How do I render and publish via Github actions using Chrome headless?

[serkor1]

Description

Hi,

In my latest Github action I got this error:

ERROR: Couldn't find open server.
Chrome process error: Old Headless mode has been removed from the Chrome binary. Please use the new Headless mode (https://developer.chrome.com/docs/chromium/new-headless) or the chrome-headless-shell which is a standalone implementation of the old Headless mode (https://developer.chrome.com/blog/chrome-headless-shell).



Stack trace:
Chrome process error: Old Headless mode has been removed from the Chrome binary. Please use the new Headless mode (https://developer.chrome.com/docs/chromium/new-headless) or the chrome-headless-shell which is a standalone implementation of the old Headless mode (https://developer.chrome.com/blog/chrome-headless-shell).


    at criClient (file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:38718:15)
    at eventLoopTick (ext:core/01_core.js:214:9)
    at async file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:38676:22
    at async Semaphore.runExclusive (file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:38350:29)
    at async Object.createPngsFromHtml (file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:38947:42)
    at async makePng (file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:82312:70)
    at async makeDefault (file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:82372:24)
    at async Object.cell (file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:82395:20)
    at async Promise.all (index 0)
    at async Object.document (file:///opt/quarto/bin/quarto.js:39242:25)
Error occurred during cleanup: NotFound: ESRCH: No such process

I tried to switch to 1.7.x, but this did not solve my issue. @gadenbuie suggested that I set envvar QUARTO_CHROME_HEADLESS_MODE=new, which produced the same error. My repository structure, are given below:

Repository/
├─ docs/
│  ├─ _environment
│  ├─ _quarto.yaml

The part of the yaml-file that renders and publishes are given below:

      - name: Render docs
        uses: quarto-dev/quarto-actions/render@v2
        with:
          path: docs/
          
      - name: Publish docs
        uses: quarto-dev/quarto-actions/publish@v2
        with:
          target: gh-pages
          path: docs/
          render: false

What is the cause of this error? And how do I solve it?

[mcanouil]

Could you share a repository with a simplified version of your real one?

The error is caused by a change in "chrome" (and all chromium-based browsers) about the "headless mode" which is used to turn HTML diagrams (like Mermaid.js, etc.) into a raster image that format like LaTeX can use.

The solution from Garrick should work but without a reproducible example we can't help you more.

[cderv]

See cross-posted discussion too for advice at

• Transition to Chrome new headless mode #10532

With Quarto 1.6.x and a recent chrome QUARTO_CHROME_HEADLESS_MODE=new or even QUARTO_CHROME_HEADLESS_MODE=none (the new 1.7.13 default)

[serkor1]

The change is already implemented (not set by default) and it's why Garrick's solution should work.

Small clarification, you need Quarto 1.7.13 (c504fc8) to get the default to "new".

Hi!

See this yaml-file: https://github.com/serkor1/SLmetrics/blob/3a18bd2e46a28e2f1a1cb5ed2d719375c6b4da24/.github/workflows/build-docs.yaml

This has version 1.7.13 and still didn't render, nor publish. So I am not certain if 1.7.x comes with the new headers by default.

[cderv]

So I am not certain if 1.7.x comes with the new headers by default.

See commit linked c504fc8

By default if unset, QUARTO_CHROMIUM_HEADLESS_MODE is set to none

quarto-cli/src/core/cri/cri.ts

Line 88 in a5b92f9

const headlessMode = getenv("QUARTO_CHROMIUM_HEADLESS_MODE", "none");

and then we pass only --headless flag to the chrome call

quarto-cli/src/core/cri/cri.ts

Line 103 in a5b92f9

`--headless${headlessMode == "none" ? "" : "=" + headlessMode}`,

You can add a quarto check step in your CI to have more information on chrome used. I don't known which chrome version they have.

Maybe there is also new issue due to a newer chrome version.

still didn't render,

Can you share build log with the error you get ? I would be surprised that you still get

Chrome process error: Old Headless mode has been removed from the Chrome binary.

with 1.7.13

[serkor1]

@cderv it is very likely I made a mistake somewhere. It appears I am the only one with the issue.

I will play around with it on a mock repo, and share everything when time is.

Thank you!

[cderv]

Error in CI are hard to comprehend sometimes. Especially if you don't control all the environment.

You could install your own Chrome or Chromium binary in CI and set QUARTO_CHROMIUM so that Quarto uses that specific one.

Otherwise, this action has been proven useful to me to debug and understand what is happening in CI environment, that I can't reproduce locally: https://github.com/mxschmitt/action-tmate