pnpm ignoring detect_chromedriver_version flag in .npmrc

[sbonasu]

pnpm version: 7.3.0

Code to reproduce the issue:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/chromedriver

.npmrc file contents
ignore-scripts = true
detect_chromedriver_version=true

Expected behavior:

browser version is 95.0.4638.54

When I check chromedriver version in node_modules, its not matching chrome browser version

node_modules/.pnpm/node_modules/.bin/chromedriver --version
ChromeDriver 101.0.4951.41 (93c720db8323b3ec10d056025ab95c23a31997c9-refs/branch-heads/4951@{#904})

Actual behavior:

chromedriver version should match browser version.

If the current implementation doesn't support this setup. Is there a way to pass DETECT_CHROMEDRIVER_VERSION=true environment variable with pnpm install or use .pnpmfile.cjs?

I have tried doing this with .pnpmfile.cjs afterAllResolved hook but it doesn't run when Lockfile is up-to-date. Deleting lock file is not an option since it introduces version mismatches(importing from yarn.lock).

function afterAllResolved(lockfile, context) {
  context.log('Installing chromedriver');

  let chromeDriverPath = path.join(__dirname, 'node_modules/.pnpm/node_modules/chromedriver');

  let chromeDriverInstall = spawn(
    'npm',
    ['run', 'install'],
    { cwd: chromeDriverPath },
    { env: { ...process.env, DETECT_CHROMEDRIVER_VERSION: 'true' } },
  );

  chromeDriverInstall.on('error', (err) => {
    context.log('failed to install chromedriver: ' + err);
  });

  return lockfile;
}

Additional information:

• node -v prints: v16.15.1
• Windows, macOS, or Linux?: macOS and Linux

[zkochan]

I did not know that npm puts setting from .npmrc to env variables when running lifecycle scripts. Does Yarn implement it the same way? Obviously, if it works with npm, we should support it in some way

[sbonasu]

I think yarn@1 implements it.

With yarn@1, we use yarn-path setting to execute bash script that intercepts yarn commands. It does yarn install and then runs post install script that installs chromedriver with env DETECT_CHROMEDRIVER_VERSION

[sbonasu]

@zkochan do you think its possible to add a feature to define settings in .npmrc or modify custom hook afterAllResolved to run scripts(not restrict to just lockfile mutation)

[zkochan]

I don't think .npmrc is a good idea. But I think having something like a separate .env file would be fine. Actually @shellscape had this idea.

[shellscape]

What's funny is that I'm on a two week RV trip with my family and doing a lot of driving - which means lots of time to think. I've been thinking about .env support quite a lot. @zkochan when I get back after July 9th I'll probably pick that up.

[zkochan]

But if I read .env correctly, it looks like it should not be committed to the repo.

In this case, I believe we want this in the repo.

I think we can add a new field to package.json with envs. Something like:

{
  "pnpm": {
    "envVariables": {
      "detect_chromedriver_version": "true"
    }
  }
}

[sbonasu]

But if I read .env correctly, it looks like it should not be committed to the repo.

In this case, I believe we want this in the repo.

I think we can add a new field to package.json with envs. Something like:

{
  "pnpm": {
    "envVariables": {
      "detect_chromedriver_version": "true"
    }
  }
}

I like envVariables idea

[zkochan]

cc @pnpm/collaborators let me know what you think about this feature.

[BlackHole1]

But if I read .env correctly, it looks like it should not be committed to the repo.

In this case, I believe we want this in the repo.

I think we can add a new field to package.json with envs. Something like:

{
  "pnpm": {
    "envVariables": {
      "detect_chromedriver_version": "true"
    }
  }
}

I Approve of this. But at the same time, we should be consistent with the behavior of npm. And npm will auto add prefix: npm_config_. Like: npm_config_${key.toLowerCase()}. See:

1. https://github.com/giggio/node-chromedriver/blob/8c122d919ceb0a918bc7ca7fcf2f0f4ab7a89281/install.js#L35
2. https://github.com/npm/cli/blob/ef8d2edd7da993f4086c85089952cd45834ac78b/docs/content/commands/npm.md#configuration
3. https://github.com/npm/config/blob/6440fba6e04b1f87e57b4c2ccc5ea84d8a69b823/lib/set-envs.js#L9-L13

[sbonasu]

good catch @BlackHole1. Thank you all for looking in to this

[gluxon]

+1 to @BlackHole1's comment. @sbonasu The process.env.npm_config_detect_chromedriver_version environment variable should be visible to the node-chromedriver postinstall script already. Is that the case?

[sbonasu]

@gluxon no, postinstall is not installing correct chromedriver version matching chrome version. Its installing the version specified in package.json

[zkochan]

I've checked, npm_config_ is set correctly. The same way as with npm.

Maybe you have this package cached and the cache was written with a different setting.

Try to add side-effects-cache=false to your .npmrc, remove node_modules and reinstall.

[sbonasu]

side-effects-cache=false seems to have done the trick. Thank you

[zkochan]

ok, this is solved. I created a new issue to try to fix this #5002