TypeError when running nested subcommand

[maximilianschmitt]

Repo with minimal example code to reproduce: https://github.com/maximilianschmitt/commander-debug

---

Hi!

I'm currently developing a CLI where I'm wanting to nest the subcommands.

I have the following files:

cli/
    hello                
    hello-world          # `hello world`
    hello-world-germany  # `hello world germany`

And I'm trying to run them like so:

$ node cli/hello
# Should run cli/hello

$ node cli/hello world
# Should run cli/hello-world

$ node cli/hello world germany 
# Should run cli/hello-world-germany

I've read that when defining nested subcommands, you need to specify the executableFile, so I've done this in cli/hello:

#!/usr/bin/env node
const { program, Command } = require("commander");
const packageJSON = require("../package.json");

program.version(packageJSON.version);

const helloWorld = new Command("world");
helloWorld.command("germany", "Saying hello to Germany", {
  executableFile: "hello-world-germany",
});

program.addCommand(helloWorld);

program.parse(process.argv);

However, when I run node cli/hello world germany, I get a TypeError:

~/Desktop/commander-debug $ node cli/hello world germany
internal/validators.js:120
    throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE(name, 'string', value);
    ^

TypeError [ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE]: The "path" argument must be of type string. Received null
    at validateString (internal/validators.js:120:11)
    at Object.extname (path.js:1229:5)
    at Command._executeSubCommand (/Users/max/Desktop/commander-debug/node_modules/commander/index.js:774:46)
    at Command._dispatchSubcommand (/Users/max/Desktop/commander-debug/node_modules/commander/index.js:863:12)
    at Command._parseCommand (/Users/max/Desktop/commander-debug/node_modules/commander/index.js:882:12)
    at Command._dispatchSubcommand (/Users/max/Desktop/commander-debug/node_modules/commander/index.js:865:18)
    at Command._parseCommand (/Users/max/Desktop/commander-debug/node_modules/commander/index.js:882:12)
    at Command.parse (/Users/max/Desktop/commander-debug/node_modules/commander/index.js:717:10)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/max/Desktop/commander-debug/cli/hello:14:9)
    at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1138:30) {
  code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE'
}

Is this a bug or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for your help!

[shadowspawn]

You have uncovered a bug, but I think your program isn't working the way you intend either and fixing that will avoid the bug.

The error message is due to a bug when a sub-sub-command implemented as a stand-alone executable is added. The internal _scriptPath property has not been set. (I think this probably got broken when the support was added for specifying where the parse arguments came from.)

For implementing nested subcommands, you can either do it within a single program (from Commander v5), or using stand-alone executables.

Your program is a bit of both. Would you like some help towards doing it within a single program, or as multiple stand-alone subcommands? (Or both approaches because you are exploring!)

The example file for nested subcommands within a single program is: https://github.com/tj/commander.js/blob/master/examples/nestedCommands.js

The example file for stand-alone executable subcommands just has one layer, but the subcommands can add subcommands...: https://github.com/tj/commander.js/blob/master/examples/pm

[maximilianschmitt]

Hey @shadowspawn, thanks for the quick and helpful reply!

You pointed me in the right direction and I've got the following program now working :)

cli/hello

#!/usr/bin/env node
const { program, Command } = require("commander");
const packageJSON = require("../package.json");

program.version(packageJSON.version);
program.command("world", "Saying hello world");

program.action(() => {
  console.log("hello");
});

program.parse(process.argv);

cli/hello-world

#!/usr/bin/env node
const { program, Command } = require("commander");
const packageJSON = require("../package.json");

program.version(packageJSON.version);
program.command("germany", "Saying hello to Germany");

program.action(() => {
  console.log("Hello world");
});

program.parse(process.argv);

cli/hello-world-germany

#!/usr/bin/env node
const { program } = require("commander");
const packageJSON = require("../package.json");

program.version(packageJSON.version);

program.action(() => {
  console.log("Hello world germany");
});

program.parse(process.argv);

...and when I run the programs I get the expected output :)

~/Desktop/commander-debug $ node cli/hello
hello
~/Desktop/commander-debug $ node cli/hello world
Hello world
~/Desktop/commander-debug $ node cli/hello world germany
Hello world germany

Thank you! 🥳

[shadowspawn]

Released in Commander v6.1
https://github.com/tj/commander.js/releases/tag/v6.1.0