Building Release Pipeline in Azure DevOps with Angular Application - cannot find working folder that contains package.json

Question

I'm setting up a release pipeline for my ASP.NET Core Angular Application from Visual Studio 2017 and I'm running into major problems with the npm task locating the package.json file. I know the file is there - it was initially in the ClientApp folder, and I've also added it to the main folder, and the dist folder for testing purposes while I was trying to figure out why it doesn't like my file!

I have literally tried every possibility, including using the $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory). This is my first time working in Azure DevOps and my first time trying to set up pipelines. I've googled endlessly and even tried re-queueing the build pipeline.

It's completely possible I've set up the wrong type of release pipeline. I chose an empty job and I have 3 tasks - npm install, npm build, and publish artifact (I've been trying to follow some online tutorials). I also made my build pipeline from an ASP.Net Core template, ran the yaml file, etc.

As a note, I did install node.js and angular, and ensured the proper files are in my dist folder. I've added a web.config file, added it to my assets in the angular json file. I have also added a small script to the package.json folder to actually build.

  "project": {
    "name": "Test"
  },
  "apps": [
    {
      "root": "src",
      "outDir": "dist",
      "assets": [
        "assets",
        "src/web.config"
      ],
      "index": "index.html",
      "main": "main.ts",
      "polyfills": "polyfills.ts",
      "test": "test.ts",
      "tsconfig": "tsconfig.app.json",
      "testTsconfig": "tsconfig.spec.json",
      "prefix": "app",
      "styles": [
        "styles.css",
        "../node_modules/bootstrap/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css"
      ],
      "scripts": [],
      "environmentSource": "environments/environment.ts",
      "environments": {
        "dev": "environments/environment.ts",
        "prod": "environments/environment.prod.ts"
      }
    }
  ],

 "name": "Test",
  "version": "0.0.0",
  "license": "MIT",
  "scripts": {
    "ng": "ng",
    "start": "ng serve",
    "build": "ng build",
    "test": "ng test",
    "lint": "ng lint",
    "e2e": "ng e2e",
    "prod-build-dev": "ng build --prod --build-optimizer",
    "prod-build-staging": "ng build --prod --configuration=staging --build-optimizer"
  },

I expect the npm task to find the package.json file but that's not what is happening. Please see these error messages, each of which shows up for a different input for the working folder that contains package.json. In one, it cannot find the directory. In the other, it cannot find the file.

Error #1: Error: Npm failed with return code: 4294963238

paired with:

14 error enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 'D:\a\r1\a\package.json' 2019-08-10T15:08:12.2500818Z 15 error enoent This is related to npm not being able to find a file.

and

Error #2: Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, stat 'D:\a\r1\a\Test\ClientApp\dist'

When entering the release side of things, artefacts are downloaded to the artefacts folder. They take on a naming structure of $(System.ArtifactsDirectory)/{Artifact Alias for the whole build}/{Artefact name in the publish pipeline artifact task}/. Often it helps to run a dir /s /b or find . from the $(System.WorkFolder) to see where stuff ended up. — jessehouwing
What does your repo directory structure look like? That's a fairly important thing to know before anyone can suggest settings and commands for you to try. — Krenom
I have just noticed that the log says: Agent.BuildDirectory=undefined. Perhaps I need to find a way to define this, because it then tries to create a temporary directory, removes it, and then it fails. — Ashleigh

Leo Liu-MSFT Leo Liu-MSFT · Accepted Answer · 2019-08-12T10:38:16

Building Release Pipeline in Azure DevOps with Angular Application - cannot find working folder that contains package.json

According to the error message:

no such file or directory, open 'D:\a\r1\a\package.json'

It seems you are not using the correct path for the option Working folder that contains package.json. You are searching the package.json file in the root folder of artifact directory. D:\a\r1\a\.

To resolve this issue, you should specify the working folder like $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)\Test\Test\ClientApp

Note: You should publish the project/solution when you build the pipeline, otherwise, we could not get the file in the release pipeline.

Hope this helps.

Building Release Pipeline in Azure DevOps with Angular Application - cannot find working folder that contains package.json

4 Answers