Custom tasks fail with Erlang/OTP 21 (nonexistent `no_dot_erlang.boot` file)

[amalbuquerque]

Steps to reproduce

After building a release with the new Elixir 1.6.6 and Erlang/OTP 21, I'm unable to run custom release tasks.

N.B: this didn't happened with the previous Erlang/OTP 20.1. The application still runs OK (e.g. console, foreground, etc.)

I get the following error:

root@3411ff09020c:~/my_app/_build/prod/rel/my_app/bin# ./my_app command Elixir.MyApp.ReleaseTasks migrate_up
init terminating in do_boot ({cannot get bootfile,no_dot_erlang.boot})

Crash dump is being written to: erl_crash.dump...done

This is the bin folder content:

root@3411ff09020c:~/my_app/_build/prod/rel/my_app/bin# ll
total 112
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root  4096 Jun 21 12:41 .
drwxr-xr-x 7 root root  4096 Jun 21 11:13 ..
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root   794 Jun 21 11:13 my_app
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root   334 Jun 21 11:13 my_app.bat
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root  2049 Jun 21 11:13 my_app_loader.sh
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  6906 Jun 21 11:13 nodetool
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 10835 Jun 21 11:13 release_utils.escript
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 20794 Jun 21 11:13 start_clean.boot

If I copy the start_clean.boot to no_dot_erlang.boot, everything works as expected.

Maybe Erlang/OTP 21 changed the name of the .boot file it generates?

Verbose Logs

==> Loading configuration..
==> Assembling release..
==> Building release my_app:0.0.1 using environment prod
==> One or more direct or transitive dependencies are missing from
    :applications or :included_applications, they will not be included
    in the release:

    :parse_trans

    This can cause your application to fail at runtime. If you are sure
    that this is not an issue, you may ignore this warning.

==> Discovered applications:
  poolboy-1.5.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/poolboy
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  ecto-2.2.10
    from: _build/prod/lib/ecto
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :decimal
      :poolboy
      :crypto
    includes: none

  phoenix_ecto-3.3.0
    from: _build/prod/lib/phoenix_ecto
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :ecto
      :plug
    includes: none

  distillery-1.5.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/distillery
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  decimal-1.5.0
    from: _build/prod/lib/decimal
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  connection-1.0.4
    from: _build/prod/lib/connection
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  db_connection-1.1.3
    from: _build/prod/lib/db_connection
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :connection
    includes: none

  postgrex-0.13.5
    from: _build/prod/lib/postgrex
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :db_connection
      :decimal
      :crypto
    includes: none

  eex-1.6.6
    from: /elixir/bin/../lib/eex
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  mime-1.2.0
    from: _build/prod/lib/mime
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  plug-1.5.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/plug
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :crypto
      :logger
      :mime
    includes: none

  phoenix-1.3.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/phoenix
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :plug
      :poison
      :logger
      :eex
      :phoenix_pubsub
      :crypto
    includes: none

  ex_statsd-0.5.3
    from: _build/prod/lib/ex_statsd
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  cowlib-1.0.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/cowlib
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :crypto
    includes: none

  ranch-1.3.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/ranch
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :ssl
    includes: none

  cowboy-1.1.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/cowboy
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :ranch
      :cowlib
      :crypto
    includes: none

  phoenix_pubsub-1.0.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/phoenix_pubsub
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :crypto
    includes: none

  ex_aws_kms-2.0.0
    from: _build/prod/lib/ex_aws_kms
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :ex_aws
    includes: none

  ex_aws_s3-2.0.0
    from: _build/prod/lib/ex_aws_s3
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :ex_aws
    includes: none

  ex_aws-2.0.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/ex_aws
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :crypto
    includes: none

  metrics-1.0.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/metrics
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  ssl_verify_fun-1.1.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/ssl_verify_fun
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :ssl
    includes: none

  certifi-2.3.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/certifi
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  mimerl-1.0.2
    from: _build/prod/lib/mimerl
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  unicode_util_compat-0.3.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/unicode_util_compat
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  idna-5.1.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/idna
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :unicode_util_compat
    includes: none

  ssl-9.0
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/ssl-9.0
    applications:
      :crypto
      :public_key
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  public_key-1.6
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/public_key-1.6
    applications:
      :asn1
      :crypto
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  asn1-5.0.6
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/asn1-5.0.6
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  crypto-4.3
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/crypto-4.3
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  hackney-1.12.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/hackney
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :crypto
      :asn1
      :public_key
      :ssl
      :idna
      :mimerl
      :certifi
      :ssl_verify_fun
      :metrics
    includes: none

  poison-3.1.0
    from: _build/prod/lib/poison
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  gettext-0.15.0
    from: _build/prod/lib/gettext
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
    includes: none

  runtime_tools-1.13
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/runtime_tools-1.13
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  logger-1.6.6
    from: /elixir/bin/../lib/logger
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  compiler-7.2
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/compiler-7.2
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

  elixir-1.6.6
    from: /elixir/bin/../lib/elixir
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :compiler
    includes: none

  stdlib-3.5
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/stdlib-3.5
    applications:
      :kernel
    includes: none

  kernel-6.0
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/kernel-6.0
    applications: none
    includes: none

  my_app-0.0.1
    from: _build/prod/lib/my_app
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
      :logger
      :runtime_tools
      :gettext
      :poison
      :hackney
      :ex_aws
      :ex_aws_s3
      :ex_aws_kms
      :phoenix_pubsub
      :cowboy
      :ex_statsd
      :phoenix
      :postgrex
      :distillery
      :phoenix_ecto
    includes: none

  iex-1.6.6
    from: /elixir/bin/../lib/iex
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
      :elixir
    includes: none

  sasl-3.2
    from: /usr/local/lib/erlang/lib/sasl-3.2
    applications:
      :kernel
      :stdlib
    includes: none

==> Generated overlay vars:
    release_name=:my_app
    release_version="0.0.1"
    is_upgrade=false
    upgrade_from=:latest
    dev_mode=false
    include_erts=true
    include_src=false
    include_system_libs=true
    erl_opts=""
    run_erl_env=""
    erts_vsn="10.0"
    output_dir="_build/prod/rel/my_app"
==> Copying applications to _build/prod/rel/my_app
==> Generating nodetool
==> Generating start_erl.data
==> Generating vm.args from rel/custom.vm.args
==> Generating sys.config from config/config.exs
==> Including ERTS 10.0 from /usr/local/lib/erlang/erts-10.0
==> Generating boot script
==> Generating RELEASES
==> Generating start_clean.boot
==> Applying overlays
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/pre_configure.d
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/post_configure.d
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/pre_start.d
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/post_start.d
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/pre_stop.d
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/post_stop.d
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/pre_upgrade.d
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/hooks/post_upgrade.d
==> Applying copy overlay
    src: _build/prod/lib/distillery/priv/libexec
    dst: releases/0.0.1/libexec
==> Applying mkdir overlay
    dst: releases/0.0.1/commands
==> Applying copy overlay
    src: rel/commands/migrate_up.sh
    dst: releases/0.0.1/commands/migrate_up.sh
==> Applying copy overlay
    src: rel/commands/migrate_down.sh
    dst: releases/0.0.1/commands/migrate_down.sh
==> Packaging release..
==> Archiving my_app-0.0.1
==> Writing tarball to _build/prod/rel/my_app/releases/0.0.1/my_app.tar.gz
==> Updating tarball
==> Tarball updated!
==> Release successfully built!
    You can run it in one of the following ways:
      Interactive: _build/prod/rel/my_app/bin/my_app console
      Foreground: _build/prod/rel/my_app/bin/my_app foreground
      Daemon: _build/prod/rel/my_app/bin/my_app start

Description of issue

• What are the expected results?

  I should be able to run my custom task.

• What OS, Erlang/Elixir versions are you seeing this issue on?

  Linux (Debian container), Elixir 1.6.6, Erlang/OTP 21.

• If possible, also provide your rel/config.exs, as it is often
  my first troubleshooting question, and you'll save us both time :)

Path.join(["rel", "plugins", "*.exs"])
|> Path.wildcard()
|> Enum.map(&Code.eval_file(&1))

use Mix.Releases.Config,
    default_release: :default,
    default_environment: Mix.env()

environment :dev do
  set dev_mode: true
  set include_erts: false
  set cookie: :"REDACTED"
end

environment :prod do
  set include_erts: true
  set include_src: false
  set cookie: :"won't be used, we set it via a custom vm.args file (rel/custom.vm.args)"
end

release :media_provider do
  set vm_args: "rel/custom.vm.args"
  set version: current_version(:media_provider)
  set applications: [
    :runtime_tools
  ]
  set commands: [
    "migrate_up": "rel/commands/migrate_up.sh",
    "migrate_down": "rel/commands/migrate_down.sh"
  ]
end

$ cat rel/custom.vm.args
-name <%= release_name %>@${POD_IP}

-setcookie ${ERLANG_COOKIE}

-smp auto

[lessless]

Here it is erlang/otp@11fcc4b#diff-ca4358fbed781931ba20cdecd94e3ac0R258

Seems that default boot script was changed

[joshuataylor]

How would this be handled to support both OTP21 and older?

[bitwalker]

We just need to be explicit about the boot script we are targeting when executing commands.

[bitwalker]

I'm planning to cut a new release on Monday, FYI

[joshuataylor]

Awesome, thanks @bitwalker. Everything else is working fine, so will test that release to check commands work and let you know 👍.

[tsloughter]

In relx we just always create the no_dot_erlang boot now, erlware/relx@78561dc

[mschae]

@bitwalker Any news on this? Any way I can help?

[bitwalker]

This is fixed in 1.5.3 (on Hex) and in master for the 2.x work

[joshuataylor]

Can confirm that 1.5.3 works as it did before, thank you so much! 🎉

[jamesotron]

All working. Thank you so much! ✨

[RuanHerculano]

use erlang version >= 21.1.1