[SPFx 1.15.0-beta.1] package-solution fails when elements.xml file is referenced from external folder and sharepoint/assets doesn't exist

[NickSevens]

Target SharePoint environment

SharePoint Online

What SharePoint development model, framework, SDK or API is this about?

💥 SharePoint Framework

Developer environment

Windows

What browser(s) / client(s) have you tested

• 💥 Internet Explorer
• 💥 Microsoft Edge
• 💥 Google Chrome
• 💥 FireFox
• 💥 Safari
• mobile (iOS/iPadOS)
• mobile (Android)
• not applicable
• other (enter in the "Additional environment details" area below)

Additional environment details

• SPFx version: 1.15.0-beta.1

Describe the bug / error

While working in a monorepo, we reference our elements.xml feature files to be included in the .sppkg package from another project in the monorepo.

When running gulp package-solution this task fails when there is no sharepoint/assets folder in the project the command is run.

PS: follow-up on fixes in #7689

Steps to reproduce

Project structure

<root>
├───apps
│   └───demoapp
│       ├───config
│       │   ├───package-solution.json
│       │   └───...
│       ├───gulpfile.js
│       └───...
├───node_modules
│   └───@mycompany
│       └───appcustomizer
│           └───...
├───packages
│   └───appcustomizer
│       ├───config
│       ├───sharepoint
│       │   └───assets
│       │       └───elements.xml
│       └───src
└───package.json

apps/demoapp/config/package-solution.json

{
	"$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/spfx-build/package-solution.schema.json",
	"solution": {
		"name": "connect-demo",
		"id": "054bb688-3365-4121-ad60-e870f10518cb",
		"version": "1.1.0.0",
		"includeClientSideAssets": true,
		"skipFeatureDeployment": true,
		...
		"features": [
			{
				"title": "App Components",
				"description": "...",
				"id": "...",
				"version": "1.1.0.0",
				"assets": {
					"elementManifests": ["@mycompany/appcustomizer/sharepoint/assets/elements.xml"]
				}
			}
		]
	},
	"paths": {
		"zippedPackage": "solution/demoapp.sppkg"
	}
}

Behaviour

Running this:

cd apps/demoapp
gulp package-solution

... returns with this error message:

[12:10:26] [package-solution] Normalizing solution information...
[12:10:26] [package-solution] Attempting creating component definitions for {9} manifests
[12:10:26] [package-solution] Created component definitions for {9} manifests
[12:10:26] [package-solution] feature.componentIds not set! Adding all [9] components to feature { App Components }.
[12:10:26] Error - [package-solution]
[12:10:26] Error - [package-solution] Error: File does not exist: C:\<root>\apps\demoapp\sharepoint
ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\<root>\apps\demoapp\sharepoint'
    at Object.realpathSync (fs.js:1646:7)
    at C:\<root>\node_modules\@rushstack\node-core-library\lib\FileSystem.js:903:24
    at Function._wrapException (C:\<root>\node_modules\@rushstack\node-core-library\lib\FileSystem.js:1034:20)
    at Function.getRealPath (C:\<root>\node_modules\@rushstack\node-core-library\lib\FileSystem.js:902:27)
    at Function.resolveModule (C:\<root>\node_modules\@rushstack\node-core-library\lib\Import.js:146:60)
    at resolveFeatureFile (C:\<root>\node_modules\@microsoft\spfx-heft-plugins\lib\plugins\packageSolutionPlugin\packageSolution\utils\normalizeSolutionDefinition.js:234:43)
    at C:\<root>\node_modules\@microsoft\spfx-heft-plugins\lib\plugins\packageSolutionPlugin\packageSolution\utils\normalizeSolutionDefinition.js:226:40
    at Array.map (<anonymous>)
    at resolveFeatureFiles (C:\<root>\node_modules\@microsoft\spfx-heft-plugins\lib\plugins\packageSolutionPlugin\packageSolution\utils\normalizeSolutionDefinition.js:226:22)
    at normalizeSolutionDefinition (C:\<root>\node_modules\@microsoft\spfx-heft-plugins\lib\plugins\packageSolutionPlugin\packageSolution\utils\normalizeSolutionDefinition.js:210:47)
[12:10:26] Error - 'package-solution' sub task errored after 178 ms
 File does not exist: C:\<root>\apps\demoapp\sharepoint
ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\<root>\apps\demoapp\sharepoint'

Thank you for reporting this issue. We will be triaging your incoming issue as soon as possible.

[AJIXuMuK]

@NickSevens thanks for the follow up!
So, just to confirm, if you add empty folder - it starts working, correct?

Could you please provide some basic sample so I could work on it?

Thanks!

[NickSevens]

@AJIXuMuK I've created a demo repo at https://github.com/NickSevens/issue-sp-dev-docs-7826

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a new SPFx project
2. Add an elements.xml file not in the sharepoint/assets directory (e.g. in the root of the project, or basically anywhere else)
3. Reference the elements.xml file in package-solution.json
4. (make sure no sharepoint/assets folder exists)
5. Run gulp bundle and gulp package-solution

And indeed, adding an empty folder at sharepoint/assets fixes the issue.

[AJIXuMuK]

@NickSevens - thanks for the sample.
The fix is done. Unfortunately, we will not include it in the next beta (should be released next week). But we will include it in the beta after next :)

Your configuration will work after the change.
Additionally, you will be able to provide sharepointAssetDir property in the package-solution.json (relative to packageDir).