Add optional parameter to toggle the quotations of a dotenv formated output file

[dirtybirthdaycake]

When using GitVersion in conjunction with a GitLab build script, I discovered that the dotenv format output by GitVersion is incompatible with GitLab.

In GitLab, the documentation states:

Quote escaping during parsing (key = 'value' -> {key: "value"}) is not supported.

In GitVersion, it seems that there is a hard-coded single quote wrapping the value of the dotenv file.

My feature request is an additional parameter that allows the user to EITHER

1. Specify the character to wrap value in (e.g. NULL, ', or ") OR
2. Opt out of the quotation (e.g. exclude the hardcoded single quote characters from the output format)

[Bi0T1N]

My idea behind using quotes was as mentioned here to be future proof but apparently I chose the wrong type of quotes to be compatible with GitLab. Since CI is probably one of the main use cases of the dotenv format I would prefer if the standard method supports it out-of-the-box.

[arturcic]

@Bi0T1N is there a way we can find the 'standard format' which most CIs and other tools are using and output in that format? If so do you mind to create a PR as well?

[Bi0T1N]

I tried to research which library GitLab uses but couldn't identify it.
However, I came across these potential libraries for GitLab:

• https://github.com/joho/godotenv
• https://github.com/profclems/go-dotenv
• https://github.com/bkeepers/dotenv
• https://github.com/theskumar/python-dotenv (that's that ChatGPT says...)

None of them mention anything of what is in the GitLab docs 🤷

[Bi0T1N]

Which version of GitLab/platform for GitLab runners do you use? I cannot reproduce the issue. See my test project.

$ echo "Environment should contain information from dotenv file"
Environment should contain information from dotenv file
$ printenv | grep ^GitVersion
GitVersion_AssemblySemFileVer='0.0.1.0'
GitVersion_PreReleaseLabelWithDash=''
GitVersion_BranchName='main'
GitVersion_BuildMetaData=''
GitVersion_Patch='1'
GitVersion_VersionSourceSha=''
GitVersion_FullBuildMetaData='Branch.main.Sha.3b174915474b9b350fb407361334d9584151be43'
GitVersion_WeightedPreReleaseNumber='55006'
GitVersion_PreReleaseNumber='6'
GitVersion_FullSemVer='0.0.1-6'
GitVersion_PreReleaseTagWithDash='-6'
GitVersion_UncommittedChanges='1'
GitVersion_AssemblySemVer='0.0.1.0'
GitVersion_InformationalVersion='0.0.1-6+Branch.main.Sha.3b174915474b9b350fb407361334d9584151be43'
GitVersion_EscapedBranchName='main'
GitVersion_ShortSha='3b17491'
GitVersion_PreReleaseLabel=''
GitVersion_Sha='3b174915474b9b350fb407361334d9584151be43'
GitVersion_CommitsSinceVersionSource='6'
GitVersion_PreReleaseTag='6'
GitVersion_MajorMinorPatch='0.0.1'
GitVersion_CommitDate='2025-06-08'
GitVersion_Minor='0'
GitVersion_SemVer='0.0.1-6'
GitVersion_Major='0'