Can't use NODE_PATH with two directories

[nareshbhatia]

Is this a bug report?

Yes

Can you also reproduce the problem with npm 4.x?

Did not try

Which terms did you search for in User Guide?

NODE_PATH, indexOf, undefined

Environment

1. node -v: v8.7.0
2. npm -v: 5.6.0
3. yarn --version (if you use Yarn):
4. npm ls react-scripts (if you haven’t ejected):

Then, specify:

1. Operating system: MacOS
2. Browser and version (if relevant): N/A

Steps to Reproduce

(Write your steps here:)

1. Create a .env file in the root folder. Add NODE_PATH to it containing two directories: NODE_PATH=src:../shared
2. Run npm start. You will get the following error:

/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/react-dev-utils/ModuleScopePlugin.js:28
        request.descriptionFileRoot.indexOf('/node_modules/') !== -1 ||
                                    ^

TypeError: Cannot read property 'indexOf' of undefined
    at Resolver.resolver.plugin (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/react-dev-utils/ModuleScopePlugin.js:28:37)
    at Resolver.applyPluginsAsyncSeriesBailResult1 (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/tapable/lib/Tapable.js:256:13)
    at runNormal (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:130:20)
    at Resolver.doResolve (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:116:3)
    at Resolver.<anonymous> (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/TryNextPlugin.js:16:12)
    at Resolver.applyPluginsAsyncSeriesBailResult1 (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/tapable/lib/Tapable.js:256:13)
    at runNormal (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:130:20)
    at Resolver.doResolve (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:116:3)
    at Resolver.<anonymous> (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/FileKindPlugin.js:17:12)
    at Resolver.applyPluginsAsyncSeriesBailResult1 (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/tapable/lib/Tapable.js:256:13)
    at runNormal (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:130:20)
    at Resolver.doResolve (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:116:3)
    at Resolver.<anonymous> (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/NextPlugin.js:14:12)
    at Resolver.applyPluginsAsyncSeriesBailResult1 (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/tapable/lib/Tapable.js:256:13)
    at runAfter (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:152:20)
    at innerCallback (/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/node_modules/enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver.js:146:3)

Expected Behavior

App is able to build correctly using packages from src and ../shared

Actual Behavior

Build crashes with TypeError: Cannot read property 'indexOf' of undefined

Reproducible Demo

None

[miraage]

descriptionFileRoot is a directory of file being processed, managed by enhanced-resolve package (webpack dependency).

Source:

directory appears to be undefined for some reason.

AFAIK standard NodeJS (e.g. not installed by tools like nvm) provides its own NODE_PATH environment variable so you can not override it using .env files. I assume it might cause an issue, meanwhile I recall using custom NODE_PATH via .env (I'm using nvm which does not expose NODE_PATH env var) and everything worked as expected.

According to issue template, you have ejected your application. Could you please show output of process.env.NODE_ENV after loading env vars? E.g. after this line in scripts/starts.js

// Ensure environment variables are read.
require('../config/env');

[nareshbhatia]

Hi @miraage, thanks for the quick response.

process.env.NODE_ENV is outputting development. You are correct that I have ejected. Note that NODE_PATH is working with one directory only: NODE_PATH=src. Also note that I am using n for installing multiple versions of node.

[miraage]

Sorry for wrong question. I meant process.env.NODE_PATH :)
I'm not sure if n exposes NODE_PATH or not.

[Timer]

We intentionally do not support multiple directories in NODE_PATH. You can modify your ejected setup to allow this if you'd like.

[miraage]

@Timer I always thought CRA supports multiple NODE_PATH dirs. I clearly recall using it..

[Timer]

Oh wow, my memory failed me! My apologies.

I'd heed @miraage's advice and check what the value of NODE_PATH is; it doesn't get overridden by .env -- .env only provides the default if it's not defined.

[miraage]

@nareshbhatia are you using symlinks under the NODE_PATH? I guess it might affect path resolving in some way..

[nareshbhatia]

Here's the value of NODE_PATH:

NODE_ENV= /Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/myapp-embeds/src:/Users/nbhati/projects/myapp-monorepo/shared

I am not using any symlinks. The project is structured as follows:

myapp-monorepo
|--- myapp-embeds (CRA)
|    `--- src
`--- shared (shared components)

[miraage]

There is also a line inside config/env.js after eject:

// Note that unlike in Node, only relative paths from NODE_PATH are honored.

@nareshbhatia could you please try to write NODE_PATH=./src:../shared? I assume src might cause an issue here.

[nareshbhatia]

No change :-(. NODE_PATH=./src:../shared produces the same error.

If it helps, I can try to create a minimal app that reproduces this issue.

[miraage]

Let's try.

[nareshbhatia]

Ok, on it!