Feature Tests Failing on Windows

[gloryCU]

Describe the bug
While pairing with @mattwynne to set up my development environment, we found that the scenarios all failed. Same error:

293) Scenario: custom world constructor is passed the parameters # features\world_parameters.feature:76
     × Before # features\support\hooks.ts:20
         Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, symlink 'C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js' -> 'C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\tmp\world_parameters.feature_76\node_modules\@cucumber\cucumber'
             at Object.symlinkSync (fs.js:1210:3)
             at Object.createSymlinkSync (C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\node_modules\fs-extra\lib\ensure\symlink.js:76:13)             at World.<anonymous> (C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\features\support\hooks.ts:42:11)
             at Object.run (C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\src\user_code_runner.ts:37:21)
             at Object.run (C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\src\runtime\step_runner.ts:50:41)
             at processTicksAndRejections (internal/process/task_queues.js:95:5)
             at async TestCaseRunner.invokeStep (C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\src\runtime\test_case_runner.ts:130:12)    
             at async TestCaseRunner.runHook (C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\src\runtime\test_case_runner.ts:246:12)       
             at async C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\src\runtime\test_case_runner.ts:201:20
             at async TestCaseRunner.aroundTestStep (C:\Users\gugwu\Documents\OSContribution\cucumber-js\src\runtime\test_case_runner.ts:162:28)     - Given a file named "features/passing_steps.feature" with: # features\step_definitions\file_steps.ts:10
         """
         Feature: a feature
           Scenario: a scenario
             Given the world parameters are correct
         """
     - Given a file named "features/support/world.js" with: # features\step_definitions\file_steps.ts:10
         """
         const {setWorldConstructor} = require('@cucumber/cucumber')    

         function CustomWorld(options) {
           for(const key in options.parameters) {
             this[key] = options.parameters[key]
           }
         }

         setWorldConstructor(CustomWorld)
         """
     - Given a file named "features/step_definitions/my_steps.js" with: 
# features\step_definitions\file_steps.ts:10
         """
         const assert = require('assert')
         const {Given} = require('@cucumber/cucumber')

         Given(/^the world parameters are correct$/, function() {       
           assert.equal(this.a, 1)
         })
         """
     - When I run cucumber-js with `--world-parameters '{"a":1}'` # features\step_definitions\cli_steps.ts:19
     - Then scenario "a scenario" step "Given the world parameters are correct" has status "passed" # features\step_definitions\message_steps.ts:68
     √ After # features\support\hooks.ts:104

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Open the repo on a Windows machine
2. Open the git bash prompt
3. Run npm install
4. Run npm test

Expected behavior
I expected all the tests to pass.

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• : Windows 10 build 19042

[mattwynne]

It looks like maybe this has something to do with the Windows filesystem not supporting symlinks: npm/npm#5824

Is there anyone else using Node and Windows who could advise us?

[leider]

tl;dr: Test run successfully in win10 enterprise (20H2), other findings with windows below.

Just read on twitter, was curious, so I tried. My findings:

1. npm install failed, probably b/o old node version v14.18.1 -> solution; delete pckage-lock.json, then npm i installs in power shell
2. npm test fails early when running from power shell, b/o cp src/importer.js lib/ in build-local target -> solution: use git bash
3. npm test in git bash succeeds

271 scenarios (271 passed)
1396 steps (1396 passed)
1m23.575s (executing steps: 2080m17.514s)

[davidjgoss]

Have you tried this in a command prompt with administrator privileges? Been a while since I’ve worked on windows but this rings a bell.

[leider]

Good point (the admin advice). My user has local admin rights. I dind't open any shell as Administrator though.

[aslakhellesoy]

FWIW, the CI build is passing on windows: https://github.com/cucumber/cucumber-js/actions/runs/1454067375

[aurelien-reeves]

From a fresh clone of the repo, I've been able to run npm install-test using git bash without special tweaking and without specific rights.

Which version of Windows are you using? Do you have specific policy?

[aurelien-reeves]

We just discovered with @mattwynne that for symlinks to properly work on Windows, you have to enable the developer mode.

That explain why I was not able to reproduce the issue myself.

Try enabling the developer mode. That should make it work.

We may have to document that in the CONTRIBUTING documentation, and also adding some proper try ... catch to inform the developers in "real" time

[mattwynne]

@RukenaG let's close this when we get a chance to pair again and can test it works for you now.

[davidjgoss]

Closing as this has been quiet for a long time, but please comment again if this doesn't feel resolved.