packager.sh seems to not find node binary when using NODE_BINARY variable

[Nabellaleen]

• Review the documentation: https://facebook.github.io/react-native
• Search for existing issues: https://github.com/facebook/react-native/issues
• Use the latest React Native release: https://github.com/facebook/react-native/releases

Environment

  React Native Environment Info:
    System:
      OS: Linux 4.19 Fedora 29 (Twenty Nine) 29 (Twenty Nine)
      CPU: (8) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz
      Memory: 3.14 GB / 15.55 GB
      Shell: 4.4.23 - /bin/bash
    Binaries:
      Node: 11.4.0 - ~/.local/share/virtualenvs/luko-app-react-native-wkPbUArk/bin/node
      npm: 6.5.0 - ~/.local/share/virtualenvs/luko-app-react-native-wkPbUArk/bin/npm
      Watchman: 4.9.0 - /usr/local/bin/watchman
    SDKs:
      Android SDK:
        API Levels: 23, 26, 27, 28
        Build Tools: 27.0.3, 28.0.3
        System Images: android-27 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom, android-28 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom
    IDEs:
      Android Studio: 3.2 AI-181.5540.7.32.5056338
    npmPackages:
      react: ^16.6.3 => 16.7.0 
      react-native: ^0.57.8 => 0.57.8 

Description

In https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/scripts/packager.sh node is called directly, without using the one defined by NODE_BINARY variable

So, when using other alternatives than nvm or nodenv (I use nodeenv, but in a pipenv python virtualenv, to be fully isolated from the system), XCode fail, telling node is not found

Reproducible Demo

To setup a virtualenv as I did :

Install python pipenv tool at user level:

pip install -u pipenv

Then setup a virtualenv and activate node

cd my_src_directory
pipenv --python 3
pipenv shell
pipenv install --dev nodeenv
nodeenv -p

Setup the react-native stack

npm install

Retrieve the virtualenv path

pipenv --venv

Configure xcode shell script for react native building with NODE_BINARY using the virtualenv path (+ bin/ subdirectory) then try to build => Error

[bartolkaruza]

Hi there, thank you for reporting the issue. It looks like that should indeed be using the binary from the env var instead of the node binary directly. We are happy to receive a PR for this change!

[Esemesek]

@Nabellaleen I managed to get this flow working. I have followed all the steps you mentioned - configured venv, installed nodeenv, and changed the build script. Everything seems to be working for me though. This is my script from Bundle React Native code and images:

export NODE_BINARY=/Users/kacper/.local/share/virtualenvs/nodeEnv-MMkSE-Jx/bin/node
../node_modules/react-native/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh

I even managed to get things working with:

cd ..
pipenv shell
export NODE_BINARY=$(pipenv --venv)/bin/node
cd -
../node_modules/react-native/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh

My react-native info:

  React Native Environment Info:
    System:
      OS: macOS 10.14.3
      CPU: (8) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8259U CPU @ 2.30GHz
      Memory: 130.64 MB / 16.00 GB
      Shell: 5.3 - /bin/zsh
    Binaries:
      Node: 11.12.0 - ~/.local/share/virtualenvs/nodeEnv-MMkSE-Jx/bin/node
      Yarn: 1.13.0 - /usr/local/bin/yarn
      npm: 6.7.0 - ~/.local/share/virtualenvs/nodeEnv-MMkSE-Jx/bin/npm
      Watchman: 4.9.0 - /usr/local/bin/watchman
    SDKs:
      iOS SDK:
        Platforms: iOS 12.1, macOS 10.14, tvOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1
      Android SDK:
        API Levels: 27, 28
        Build Tools: 27.0.3, 28.0.2, 28.0.3
        System Images: android-24 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom, android-28 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom
    IDEs:
      Android Studio: 3.3 AI-182.5107.16.33.5264788
      Xcode: 10.1/10B61 - /usr/bin/xcodebuild
    npmPackages:
      react: 16.8.3 => 16.8.3
      react-native: 0.59.2 => 0.59.2

EDIT: This flow works for me, but I don't think that I am using the correct version of node under the hood. We should replace direct node call and replace it with NODE_ENV.