# Invalid workflow step on cmake preset

**URL:** <https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008>\
**Category:** Code\
**Created:** [November 21, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008 "2024-11-21T00:55:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/greenleafone7)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/1 "2024-11-21T00:55:39Z")

</div>

In the following preset file:

```auto
{
    "version": 10,
    "cmakeMinimumRequired": {
        "major": 3,
        "minor": 31,
        "patch": 0
    },
    "configurePresets": [
        {
            "name": "common-configure-settings",
            "description": "Options and CMake settings common to all configure presets",
            "binaryDir": "${sourceDir}/build/${presetName}",
            "hidden": true
        },
        {
            "name": "ninja-multi",
            "hidden": true,
            "generator": "Ninja Multi-Config"
        },
        {
            "name": "release",
            ...
        },
        {
            "name": "debug",
            "displayName": "Debug",
            "hidden": true,
            "inherits": "common-configure-settings",
            "cacheVariables": {
                "CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE": "Debug"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "cpp-std",
            "description": "This preset makes sure the project actually builds with at least the specified standard",
            "hidden": true,
            "cacheVariables": {
                "CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS": "OFF",
                "CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD": "20",
                "CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED": "ON"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "cpp-build",
            "hidden": true,
            "inherits": ["release"],
            "cacheVariables": {
                "CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS": "$env{CXX_WARNINGS} $env{CXX_OPT}"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "linux",
            "hidden": false,
            "inherits": ["cpp-std", "cpp-build", "ninja-multi"],
            "description": "Build preset for Linux",
            "environment": {
                "CXX_WARNINGS": "-Wall -Wextra -Werror -pedantic",
                "CXX_OPT": "-fsized-deallocation -fno-math-errno -march=x86-64-v3",
                "PLATFORM": "POSIX64"
            },
            "condition": {
                "type": "equals",
                "lhs": "${hostSystemName}",
                "rhs": "Linux"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "development",
            "displayName": "Development Build",
            "hidden": false,
            "inherits": [
                "debug",
                "ninja-multi"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "buildPresets": [
        {
            "name": "development-build",
            "configurePreset": "development"
        },
        {
            "name": "linux-build",
            "configurePreset": "linux"
        }
    ],
    "testPresets": [
        {
            "name": "test-all",
            ...
        }
    ],
    "packagePresets": [
        {
            "name": "default-linux-package",
            "configurePreset": "linux",
            "generators": [
                "TGZ"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "workflowPresets": [
        {
            "name": "test",
            "steps": [
                {
                    "type": "configure",
                    "name": "development"
                },
                {
                    "type": "build",
                    "name": "development-build"
                },
                {
                    "type": "test",
                    "name": "test-all"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "name": "release",
            "steps": [
                {
                    "type": "configure",
                    "name": "linux"
                },
                {
                    "type": "build",
                    "name": "linux-build"
                },
                {
                    "type": "test",
                    "name": "test-all"
                },
                {
                    "type": "package",
                    "name": "default-linux-package"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

```

I get the error: `Invalid workflow step "linux"`. What is the exact reason for the error in this particular step?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ferdnyc](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ferdnyc/32/267_2.png) [@ferdnyc](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ferdnyc)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/2 "2024-11-22T00:33:45Z")

</div>

This is subtle, but I _think_ it’s because your preset names change throughout the workflow.

The problem with using a `binaryDir` value like `"${sourceDir}/build/${presetName}"` is that that’ll be evaluated _for each preset that inherits it_. So, in your `"test"` workflow, the configuration binary dir will be `<sourcedir>/build/development/`, the build binary dir will be `<sourcedir>/build/development-build`, and the test binary dir will be `<sourcedir>/build/test-all`. In the `release` workflow, it’ll be `<sourcedir>/build/{linux, linux-build, test-all, default-linux-package}` in order, for the four steps.

That won’t work, obviously, because those build/test/package binary directories won’t exist or have a generated CMake build system inside them. It’s strange and unhelpful that the errror is manifesting the way it is, but I believe that’s the reason. If you’re going to use a `binaryDir` based on `${presetName}`, you need all of your presets to be named the _same_ for each step of the workflow. This workflow definition loads successfully, if you rename/create all of the corresponding referenced presets accordingly:

```json
    "workflowPresets": [
        {
            "name": "test-all",
            "steps": [
                {
                    "type": "configure",
                    "name": "test"
                },
                {
                    "type": "build",
                    "name": "test"
                },
                {
                    "type": "test",
                    "name": "test"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "name": "linux-build",
            "steps": [
                {
                    "type": "configure",
                    "name": "linux"
                },
                {
                    "type": "build",
                    "name": "linux"
                },
                {
                    "type": "test",
                    "name": "linux"
                },
                {
                    "type": "package",
                    "name": "linux"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ferdnyc](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ferdnyc/32/267_2.png) [@ferdnyc](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ferdnyc)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 12:47am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/3 "2024-11-22T00:47:59Z")

</div>

(Note that it’s not an issue if you, say, hardcode the `binaryDir` to `${sourceDir}/build/debug` in the `debug` configPreset, and `${sourceDir}/build/release` in the `release` configPreset. Then, as long as all of your presets inherit from one of those, you can name them whatever you want.)

**Edit** : Actually, it’s slightly more strict than that — each preset in the workflow, at every step, also has to have the _same_ `"configurePreset"` value — just “inherits the same definition” doesn’t appear to be enough.

But as long as all of the `configurePreset`s match, and the `binaryDir` isn’t based on the `${presetName}`, then you’re OK to name them whatever.

**Edit2** : And, yeah, the error reporting on all of this is _woefully_ inadequate. Not only does `"Invalid workflow step "<name>"` completely fail to give any indication what, exactly, is “invalid” about the workflow, but it will typically give the name of the **`"configure"`** step as the “invalid” one.

By definition, `"configure"` is the one step that _can’t_ be invalid. It’s when one of the later steps has a `configurePreset` that **doesn’t match** the `configurePreset` named in the `"configure"` step, that the workflow is invalidated.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/greenleafone7)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 3:57am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/4 "2024-11-22T03:57:11Z")

</div>

This makes perfect sense, although I agree the error does not help you much in pinpointing the issue. In this case I will make sure that all steps use the same build path. Thank you so much for pointing that out.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/greenleafone7)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 12:08am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/5 "2024-11-25T00:08:17Z")

</div>

Do I need to additionally instruct the build-system where the build folder is, or am I missing some additional configuration step?

My presets now look a bit like this:

```auto
{
    "version": 9,
    "cmakeMinimumRequired": {
        "major": 3,
        "minor": 30,
        "patch": 0
    },
    "configurePresets": [
        {
            "name": "common-configure-settings",
            "description": "Options and CMake settings common to all configure presets",
            "binaryDir": "${sourceDir}/build/${presetName}",
            "hidden": true
        },
        {
            "name": "ninja",
            "hidden": true,
            "generator": "Ninja"
        },
        {
            "name": "linux",
            "hidden": false,
            "inherits": ["ninja"],
            "description": "Build preset for Linux",
            "environment": {
                "CXX_WARNINGS": "-Wall -Wextra -Werror -pedantic",
                "PLATFORM": "POSIX64"
            },
            "condition": {
                "type": "equals",
                "lhs": "${hostSystemName}",
                "rhs": "Linux"
            }
        }
    ]
}

```

And I’m trying to create an action that builds this app using the following workflow:

```auto
name: build-linux

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]

permissions:
  contents: read
  packages: read

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    if: github.ref_name == 'main'
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      with:
        token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

    - uses: cachix/install-nix-action@v27
      with:
        extra_nix_config: |
          access-tokens = github.com=${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}

    - name: Build
      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}
      run: nix build
      env:
        NIX_CONFIG: "access-tokens = github.com=${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}"

```

But it fails with the following message:

```auto
error: builder for '/nix/store/vj6wfq1lafh59wk7wkfa02q19hwfchkz-myapp.drv' failed with exit code 1;
last 25 log lines:
> * USE_CERES, Use the non-linear least squares optimizer from Ceres solver to tune model coefficients (if OFF, Eigen::LevenbergMarquardt will be used instead).
>
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_HIDDEN_VISIBILITY
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_HIDDEN_VISIBILITY - Success
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_HIDDEN_INLINE_VISIBILITY
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_HIDDEN_INLINE_VISIBILITY - Success
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_DEPRECATED_ATTR
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_DEPRECATED_ATTR - Failed
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_DEPRECATED
> -- Performing Test COMPILER_HAS_DEPRECATED - Failed
> -- Configuring done (1.7s)
> -- Generating done (0.0s)
> CMake Warning:
> Manually-specified variables were not used by the project:
>
> CMAKE_EXPORT_NO_PACKAGE_REGISTRY
> CMAKE_POLICY_DEFAULT_CMP0025
>
> 
> -- Build files have been written to: /build/a75cv3clh1z9k7cg9hrnhi5m2z3hcgcm-source/build/linux
> cmake: enabled parallel building
> cmake: enabled parallel installing
> Running phase: buildPhase
> build flags: -j2
> ninja: error: loading 'build.ninja': No such file or directory
For full logs, run 'nix log /nix/store/vj6wfq1lafh59wk7wkfa02q19hwfchkz-myapp.drv'.

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ferdnyc](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/ferdnyc/32/267_2.png) [@ferdnyc](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ferdnyc)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 3:59am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/6 "2024-11-25T03:59:47Z")

</div>

@greenleafone7

Yeah, I have no idea what `nix build` does, is the thing.

You might want to try running the workflow manually first, with `cmake --workflow --preset <workflowname>`, to see if that works correctly. If it does, your question becomes about `nix build` instead, and this probably isn’t the best place to get help with that.

But normally, if all of your presets at every level have the same name, _and_ they all reference the same `"configurePreset":` that _also_ has the same name, it should use the correct `binaryDir` at each step in the workflow.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@greenleafone7](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/greenleafone7)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:30am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/7 "2024-11-25T05:30:34Z")

</div>

The workflow works just fine now that I think of it. I have no idea why I asked here, it can’t possibly be it 😛

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![greenleaf](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@greenleaf](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/greenleaf)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/invalid-workflow-step-on-cmake-preset/13008/8 "2024-11-26T00:13:43Z")

</div>

So the issue I think is me trying to define: `"binaryDir": "${sourceDir}/build/${presetName}"` on my presets, and at the same time having:

```auto
    - name: Build
      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}
      run: nix build

```

on my action. If I remove the binaryDir instruction then it works. So I either need to remove that, or tell the github runner where the actual workspace is.