# On\_fail for commands in steps? **URL:** \ **Category:** Running Tests\ **Created:** [January 6, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/on-fail-for-commands-in-steps/42496 "2022-01-06T19:48:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mathomp4](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/circleci/user_avatar/discuss.circleci.com/mathomp4/32/25343_2.png) [@mathomp4](https://discuss.circleci.com/u/mathomp4)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/on-fail-for-commands-in-steps/42496/1 "2022-01-06T19:48:33Z")
All, Some of my CI has been having intermittent build failures that I think are due to a combination of parallel make and limited memory. Now I could move to a larger resource class, but that would double my cost for about a 10% speed improvement by my testing (well, not counting the fact I might have to press the “re-run tests” again). So, I thought about using `when: on_fail` for my setup to re-run a build in case of failure (since then it might work). Currently I like to use commands and my config looks like: ```yaml build-GEOSgcm: parameters: compiler: type: string executor: << parameters.compiler >> working_directory: /root/project steps: - checkout_fixture: repo: GEOSgcm - mepoclone: repo: GEOSgcm - mepodevelop: repo: GEOSgcm - checkout_mapl_branch: repo: GEOSgcm - cmake: repo: GEOSgcm compiler: << parameters.compiler >> - buildinstall: repo: GEOSgcm - compress_artifacts - store_artifacts: path: /logfiles ``` And I thought, great I’ll just make a new command and do: ```yaml ... - buildinstall: repo: GEOSgcm - retrybuild: repo: GEOSgcm when: on_fail - compress_artifacts - store_artifacts: path: /logfiles ``` But that failed: ```auto ❯ circleci config validate Error: Error calling workflow: 'build-and-test' Error calling job: 'build-GEOSgcm' Error calling command: 'retrybuild' Unexpected argument(s): when ``` as I figured once I looked at the docs. So for now, in my `buildinstall` command, I have an extra `run:` step with a `when: on_fail` trigger: ```yaml buildinstall: description: "Build and install" parameters: repo: type: string default: "" steps: - run: name: "Build and install" command: | cd ${CIRCLE_WORKING_DIRECTORY}/workspace/build-<< parameters.repo >> make -j"$(nproc)" install |& tee /logfiles/make.log - run: name: "Retry build and install after failure" command: | cd ${CIRCLE_WORKING_DIRECTORY}/workspace/build-<< parameters.repo >> make -j"$(nproc)" install |& tee /logfiles/make-retry.log when: on_fail ``` That validates and, well, now I’m waiting to see if the failure is helped by this. But I had a question: is there a way to do what I wanted with the command in steps syntax? Or is just that `steps` have no `when`? Thanks, Matt PS: Soon I’ll be thinking about using orbs since the commands in that fragment you see up there are used in a few repos. I think orbs would let me share these commands easily…right? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aaronclark](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/circleci/user_avatar/discuss.circleci.com/aaronclark/32/31078_2.png) [@aaronclark](https://discuss.circleci.com/u/aaronclark)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2022, 9:42am UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/on-fail-for-commands-in-steps/42496/2 "2022-01-10T09:42:25Z")
Hi @mathomp4 , Thank you for sharing your question on our forum! I would have to see your full config.yml to understand why your first attempt was not working, but I created the following sample config file that shows how to use `when` inside of a command: ```auto version: 2.1 commands: retrybuild: description: Retry a step when it fails parameters: repo: type: string default: "" when: type: string steps: - run: command: | echo "This ran because the previous step failed" echo "<>" name: Rerun step due to failure when: <> jobs: build: docker: - image: cimg/base:2021.07 steps: - checkout - run: echo "test" - run: exit 1 - retrybuild: repo: "TEST" when: "on_fail" workflows: workflow1: jobs: - build ``` I am defining a `when` parameter (this could be named anything) inside of the `retrybuild` command, which then I am passing into the similarly-named `when` key. I did not set a default value for this command, so config validation will fail if no value is passed in. With `when: "on_fail"` , the `retrybuild` step will execute because the previous step is exiting with status 1. This would be a great chance to use orbs. It would allow you to create reusable code, and cleanup your config.yml file as the extra code would be imported via the orb. Our Slack orb actually is a good example of using conditional steps (with the notify command). You can click the following link to see the source: > **[CircleCI Developer Hub - circleci/slack](https://circleci.com/developer/orbs/orb/circleci/slack#orb-source)** > > Implement event-based notifications across all of your CI/CD pipelines. Utilizing built-in message templates or Slack's visual Block-Kit builder, create and customize notifications specific to your organization's needs. Supports Linux x86\_64, MacOS,... Let me know if this clears things up, or if you have any further questions. ---
**Author:** ![mathomp4](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/circleci/user_avatar/discuss.circleci.com/mathomp4/32/25343_2.png) [@mathomp4](https://discuss.circleci.com/u/mathomp4)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/on-fail-for-commands-in-steps/42496/3 "2022-01-10T13:55:05Z")
Ahh. Okay. You are passing _down_ `when` I was hoping I could use `when` _directly_ on the command in `jobs/steps`. I guess `when:` is only something that `run` can see, not something that a command step can see. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/circleci/original/3X/5/1/511608acda8e85906e15909b57bd0a46c1dbe291.png) [@system](https://discuss.circleci.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/on-fail-for-commands-in-steps/42496/4 "2022-01-20T13:55:11Z")
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