fix: GITHUB_ENV in composite

[ChristopherHX]

This PR just shows how you could fix issue #789. This doesn't includes any tests and I'm not affiliated with GitHub.

Minimal repro of the bug, which this change aims to solve.
action.yml

runs:
  using: composite
  steps:
  - run: echo "myenvvar=val2" > $GITHUB_ENV
    shell: bash
  # The following step fails on actions/runner prior these changes
  - run: exit 1
    if: env.myenvvar != 'val2'
    shell: bash

.github/workflows/main.yml

on: push
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux]
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    - run: echo "myenvvar=val1" > $GITHUB_ENV
      shell: bash
    - uses: ./

You see that myenvvar isn't specified as an env parameter of uses: ./, so the env variable should be updated within composite. Actually the actions/runner runs it like the workflow would be, which is expected to always fail
.github/workflows/main.yml

on: push
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux]
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    - run: echo "myenvvar=val1" > $GITHUB_ENV
      shell: bash
    - uses: ./
      env:
        myenvvar: val1

The problem is that the composite step env context is already merged with the old global variable set by GITHUB_ENV.

CC @nikola-jokic
Resolves #789
Resolves #1899

[pragmaticivan]

Howdy! Anyone could take a look and expedite the review for that PR?

[pragmaticivan]

🙏🏼 @thboop @yaananth @soelinn

[ruvceskistefan]

Hi @ChristopherHX,
I don't think that this PR solves the problem. If you try to execute workflow described in this issue, you'll see that the same thing is still happening.

[ChristopherHX]

@ruvceskistefan How did you test it? I created a public run and it works.

Steps I did

• Download test artifacts https://github.com/ChristopherHX/runner.server/actions/runs/2341816395
• extract the package under _package
• ./config.sh --url <runnerrepo> --token <runnertoken> --disableupdate, did you omit --disableupdate? Otherwise it switches to an unpatched runner
• ./run.sh

Here a public repro, which did work for me

• https://github.com/ChristopherHX/newcomposite-sample/tree/github-env-composite-test
• https://github.com/ChristopherHX/newcomposite-sample/runs/6562334669?check_suite_focus=true

Here another run, one job with ubuntu-latest ( including the bug ) and the other one with the patched runner https://github.com/ChristopherHX/newcomposite-sample/actions/runs/2373814906.

[ruvceskistefan]

@ChristopherHX you're definitely right, I accidentally tested using runner without --disableupdate. I can confirm that this is working properly, so it is legitimate as far as I'm concerned. I think we'll merge this soon, thanks for your contribution!

[bauergeorg]

@ruvceskistefan what is the current state?

[ghost]

@ruvceskistefan Is there any chance someone from GH could merge this PR soon? the tech debt is growing by the day and we will need to remove a lot of the workarounds we've created.

[DonDebonair]

Can this PR be reviewed and merged?

[sagi-shimoni]

Please merge this PR soon ,
We are making a lot of workarounds due to this issue...

[dodwmd]

+1

[thboop]

LGTM thanks for the contribution!

[thboop]

Thanks for your patience while we evaluated the options to solve this problem. I've gone ahead and merged this PR, it will rollout in the next runner release, which should occur in a few weeks! 🎉

[bauergeorg]

@thboop Do you know when the next version will be released?

[tlsimmons88]

@thboop When is this fix going to be released. As of Aug 1, 2022 I am still seeing the issue.

[bauergeorg]

thanks for release 2.295.0