Cannot find commit when running in github without action

[IanVS]

I need to use an npm script with a patched version of chromatic-cli to test out turbosnap support for vite, but I'm having trouble running the command without the official github action (which has been working great for us previously). I'm getting this message in my logs:

⚠ Commit turbosn does not exist
We tried to retrieve the commit details but couldn't find it in your Git history.
Check your GITHUB_HEAD_REF environment variable.
Continuing with just the commit hash.
{"shortMessage":"Command failed with exit code 1[28](https://github.com/DefinedNet/webclient/runs/5201850929?check_suite_focus=true#step:7:28): git --no-pager log -n 1 --format=\"%H ## %ct ## %ae ## %an\" turbosnap","command":"git --no-pager log -n 1 --format=\"%H ## %ct ## %ae ## %an\" turbosnap","escapedCommand":"git --no-pager log -n 1 \"--format=\\\"%H\" \"##\" \"%ct\" \"##\" \"%ae\" \"##\" \"%an\\\"\" turbosnap","exitCode":128,"stdout":"","stderr":"fatal: ambiguous argument 'turbosnap': unknown revision or path not in the working tree.\nUse '--' to separate paths from revisions, like this:\n'git <command> [<revision>...] -- [<file>...]'","all":"fatal: ambiguous argument 'turbosnap': unknown revision or path not in the working tree.\nUse '--' to separate paths from revisions, like this:\n'git <command> [<revision>...] -- [<file>...]'","failed":true,"timedOut":false,"isCanceled":false,"killed":false}
git info: {"commit":{"commit":"32def01[31](https://github.com/DefinedNet/webclient/runs/5201850929?check_suite_focus=true#step:7:31)220874541525167fa113cd09b6a8097","committedAt":1644936177743},"branch":"turbosnap","slug":"DefinedNet/webclient","isTravisPrBuild":false,"fromCI":true,"ciService":"github"}
App firstBuild: '{"committedAt":1619794260000}', lastBuild: '{"commit":"ce144e52ca9d2fb00945c27528b9[33](https://github.com/DefinedNet/webclient/runs/5201850929?check_suite_focus=true#step:7:33)d66bf80313","committedAt":16449[34](https://github.com/DefinedNet/webclient/runs/5201850929?check_suite_focus=true#step:7:34)929090}', pullRequest: 'null'

When I run git --no-pager log -n 1 --format="%H ## %ct ## %ae ## %an" turbosnap manually in my project, I get a good result. Is this a bug in chromatic, perhaps?

[IanVS]

Hmmm, I'm seeing the same error if I try running that command manually in a separate step:

Run git --no-pager log -n 1 --format="%H ## %ct ## %ae ## %an" turbosnap
  git --no-pager log -n 1 --format="%H ## %ct ## %ae ## %an" turbosnap
  shell: /usr/bin/bash -e {0}
fatal: ambiguous argument 'turbosnap': unknown revision or path not in the working tree.
Use '--' to separate paths from revisions, like this:
'git <command> [<revision>...] -- [<file>...]'
Error: Process completed with exit code 1[2](https://github.com/DefinedNet/webclient/runs/5202156127?check_suite_focus=true#step:6:2)8.

So, maybe the checkout isn't working quite right or something, even though I'm using fetch-depth: 0...

[IanVS]

Ah, yep it looks like by default the checkout action checks out an ephemeral merge commit:

Checking out the ref
  /usr/bin/git checkout --progress --force refs/remotes/pull/503/merge
  Note: switching to 'refs/remotes/pull/503/merge'.
  
  You are in 'detached HEAD' state. You can look around, make experimental
  changes and commit them, and you can discard any commits you make in this
  state without impacting any branches by switching back to a branch.
  
  If you want to create a new branch to retain commits you create, you may
  do so (now or later) by using -c with the switch command. Example:
  
    git switch -c <new-branch-name>
  
  Or undo this operation with:
  
    git switch -
  
  Turn off this advice by setting config variable advice.detachedHead to false
  
  HEAD is now at 9642098 Merge 370418ff66084726bae4e5066ec8cb5AAAAAAAA into 57d5feb461361317093b79041e7f2a0fBBBBBBBB

If I specify a ref to my branch, it seems to work fine. See actions/checkout#124 (comment) for an example that handles pull requests and pushes.

How does the chromatic github action handle this?

[IanVS]

Instead of bailing out here:

chromatic-cli/bin-src/git/getCommitAndBranch.ts

Line 104 in ae23b1c

return { commit: GITHUB_SHA, committedAt: Date.now() };

, I wonder if we could instead try getting the information needed from envCi, as a fallback?

[moollaza]

Any resolution or recommendations here? Dealing with the same issue.

[IanVS]

I don't have any great solutions. I ended up using patch-package to patch chromatic temporarily when I was running into this, but I've since gone back to using the github action.