publishConfig.directory does not get symlinked for workspace packages if the directory does not exist

[michaelwarren1106]

When a package in a monorepo is depended on by other packages, and has the following publishConfig settings in package.json:

{
  "publishConfig: {
    "directory": "dist",
    "linkDirectory: true
  }
}

the symlink only gets created if the dist folder actually exists.

This setting breaks repos that follow a typical install => link => build model. Monorepos with lots of cross-repo dependencies cannot successfully build dists without upstream local dependencies also being built first.

pnpm version:

7.9.0

Code to reproduce the issue:

Repro repo here:
https://github.com/michaelwarren1106/pnpm-linking-repro
Steps to reproduce the issue are in the README.md

Expected behavior:

Symlinks are created for the specified publishConfig.directory path (including a package scope directory if necessary) regardless of whether or not the specified directory exists.

Actual behavior:

Symlinks are not created if the specified publishConfig.directory folder does not exist. Warnings are seen in the console instead.

Related issues

#5115
#3901

Related Discussion

#5204 (reply in thread)

[martinbiard]

I also experience the same issue. For now, I had to abandon the publishConfig feature completely, and instead add this at the end of my app build scripts:

    const libs = Helpers.joinPath(outDir, 'node_modules', '@mycompany')

    Helpers.readDirectory(libs).forEach((item) => {
        if (Helpers.isSymbolicLink(item)) {
            const oldTarget = Helpers.readLink(item)
            const newTarget = Helpers.joinPath(oldTarget, 'build')

            Helpers.ensureSymbolicLink(newTarget, item)
        }
    })

What this does, is, after building my apps, it goes into its node_modules under @mycompany scope, and replaces all links to libs workspace roots with libs build directories instead.

[bertybot]

I literally just put a placeholder md file in the directory with a note to get rid of it once this issue is fixed, and that work around has been working for me

[michaelwarren1106]

haha i haven’t thought of that! i think that maybe could work

[jason-ha]

I was just trying with 7.9.3 where I pre-created the one publishConfig.directory that is used in my monorepo. I did not find that the symlink created in this case to the publish directory. Is the issue qualifying text about "if the directory does not exist" superfluous?

[michaelwarren1106]

you also need the publishConfig.linkDirectory set to true also in order for pnpm to attempt to symlink the directory. i have both and it doesn’t symlink if the directory listed doesn’t exist

[jason-ha]

I had linkDirectory=true but the issue was I had already run install once that set the resolution not using the publishConfig.directory. I was trying to refresh by deleting the symlink. But I needed to delete the pnmp-lock.yaml file to force resolution. [ pnpm noob :) ]

[michaelwarren1106]

thanks! this is awesome! did this fix land in 7.9.4?

[zkochan]

No, it will be soon released in 7.9.5

[michaelwarren1106]

sweet, thanks!!