actions / actions/runner

`github.action_repository` and `github.action_ref` are empty in `run` for composite actions

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#2,473 16 comments 13 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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bug composite
Dominant language
C#
Stars
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Forks
1.4k
Avg merge
1d 16h
Merged PRs (30d)
24

Description

Describe the bug
github.action_repository and github.action_ref are empty in run for composite actions

To Reproduce

  1. Set up a workflow that uses an action that uses github.action_repository / github.action_ref in run in a step.
  2. Trigger a run for the workflow

Expected behavior
github.action_repository / github.action_ref should be filled in for run just as it is for env

Runner Version and Platform

Version of your runner?
Current runner version: '2.302.1'

OS of the machine running the runner? ubuntu-latest

What's not working?

github.action_repository / github.action_ref are empty

Job Log Output

https://github.com/check-spelling/gotosocial/actions/runs/4337164095/jobs/7572980729

2023-03-05T17:20:23.2256789Z ##[group]Run set -x
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2257101Z set -x
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2257452Z THIS_ACTION_PATH=$(perl -pe 's#/\./#/#g; s#//+#/#g; s#/$##g' <<< "/home/runner/work/_actions/jsoref/check-spelling/prerelease")
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2257784Z (
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2258036Z   echo "THIS_ACTION_PATH=$THIS_ACTION_PATH"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2258338Z   echo "PATH=$THIS_ACTION_PATH/wrappers:$PATH"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2258580Z   echo "TASK="
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2258804Z   echo "DO_CHECKOUT=true"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2259041Z   echo "FETCH_DEPTH=1"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2259258Z   echo "USE_SARIF=1"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2259493Z   echo "ALTERNATE_ENGINE="
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2259786Z   echo "GH_ACTION_REPOSITORY=check-spelling/gotosocial"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2260118Z   echo "GH_ACTION_REF=spell-check-with-spelling"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2260388Z ) >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2316490Z shell: /usr/bin/bash --noprofile --norc -e -o pipefail {0}
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2316815Z ##[endgroup]
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2565697Z ++ perl -pe 's#/\./#/#g; s#//+#/#g; s#/$##g'
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2566247Z + THIS_ACTION_PATH=/home/runner/work/_actions/jsoref/check-spelling/prerelease
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2566736Z + echo THIS_ACTION_PATH=/home/runner/work/_actions/jsoref/check-spelling/prerelease
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2567757Z + echo PATH=/home/runner/work/_actions/jsoref/check-spelling/prerelease/wrappers:/home/runner/.local/bin:/opt/pipx_bin:/home/runner/.cargo/bin:/home/runner/.config/composer/vendor/bin:/usr/local/.ghcup/bin:/home/runner/.dotnet/tools:/snap/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2569271Z + echo TASK=
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2569494Z + echo DO_CHECKOUT=true
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2569701Z + echo FETCH_DEPTH=1
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2569913Z + echo USE_SARIF=1
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2570127Z + echo ALTERNATE_ENGINE=
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2570470Z + echo GH_ACTION_REPOSITORY=check-spelling/gotosocial
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2570843Z + echo GH_ACTION_REF=spell-check-with-spelling
2023-03-05T17:20:23.2755350Z ##[group]Run secpoll

Runner and Worker's Diagnostic Logs

If applicable, add relevant diagnostic log information. Logs are located in the runner's _diag folder. The runner logs are prefixed with Runner_ and the worker logs are prefixed with Worker_. Each job run correlates to a worker log. All sensitive information should already be masked out, but please double-check before pasting here.

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the workflow with a composite action that reads github.action_repository and github.action_ref in a run step, using the linked job log as the reference case. Compare those values with their behavior in env, then trace the runner's composite-action context handling. Done means both variables are populated in run steps as expected and coverage verifies the behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
csharp, github-actions
Domain
ci-cd, devops
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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