The "file" argument must be of type string. Received type undefined

[konsumer]

I have a directory dist/, when I run gh-pages --dist dist from my package.json, I get this error:

The "file" argument must be of type string. Received type undefined

node: v12.7.0
Ubuntu (Pop!_OS 19.04)

[theycallmeswift]

I'm also receiving this error.

node: 10.16.1
OSX 10.13.6

[sureshsevarthi]

Even I'm facing this error.

node: 10.16.1 OSX 10.14.6

[bakerTX]

I am trying to deploy a fresh create-react-app to GitHub pages and I am getting this error now too.

node: 8.16.0
osx: 10.14.5
create-react-app: 3.0.1

[jamsea]

I think this might be an issue of one of gh-pages's dependencies. I did a mass search in the codebase for the word "file" and don't see anything that would be emitting that that error.

I also erased my yarn.lock file and regenerated it around 2 hours ago which is causing me to believe it's related to a subdependency

[hynra]

I got this error too.

[jamsea]

Another hint, when I run:

NODE_DEBUG=gh-pages yarn deploy

I see this:

$ gh-pages --dist=build
GH-PAGES 91884: Cloning https://github.com/jamsea/react-swapi.git into node_modules/gh-pages/.cache/github.com!jamsea!react-swapi.git
The "file" argument must be of type string. Received type undefined
error Command failed with exit code 1.

But when I try opening up the node_modules folder nothing was cloned, maybe git related?

[lopopolo]

The newly introduced --git argument seems to have no default value.

[lopopolo]

Adding --git "$(which git)" to the args I pass gh-pages works around this issue.

[BjornoWalker]

Thanks for the help, I am having the same issue. Where are you supposed to add --git "$(which git)" exactly?

[the-simian]

@BjornoWalker I had problem with @lopopolo 's use of quotes, I used a command like this directly in the command line
npx gh-pages --dist gh-pages --git $(which git)

However this wasn't working when I stored it as a command in my package.json

[BjornoWalker]

@the-simian Thank you for the response. I'm not sure if it's something that i'm doing on my end, but it still won't work for me even without the quotations. I'm still getting the same The "file" argument must be of type string. Received type undefined.

[the-simian]

@BjornoWalker try just simply typing which git in the command line and see what comes back. I'm also messing with this trying to figure out how to set this as some sort of reusable npm script, which isn't working for me

I think my problem is related to windows spawning child process from an npm script, unfortunately. I can write a script like `get-git : "(which git)" and we're good. I put which git in another script in any way -nope.

There's probably some trick to this I'm overlooking

[BjornoWalker]

Thanks a lot, I was finally able to get it to work thanks to your advice! I'm going to keep looking into creating the reusable npm script also.

[iki]

@BjornoWalker also, if you don't want to hardcode the git path, you can use --git git as git is in PATH by default on most systems including Windows, OR you can downgrade to gh-pages@2.0.1

[jonybar9]

Am facing the same issue.
The work around you guys suggested throws for me:

Error: spawn $(which git) ENOENT

[d07RiV]

Downgrading to 2.0.1 works.

[the-simian]

I spent more time on this today and the only thing that worked for me reliably was actually downgrading. My hope is that the non-inclusion of the git switch defaults to 2.0.1 behavior in a future release, but you can override that if you want

[AffiliateThis]

I tried updating both the package and lock with versions 2.0.1 and 2.1.0 and I am still getting the same error. I am a bit stumped here. This is just a basic react app. Any suggestions...

gh-pages@2.0.1 deploy C:\Users\Chris\Desktop\URCoding\GitHub_Work\chrisksportfolio
gh-pages -d build

The "file" argument must be of type string. Received type undefined
npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
npm ERR! errno 1
npm ERR! gh-pages@2.0.1 deploy: gh-pages -d build
npm ERR! Exit status 1
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Failed at the gh-pages@2.0.1 deploy script.
npm ERR! This is probably not a problem with npm. There is likely additional logging output above.

[jonybar9]

@AffiliateThis
Guessing you tried it already, but if you haven't:
-Delete node_modules
-Delete package-lock file
-In package.json -> dependencies -> delete gh-pages line

run npm i gh-pages@2.0.1
run npm i
try again.

[AffiliateThis]

I actually hadn't tried those steps. I tried a few other things, but thank-you. It actually worked. Something worked....True Happiness in Deployment.

[kartoos47]

Thanks..this works.

[tschaub]

The gh-pages@2.1.1 release includes a fix for this.