Reusing workflow in private repo (from same repo)

[iautom8things]

I know that Reusable Workflows are hamstrung by the fact that they cannot be reused across private repositories within an organization.

But as it’s referenced a few times in the above links and the error message, workflows should be reusable in a private repository if the caller/called workflow is in the same repo:

• Reusable workflows stored within a private repository can only be used by workflows within the same repository.

From the docs.

I cannot get this to work. Could someone please show me an example of this working, or point out what I’m doing wrong. I’ve scrubbed+simplified the example below so know that I’m not actually using the literal value org/repo in my workflows.

# caller.yaml
---
name: Build Images
on:

pull_request:

branches: [main]

types: [closed]

jobs:

build:

name: Bake Image

if: github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.pull_request.merged_by != ''

uses: org/repo/.github/workflows/build_images.yaml@main

secrets:

SECRET: ${{ secrets.SECRET }}

# build_images.yaml
---
name: Triggered Build Images

on:
  workflow_call:
    secrets:
      SECRET: { required: true }


jobs:
  build:
    name: Bake Image
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      # ...

This yields the following error:

Invalid workflow file : .github/workflows/caller.yaml#L12
error parsing called workflow "org/repo/.github/workflows/build_images.yaml@main": workflow was not found. See https://docs.github.com/actions/learn-github-actions/reusing-workflows#access-to-reusable-workflows for more information.

These two files sit right next to each other in the same repo:

ls -ahl .github/workflows
# build_images.yaml caller.yaml

[iautom8things]

I’m convinced this just doesn’t work.

I’ve created a public repo that has a trivial example for reusable workflows:

  <a href="https://github.com/iautom8things/test_reusable_workflows" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow ugc">GitHub</a>

GitHub - iautom8things/test_reusable_workflows

Contribute to iautom8things/test_reusable_workflows development by creating an account on GitHub.

If I create a private repo and copy these two files and simply change the repo name to the newly created private repo, it fails:

Screen Shot 2021-12-22 at 10.08.56 AM1920×837 48.1 KB

Screen Shot 2021-12-22 at 10.08.42 AM1546×1178 90.9 KB

So either I’m missing something, which is certainly possible. Or the documentation is wrong and resusable workflows just don’t work with private repositories .

[schmidtw]

I had a similar issue with a corporate internal repo. Apparently the uses line is case sensitive and must match what github thinks it is to work.

This post tipped me off:

  <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/70003863/reusing-github-action-workflow-steps-inside-another-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow ugc">stackoverflow.com</a>

Reusing GitHub Action workflow steps inside another job

github, continuous-integration, github-actions

asked by Duncan Luk on 11:48AM - 17 Nov 21 UTC

Not sure if that is what you’re running into, but wanted to share in case it was.

Wes

[iautom8things]

Thank you. I don’t believe this is my issue since both my username and the repository names are all lowercase.

I’ve come to the conclusion that Github has no intentions of making these features available and usable to non-enterprise users.

[ViacheslavKudinov]

Hi,
its not exactly how you tried it before, but they announced local usage.

  <a href="https://github.blog/changelog/2022-01-25-github-actions-reusable-workflows-can-be-referenced-locally/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow ugc">The GitHub Blog</a>

GitHub Actions: Reusable workflows can be referenced locally |

GitHub Actions: Reusable workflows can be referenced locally

Maybe if to use not org path but local one it will work for you.

[ViacheslavKudinov]

I think its only two ways how it could work

Screenshot 2022-01-26 at 18.50.261496×228 38.2 KB

if not to talk about Enterprise where it can be used from internal repo:s as well.

[DmitryKolesnikov-KSO]

Our organization is private. Can we reuse workflows within our organization between different repos?

[dataviruset]

This should now be possible between private repos rather than internal ones (which needs GitHub Enterprise): https://github.blog/changelog/2022-12-14-github-actions-sharing-actions-and-reusable-workflows-from-private-repositories-is-now-ga/

[ViacheslavKudinov]

Hi @kolesnikovd
If you use one of Free, Pro or Team then reusable workflow has to be in same or public repo.
From doc:

A reusable workflow can be used by another workflow if either of the following is true:

Both workflows are in the same repository.
The called workflow is stored in a public repository, and your organization allows you to use public reusable workflows.

https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/reusing-workflows#access-to-reusable-workflows
For Enterprise it can be also in Internal repo.
https://docs.github.com/en/enterprise-cloud@latest/actions/using-workflows/reusing-workflows#access-to-reusable-workflows

[DmitryKolesnikov-KSO]

I confirmed we have Enterprise. I'll keep trying... not sure what I'm doing wrong yet, but I'm following directions. Thank you for your response.

[madhaviannavajula]

I have a similar issue . we use enterprise and still unable to figure out what is the problem. Were you able to solve this ?

[DmitryKolesnikov-KSO]

I have a similar issue . we use enterprise and still unable to figure out what is the problem. Were you able to solve this ?

Yes, we were able to sort this out. We have one repo acting as a source of workflows and many repos inheriting.

Source repo uses on: workflow_call and inheriting repo has the uses keyword under "jobs" and references the workflow file

[areg-gareginyan]

This is possible now , need to update the access settings of private repo that holds the workflow to allow access across organization - https://docs.github.com/en/actions/creating-actions/sharing-actions-and-workflows-from-your-private-repository