moving set-output to GITHUB_OUTPUT the output does not have value

[kuisathaverat]

I have seen some warnings about set-output is deprecated so I started to follow the instructions at https://github.blog/changelog/2022-10-11-github-actions-deprecating-save-state-and-set-output-commands/

The result is that the same input I pass to set-output does not work in the same way with GITHUB_OUTPUT, the following workflow pass the same String to both and the result is different:

name: Test GITHUB_OUTPUT miggration
on:
  workflow_dispatch:

jobs:
  get-versions:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    outputs:
      versions1: ${{ steps.script.outputs.versions1 }}
      versions2: ${{ steps.script.outputs.versions2 }}
      versions3: ${{ steps.script.outputs.versions3 }}
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - id: script
        run: |
          echo "version1='[\"1\",\"2\",\"3\"]'" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          echo "version2=[\"1\",\"2\",\"3\"]" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          echo "::set-output name=versions3::[\"1\",\"2\",\"3\"]"

  debug:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: get-versions
    steps:
      - run: |
          echo '${{ needs.get-versions.outputs.versions1 }}'
          echo '${{ needs.get-versions.outputs.versions2 }}'
          echo '${{ needs.get-versions.outputs.versions3 }}'

The string is only set on set-output in the other two commands the value is not set. I have tried to use single quotas but did not work too

2022-10-19T15:46:38.2080682Z ##[group]Run echo ''
2022-10-19T15:46:38.2081220Z �[36;1mecho ''�[0m
2022-10-19T15:46:38.2081616Z �[36;1mecho ''�[0m
2022-10-19T15:46:38.2082001Z �[36;1mecho '["1","2","3"]'�[0m
2022-10-19T15:46:38.2731052Z shell: /usr/bin/bash -e {0}
2022-10-19T15:46:38.2731926Z ##[endgroup]
2022-10-19T15:46:38.3314415Z 
2022-10-19T15:46:38.3314481Z 
2022-10-19T15:46:38.3314807Z ["1","2","3"]

the funny thing is that values are set, you can see the values when you enable debug

##[debug]steps.script.outputs.versions3='["1","2","3"]'
##[debug]Set output version1 = '["1","2","3"]'
##[debug]Set output version2 = ["1","2","3"]

So I think that those outputs only live in the context of the job created them, and cannot be exported to another job, in that case, the behavior is different than set-output and is not documented (and give an alternative)

##[debug]..Evaluating Index:
##[debug]....Evaluating Index:
##[debug]......Evaluating Index:
##[debug]........Evaluating needs:
##[debug]........=> Object
##[debug]........Evaluating String:
##[debug]........=> 'get-versions'
##[debug]......=> Object
##[debug]......Evaluating String:
##[debug]......=> 'outputs'
##[debug]....=> Object
##[debug]....Evaluating String:
##[debug]....=> 'versions1'
##[debug]..=> null
##[debug]..Evaluating Index:
##[debug]....Evaluating Index:
##[debug]......Evaluating Index:
##[debug]........Evaluating needs:
##[debug]........=> Object
##[debug]........Evaluating String:
##[debug]........=> 'get-versions'
##[debug]......=> Object
##[debug]......Evaluating String:
##[debug]......=> 'outputs'
##[debug]....=> Object
##[debug]....Evaluating String:
##[debug]....=> 'versions2'
##[debug]..=> null
##[debug]..Evaluating Index:
##[debug]....Evaluating Index:
##[debug]......Evaluating Index:
##[debug]........Evaluating needs:
##[debug]........=> Object
##[debug]........Evaluating String:
##[debug]........=> 'get-versions'
##[debug]......=> Object
##[debug]......Evaluating String:
##[debug]......=> 'outputs'
##[debug]....=> Object
##[debug]....Evaluating String:
##[debug]....=> 'versions3'
##[debug]..=> '["1","2","3"]'

[ChristopherHX]

the following workflow pass the same String to both and the result is different

You have a typo in these lines

          echo "version1='[\"1\",\"2\",\"3\"]'" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          echo "version2=[\"1\",\"2\",\"3\"]" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT

You access versions1 / versions2 in later steps, but you are writing version1 / version2 (without a s) into GITHUB_OUTPUT.

[kuisathaverat]

OMG!! what a stupid error 😢

[Fuseteam]

I seem to run into a weird error when migrating to $GITHUB_OUTPUT

sh: can't create /github/file_commands/set_output_ffc0a728-828a-4d8e-8933-8fa4a19c0674: nonexistent directory

Am i overlooking something?

jobs:
  smoke-test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Run docker action and set output for testing
        uses: ./
        id: run-docker
        with:
          image: docker:20.10.3
          shell: sh
          run: |
            echo "docker-version=$DOCKER_VERSION"  >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
      - name: Test the output
        uses: actions/github-script@v6
        with:
          script: |
            const dockerVersion = '${{ steps.run-docker.outputs.docker-version }}';
            if (dockerVersion !== '20.10.3') {
              core.setFailed(`Smoke Test Failed`);
            }

[Fuseteam]

I just realized this due to me running docker in docker, i've resolved by mounting /github/file_commands into the subcontainer however the output is still empty

Here is the failing test https://github.com/tuxecure/clickable/blob/clickable-branch/.github/workflows/tests.ymlhttps://github.com/tuxecure/clickable/actions/runs/3381715451/jobs/5615911171

[xucian]

any updates? this happens to me when running the "wsl bash" on windows

    - name: Parse key [WIN]
      id: parser_win
      if: runner.os == 'Windows'
      shell: wsl bash --noprofile --norc -euo pipefail "$(s="$(wslpath '{0}')" && sed -i 's/\r$//' "$s" && echo "$s")"
      run: |
        s=$(wslpath "${{ github.action_path }}/parser.sh")
        chmod +x "$s"
        "$s" "${{ inputs.key }}"

GITHUB_OUTPUT is unbound

[MartinLesterSynamedia]

GITHUB_OUTPUT is not available in the version of the runner shipped with any enterprise server version.
Compare the docs for the Free and Enterprise for this

• https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-jobs/defining-outputs-for-jobs
• https://docs.github.com/en/[email protected]/actions/using-jobs/defining-outputs-for-jobs

No mention of deprecation of ::set-output or the availability of GITHUB_OUTPUT on enterprise at all

Does anyone know if or when this feature will be coming to GHES?
I tried looking in the GHES road map but I can't see it.

[ChristopherHX]

GitHub could make it more clear, but here your answer: I predict 3.8.

Reference: #8273

New Actions save-state and set-output env file commands, which deprecates their stdout counterparts.

versions:
fpt: ''
ghec: ''
ghes: '>= 3.8'
ghae: '>= 3.8'

https://github.com/github/docs/blob/main/data/features/actions-save-state-set-output-envs.yml

[adya]

While in this case there was a typo, I'd want to spread the word about the other possible cause of this issue. If you happen to run the jobs on windows runner you'd need to do >> $Env:GITHUB_OUTPUT instead of >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT. Took me a while to figure this out 🙂 Source

[martinstoeckli]

Wished I found your comment earlier, thanks!

[hazu-2nc4]

My god, it took me the whole day to go through the debug logs. Many thanks!

[mahesh-gritfi]

I have been facing kind of similar issue, the output from the build job is not able to pass to the deploy job, am just getting an empty string. Can anyone please take a look?

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: fortuna
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
      - name: Set duplo variables based on environment
        id: duplo
        run: |
          echo "Deploying to ${{ github.event.inputs.environment || 'sandbox' }}"
          if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.environment }}" = "production" ]; then
            echo "duplo_host=https://myfortuna-prod.duplocloud.net/" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "duplo_token=${{ secrets.FORTUNA_PROD_DUPLO_TOKEN }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "app_url=http://frontend-next.prod-apps.myfortuna.com/" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          else
            echo "duplo_host=https://myfortuna-nonprod.duplocloud.net/" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "duplo_token=${{ secrets.MF_NP_DUPLO_TOKEN }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.environment }}" = "uat" ]; then
              echo "app_url=https://frontend-next.uat.myfortuna.com/" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            else
              echo "app_url=https://frontend-next.sandbox.myfortuna.com/" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            fi
          fi
      - name: Set AWS variables based on environment
        id: docker
        run: |
          if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.environment }}" = "production" ]; then
            echo "site_url=${{ secrets.PROD_FORTUNA_SITE_URL }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          elif [ "${{ github.event.inputs.environment }}" = "sandbox" ]; then
            echo "site_url=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_SITE_URL }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "userpool_id=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_AWS_USER_POOL_ID }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "userpool_web_client_id=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_AWS_USER_POOL_WEB_CLIENT_ID }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "identitypool_id=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_AWS_COGNITO_IDENTITY_POOL_ID }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "backend_url=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_BACKEND_URL }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "persona_env=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_PERSONA_ENVIRONMENT }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "persona_template_id=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_PERSONA_TEMPLATE_ID }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "argyle_url=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_ARGYLE_URL }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "argyle_env=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_ARGYLE_ENVIRONMENT }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "contentful_space_id=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_CONTENTFUL_SPACE_ID }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "contentful_access_token=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_CONTENTFUL_ACCESS_TOKEN }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "tabapay_url=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_TABAPAY_SSO_IFRAME_URL }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "react_url=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_REACT_APP_URL }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
            echo "instance_name=${{ secrets.SANDBOX_FORTUNA_NEXT_PUBLIC_INSTANCE_NAME }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT            
          else
            echo "site_url=${{ secrets.UAT_FORTUNA_SITE_URL }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          fi
      - name: Login to Amazon ECR
        id: login-ecr
        uses: aws-actions/amazon-ecr-login@v1
        uses: aws-actions/amazon-ecr-login@v2
        env:
          AWS_REGION: us-west-2

      # Build and push the Docker image
      - name: Docker Build and Push
        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
        with:
          context: .
          build-args: ENV_FILE=.env.${{ github.event.inputs.environment || 'sandbox' }}.example
          build-args: |
            SITE_URL=${{ steps.docker.outputs.site_url }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_AWS_USER_POOL_ID=${{ steps.docker.outputs.userpool_idl }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_AWS_USER_POOL_WEB_CLIENT_ID=${{ steps.docker.outputs.userpool_web_client_id }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_AWS_COGNITO_IDENTITY_POOL_ID=${{ steps.docker.outputs.identitypool_id }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_BACKEND_URL=${{ steps.docker.outputs.backend_url }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_PERSONA_ENVIRONMENT=${{ steps.docker.outputs.persona_env }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_PERSONA_TEMPLATE_ID=${{ steps.docker.outputs.persona_template_id }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_ARGYLE_URL=${{ steps.docker.outputs.argyle_url }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_ARGYLE_ENVIRONMENT=${{ steps.docker.outputs.argyle_env }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_CONTENTFUL_SPACE_ID=${{ steps.docker.outputs.contentful_space_id }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_CONTENTFUL_ACCESS_TOKEN=${{ steps.docker.outputs.contentful_access_token }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_TABAPAY_SSO_IFRAME_URL=${{ steps.docker.outputs.tabapay_url }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_REACT_APP_URL=${{ steps.docker.outputs.react_url }}
            NEXT_PUBLIC_INSTANCE_NAME=${{ steps.docker.outputs.instance_name }}
          push: true
          tags: |
            ${{ steps.login-ecr.outputs.registry }}/myfortuna-frontend-next:${{ github.sha }}
          cache-from: type=gha
          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
          file: Dockerfile_mf
          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max

    # This part is important - it will be used by the deploy job
    outputs:
      image: "${{ steps.login-ecr.outputs.registry }}/myfortuna-frontend-next:${{ github.sha }}"


  deploy:
    runs-on: fortuna
    needs:
      - build
    steps:
      - name: Deployment service to Duplo Sanbox
        if: ${{ github.event.inputs.environment == 'sandbox' || github.event.inputs.environment == '' }}
        uses: duplocloud/ghactions-service-update@master
        with:
          duplo_host: 'https://myfortuna-nonprod.duplocloud.net'
          duplo_token: ${{ secrets.MF_NP_DUPLO_TOKEN }}
          tenant: '########################'
          services: |-
            [
              { "Name": "frontend-next", "Image": "${{ needs.build.outputs.image }}" }
            ]

[BR7RKR]

I have the same issue. Did you find the solution?