Error 'Must use npm@>=5' while using npm 5.4.2

[ixje]

Eriks-Air:neonwallet erik$ ./node_modules/.bin/patch-package react-navigation

ERROR No package-lock.json, npm-shrinkwrap.json, or yarn.lock file.

You must use either npm@>=5, yarn, or npm-shrinkwrap to manage this project's
dependencies.

Eriks-Air:neonwallet erik$ npm -v
5.4.2

Also likely related:

Eriks-Air:neonwallet erik$ npm -v
5.4.2
Eriks-Air:neonwallet erik$ grep "prepare" package.json
"prepare": "patch-package"
Eriks-Air:neonwallet erik$ npm prepare -- react-navigation

Usage: npm

where is one of:
access, adduser, bin, bugs, c, cache, completion, config,
ddp, dedupe, deprecate, dist-tag, docs, doctor, edit,
explore, get, help, help-search, i, init, install,
install-test, it, link, list, ln, login, logout, ls,
outdated, owner, pack, ping, prefix, prune, publish, rb,
rebuild, repo, restart, root, run, run-script, s, se,
search, set, shrinkwrap, star, stars, start, stop, t, team,
test, tst, un, uninstall, unpublish, unstar, up, update, v,
version, view, whoami

npm -h quick help on
npm -l display full usage info
npm help search for help on
npm help npm involved overview

Specify configs in the ini-formatted file:
/Users/erik/.npmrc
or on the command line via: npm --key value
Config info can be viewed via: npm help config

npm@5.4.2 /usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm

I've followed all the instructions as far as I can see. I also can't really tell why it's failing. Any help/tips are appreciated

[ds300]

Thanks for the report!

npm prepare -- react-navigation should be npm run prepare -- react-navigation

That's my bad, the README is wrong. I'll update it now.

As for the first issue, that's a new one. The error message is a little misleading. It implies that you might be using an old npm but really it just means that it can't find any lock files. Do you definitely have one? i.e. a package-lock.json, npm-shrinkwrap.json, or yarn.lock? If so, then perhaps you could do me a favour:

1. edit node_modules/patch-package/dist/detectPackageManager.js and put the following line at the top of the detectPackageManager function:

   console.log("app root path:", appRootPath)
   

2. Then re-run patch-package and let me know whether the value that is logged is different from the root folder of your project (where the package.json is)?

[ixje]

Got it working. What happened is that I was on npm 4.3.0 when I tried to use the package. I updated to npm >= 5 and did not touch any packages since then. It turns out that the lock file is not generated until you at least once touch the node_modules or package.json

In their words:

package-lock.json is automatically generated for any operations where npm modifies either the node_modules tree, or package.json.

After removing and reinstalling a package it could run and created a patch file :)