Use inputs vars inside an expression function like hashFiles

[tomgrossman]

I would like to use the hashFiles function dynamically. In short - passing it the key and path as inputs.
We have multiple workflows, for each service/deployment, each with it’s own package.json in its own path in a monolith.
Even in one workflow, there are multiple jobs that require this same steps.
In order not to duplicate too much code, we tried to create a composite step action for the node setup and the cache usage.
This is how the composite action (should) looks like:

name: 'Setup node environment'
description: Install correct version of node and download cache
inputs:
  key:
    required: true
    description: cache key
  path:
    required: true
    description: cache path
outputs:
  cache-hit:
    description: cache-hit outputs from actions/cache@v2
    value: ${{ steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit }}
runs:
  using: "composite"
  steps:
    - uses: actions/setup-node@v2
      with:
        node-version: 16
    - uses: actions/cache@v2
      id: cache
      with:
        path: ${{ inputs.path }}
        key: ${{ hashFiles(${{ inputs.key }}) }}

However, using this action is resulting with the following error:

Error: GitHub.DistributedTask.ObjectTemplating.TemplateValidationException: The template is not valid. /home/runner/work/dashboard/dashboard/./.github/actions/setup-node/action.yml (Line: 21, Col: 14): Unexpected symbol: '${{'. Located at position 11 within expression: hashFiles(${{ inputs.key
   at GitHub.DistributedTask.ObjectTemplating.TemplateValidationErrors.Check()
   at GitHub.Runner.Worker.ActionManifestManager.ConvertRuns(IExecutionContext executionContext, TemplateContext templateContext, TemplateToken inputsToken, String fileRelativePath, MappingToken outputs)
   at GitHub.Runner.Worker.ActionManifestManager.Load(IExecutionContext executionContext, String manifestFile)

I looked in the community and I found a similar issue but with an insufficient solution since it is using context values (like github.workspace, matrix.rails-version) and not inputs values like I need.

So, is there a solution for this?

[airtower-luna]

tomgrossman:

key: ${{ hashFiles(${{ inputs.key }}) }}

You have a template wrapped in template there, try:

        key: ${{ hashFiles(inputs.key) }}

[tomgrossman]

OK wow, how did I now tried that? I though inputs must be accessed explicitly with `${{ }}

[airtower-luna]

It’s not inputs, the Actions expressions need to be wrapped in those. Within an expression you can use variables by name. 😺

[ErcinDedeoglu]

Upvoted. Thank you for your answer. My case is different:

this is what I have:

key: ${{ matrix.projectName }}-Library-${{ hashFiles('./repo/Alpha/**', './repo/Beta/**', './repo/Zulu/**') }}

what I need:

   strategy:
      matrix:
        path:
          - ./repo
         
key: ${{ matrix.projectName }}-Library-${{ hashFiles('${{ matrix.repoLocalPath }}/Alpha/**', '${{ matrix.repoLocalPath }}/Beta/**', '${{ matrix.repoLocalPath }}/Zulu/**') }}

I want to change the hardcoded "./repo" string with ${{ matrix.repoLocalPath }} and concat it with a Hardcoded tail.

Any solution for this?

[airtower-luna]

Try using format() to build the inner string, like so:

${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/Alpha/**', matrix.repoLocalPath)) }}

[ErcinDedeoglu]

thanks :)

[joshjohanning]

nice that's super helpful. Mine looks like:

key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/{1}',inputs.folder-to-hash,'package.json')) }}

[brianbruggeman]

Does this actually work? I think on my system running act it ends up looking like:

key: ${{ runner.os }}-

Without an error.

[joshjohanning]

@brianbruggeman my snippet ☝️ works for me. Maybe act is unable to process this the same as Actions

Code:

• https://github.com/joshjohanning-org/expressions-testing/blob/main/.github/workflows/reusable-workflow.yml#L38

Log line in Action run:

• https://github.com/joshjohanning-org/expressions-testing/actions/runs/7980811233/job/21791242710#step:5:56

[PTruscott]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread - I have a similar issue. I have an arbitrary number of file paths I'd like to use in hashFiles.
I have a string variable FOLDER_PATHS which is the output of a previous action.

echo ${{steps.get-hash-paths.outputs.FOLDER_PATHS}} # this outputs what I expect
echo ${{ hashFiles(steps.get-hash-paths.outputs.FOLDER_PATHS) }} # this outputs absolutely nothing, no error
echo ${{ hashFiles('./src', './src/analytics') }} # when manually copying in the output from the first step this produces a hash as desired.

I've also tried using a bash array, but trying to use bash variables with the $ syntax leads to syntax errors.
Anyone know the solution to get this working?

[copdips]

would be better if hashFiles accepts syntax like echo ${{ hashFiles('./src,./src/analytics') }}

[berleant]

As far as I can tell, there's just no way to do this.

[brun0xff]

Taking advantage of the discussion, I think the hashFiles function only works with hardcoded parameters, I tried something like:

echo ${{ hashFiles($FOO) }}

And it works as if the contents of $FOO were empty, in the same step I echo the variable and see its contents

[gionn]

$FOO it's a shell notation and can't work inside ${{ }}, you should use env.FOO inside ${{ }}