[BUG] Run requires double dash (--) twice to bypass parameters

[aspirinv]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

Bypassing parameters requires double dash (--) repeated twice.

npm run start -- --configuration=development
> double-double-dash@0.0.0 start
> ng serve

npm run start -- -- --configuration=development
> double-double-dash@0.0.0 start
> ng serve --configuration=development

Expected Behavior

No response

Steps To Reproduce

Reproduce with angular:

1. ng new double-double-dash
2. cd double-double-dash
3. npm run start -- --configuration=development
4. npm run start -- -- --configuration=development

Environment

• npm: 9.2.0
• Node.js: 18.12.1
• OS Name: Windows 10
• npm config:

; "builtin" config from C:\Users\as980206\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\npm\npmrc

prefix = "C:\\Users\\as980206\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm"

; "global" config from C:\Users\as980206\AppData\Roaming\npm\etc\npmrc

python = "C:\\Users\\as980206\\.windows-build-tools\\python27\\python.exe"

; "user" config from C:\Users\as980206\.npmrc

//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken = (protected)

; "cli" config from command line options

location = "project"

; node bin location = C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
; node version = v18.12.1
; npm local prefix = D:\Projects\Temp\double-double-dash
; npm version = 9.2.0
; cwd = D:\Projects\Temp\double-double-dash
; HOME = C:\Users\as980206
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[fritzy]

I'm not able to reproduce this with a minimal example. It sounds like something that the angular project may be doing.

❯ npm start -- --thingy

> test9@1.0.0 start
> node thingy.js --thingy

[
  '/usr/local/Cellar/node/19.0.1/bin/node',
  '/Users/fritzy/projects/scratchpad/test9/thingy.js',
  '--thingy'
]

If you can reproduce this with a minimum example, please reopen.

[aspirinv]

Thanks for reply. Just checked.
It appears to be a PowerShell issue.
Sorry for not taking this into consideration

[fvoronin]

I'll add. The reason for this behaviour is that when you call from PowerShell (unlike from cmd.exe), the command name npm resolves to a PowerShell script, namely npm.ps1.

When PowerShell calls a PowerShell-native command - including .ps1 files - its own parameter binder interprets the (first) -- argument and removes it; that is, the target command never sees it. (The semantics of -- is analogous to that of Unix utilities: -- tells the parameter binder to treat subsequent arguments as positional ones, even if they look like parameter (option) names, such as -foo)

Thus, unfortunately, you need to specify -- twice in order to pass a single -- instance through to the .ps1 script itself.

Alternatively, assuming that npm.cmd, i.e. a batch file version of the CLI exists too, you can bypass this problem by calling it explicitly, instead of the .ps1; when calling external programs (including scripts interpreted by other shells / scripting engines, such as cmd.exe), PowerShell does not remove --:

npm.cmd run start -- --configuration=development