that run on Helix include:
+- **Device tests** - Run on real devices/emulators (iOS, Android, Windows, MacCatalyst)
+- **Integration tests** - Run on various OS configurations
+- **Other distributed tests** - Any test scenario that requires Helix infrastructure
+
+When Helix tests fail:
+
+1. **Build stage** - Compiles and packages the test app/harness
+2. **Helix submission** - Sends the work items to Helix queues
+3. **Work item execution** - Helix runs the tests on target machines/devices
+4. **Console log** - Contains stdout/stderr from the test execution
+
+The `Get-HelixLogs.ps1` script retrieves the console logs which show:
+- Test execution output
+- Any crashes or errors
+- Infrastructure issues (timeouts, installation failures, etc.)
+
+## Common Build Error Patterns
+
+| Pattern | Area | Notes |
+|---------|------|-------|
+| `error CS####` | C# compiler | Root cause; check file/line reference |
+| `error NU1###` | NuGet restore | NU1301 = feed unreachable; NU11## = resolution failure |
+| `XamlC` | XAML compiler | MAUI-specific; usually missing type or invalid binding |
+| `##[error]` | ADO infrastructure | Pipeline-level error, not a build error |
+| `System.TimeoutException` | Test infra | Infrastructure timeout; may be transient |
+| `error MT####` | iOS/Mac linker | Linking failure; check build logs |
+| `error BL####` | Build logic | MSBuild task failure |
+
+## Common Helix Failure Patterns
+
+| Pattern in Console Log | Meaning |
+|------------------------|---------|
+| "XHarness timeout" | Test took too long, killed by infrastructure |
+| "No test result files found" | Tests never ran or process crashed |
+| "error MT..." or "error BL..." | Build/linking error (check build logs instead) |
+| Exit code non-zero | Test failures or infrastructure issues |
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- `gh` (GitHub CLI) - authenticated
+- `pwsh` (PowerShell 7+)

.github/skills/pr-build-status/scripts/Get-PrBuildIds.ps1 → .github/skills/azdo-build-investigator/scripts/Get-PrBuildIds.ps1

@@ -62,4 +62,23 @@ $builds = $checks | Where-Object { $_.link -match "dev\.azure\.com" } | ForEach-
     }
 } | Sort-Object -Property Pipeline, BuildId -Unique
 
-$builds
+# Diagnose the no-build case — common when CI is skipped or not yet triggered
+$noBuildRows = $builds | Where-Object { -not $_.BuildId }
+if ($noBuildRows) {
+    Write-Host ""
+    Write-Host "⚠️  Some pipelines have no build ID — CI was not triggered for these:" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+    foreach ($row in $noBuildRows) {
+        Write-Host "   Pipeline : $($row.Pipeline)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+        Write-Host "   State    : $($row.State)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+        Write-Host "   Link     : $($row.Link)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+        Write-Host ""
+        Write-Host "   Likely causes:" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+        Write-Host "     • PR only modifies path-excluded files (e.g. .github/**, docs/**)" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+        Write-Host "     • Build has not been queued yet (maintainer trigger required)" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+        Write-Host "     • PR is in draft state" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+        Write-Host "   To check path filters: look for 'paths.exclude' in eng/pipelines/ci.yml" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+        Write-Host ""
+    }
+}
+
+$builds | Where-Object { $_.BuildId }

.github/skills/pr-finalize/SKILL.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 name: pr-finalize
-description: Finalizes any PR for merge by verifying title/description match implementation AND performing code review for best practices. Use when asked to "finalize PR", "check PR description", "review commit message", before merging any PR, or when PR implementation changed during review. Do NOT use for extracting lessons (use learn-from-pr), writing tests (use write-tests-agent), or investigating build failures (use pr-build-status).
+description: Finalizes any PR for merge by verifying title/description match implementation AND performing code review for best practices. Use when asked to "finalize PR", "check PR description", "review commit message", before merging any PR, or when PR implementation changed during review. Do NOT use for extracting lessons (use learn-from-pr), writing tests (use write-tests-agent), or investigating build failures (use azdo-build-investigator).
 ---
 
 # PR Finalize