# Creating an environment variable with windows in a matrix causes MSBuild.exe to hang forever

**URL:** <https://travis-ci.community/t/creating-an-environment-variable-with-windows-in-a-matrix-causes-msbuild-exe-to-hang-forever/3509>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [May 24, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://travis-ci.community/t/creating-an-environment-variable-with-windows-in-a-matrix-causes-msbuild-exe-to-hang-forever/3509 "2019-05-24T19:05:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![r3muxd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@r3muxd](https://travis-ci.community/u/r3muxd)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://travis-ci.community/t/creating-an-environment-variable-with-windows-in-a-matrix-causes-msbuild-exe-to-hang-forever/3509/1 "2019-05-24T19:05:49Z")

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I have a .Travis.yml file that starts a Linux build and a Windows build in a matrix. The windows build has been simplified so that it adds the build tools to the PATH, calls MSBuild.exe with no arguments, and ends. Without any environment variables set, it prints an error message and exits. With one set, it hangs for 10 minutes with no output after calling msbuild and gets killed. What do I do?

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**Author:** ![r3muxd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@r3muxd](https://travis-ci.community/u/r3muxd)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://travis-ci.community/t/creating-an-environment-variable-with-windows-in-a-matrix-causes-msbuild-exe-to-hang-forever/3509/2 "2019-05-24T19:07:53Z")

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I’m pretty sure it only happens if the environment variable is a secret, also.

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**Author:** ![r3muxd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@r3muxd](https://travis-ci.community/u/r3muxd)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://travis-ci.community/t/creating-an-environment-variable-with-windows-in-a-matrix-causes-msbuild-exe-to-hang-forever/3509/3 "2019-05-24T19:12:59Z")

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NVM, is a duplicate of Secrets-Are-Killing-Windows.