`check-project-version` does not reliably set `expected-version`

[bkeryan]

Bug Report

check-project-version sets expected-version to ${{ github.ref_name }} by default, but this does not work reliably and is sometimes empty.

Repro or Code Sample

Publish a release of a Python package.

Expected Behavior

https://github.com/ni/nitypes-python/actions/runs/15688966947/job/44199278452

Run ni/python-actions/check-project-version@97860b52be87c788fb6df812bd8d1ca68c7aa885
  with:
    project-directory: /home/runner/work/nitypes-python/nitypes-python
    expected-version: 0.1.0-dev[2](https://github.com/ni/nitypes-python/actions/runs/15688966947/job/44199278452#step:5:2)
  env:
    dist-artifact-name: nitypes-distribution-packages
    environment: pypi
    environment-info: {
    "pypi": {
      "base-url": "https://pypi.org",
      "upload-url": "https://upload.pypi.org/legacy/"
    },
    "testpypi": {
      "base-url": "https://test.pypi.org",
      "upload-url": "https://test.pypi.org/legacy/"
    }
  }
  
    pythonLocation: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/[3](https://github.com/ni/nitypes-python/actions/runs/15688966947/job/44199278452#step:5:3).11.9/x64
    PKG_CONFIG_PATH: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x6[4](https://github.com/ni/nitypes-python/actions/runs/15688966947/job/44199278452#step:5:4)/lib/pkgconfig
    Python_ROOT_DIR: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x[6](https://github.com/ni/nitypes-python/actions/runs/15688966947/job/44199278452#step:5:6)4
    Python2_ROOT_DIR: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x64
    Python3_ROOT_DIR: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.[9](https://github.com/ni/nitypes-python/actions/runs/15688966947/job/44199278452#step:5:9)/x64
    LD_LIBRARY_PATH: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.[11](https://github.com/ni/nitypes-python/actions/runs/15688966947/job/44199278452#step:5:11).9/x64/lib
    POETRY_BIN_DIR: /home/runner/.local/poetry/bin
    POETRY_HOME: /home/runner/.local/poetry/home
    POETRY_HOME_BIN: /home/runner/.local/poetry/home/bin
Run project_version="$(poetry version --short)"

Current Behavior

https://github.com/ni/hightime/actions/runs/15888571253/job/44806407584

Run ni/python-actions/check-project-version@49cd7a9a4098c459b90ba97e8e56bf5cd80997bb
  with:
    project-directory: /home/runner/work/hightime/hightime
  env:
    dist-artifact-name: hightime-distribution-packages
    environment: pypi
    environment-info: {
    "pypi": {
      "base-url": "https://pypi.org",
      "upload-url": "https://upload.pypi.org/legacy/"
    },
    "testpypi": {
      "base-url": "https://test.pypi.org",
      "upload-url": "https://test.pypi.org/legacy/"
    }
  }
  
    pythonLocation: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x64
    PKG_CONFIG_PATH: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x64/lib/pkgconfig
    Python_ROOT_DIR: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x64
    Python[2](https://github.com/ni/hightime/actions/runs/15888571253/job/44806407584#step:5:2)_ROOT_DIR: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/[3](https://github.com/ni/hightime/actions/runs/15888571253/job/44806407584#step:5:3).11.9/x64
    Python3_ROOT_DIR: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x6[4](https://github.com/ni/hightime/actions/runs/15888571253/job/44806407584#step:5:4)
    LD_LIBRARY_PATH: /opt/hostedtoolcache/Python/3.11.9/x[6](https://github.com/ni/hightime/actions/runs/15888571253/job/44806407584#step:5:6)4/lib
    pythonVersion: 3.11.9
    POETRY_BIN_DIR: /home/runner/.local/poetry/bin
    POETRY_HOME: /home/runner/.local/poetry/home
    POETRY_HOME_BIN: /home/runner/.local/poetry/home/bin
Run project_version="$(poetry version --short)"
Error: The project version in pyproject.toml does not match the expected version.

If this workflow was triggered by a GitHub release, verify that the
release was tagged with the correct version. If they don't match, you
should either update pyproject.toml or delete and re-create the release
with the correct tag.

Project version: 0.3.0-dev0
Expected version: 
Error: Process completed with exit code 1.

Possible Solution

https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/64528 says to use github.event.release.tag_name.

actions/runner#2788 has more discussion of github.ref and related variables being unset for release events.

Context

Releasing a Python package.

Your Environment

• ni/python-actions version: v0.4.0
• Python version: 3.11.9

AB#3176680