[BUG] npx pass ESCAPED multiline string argument to package

[loynoir]

Brief

npx and npm exec pass ESCAPED multiline string, instead of original string.

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Current Behavior

$ npx cowsay -- "$(node --version; npm --version)"
 __________________
< v14.16.0\n7.15.0 >
 ------------------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

Expected Behavior

cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"    
 __________
/ v14.16.0 \
\ 7.15.0   /
 ----------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

Steps To Reproduce

1. docker run -it node /bin/bash
2. npx cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"

Environment

Docker: node

• OS: Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)
• Node: v15.14.0 - v17.4.0
• npm: 7.7.6 - 8.3.1

[loynoir]

Comparison

$ docker run -it node /bin/bash
$ npx cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"
 ________________
< v17.4.0\n8.3.1 >
 ----------------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

---

May 30, 2021

$ docker run -it node /bin/bash
$ npx cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"
 _________________
< v15.14.0\n7.7.6 >
 -----------------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

$ docker run -it node:fermium /bin/bash
$ npx cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"
 __________
/ v14.16.1 \
\ 6.14.12  /
 ----------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

$ docker run -it node:erbium /bin/bash
$ npx cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"
 __________
/ v12.22.1 \
\ 6.14.12  /
 ----------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

$ docker run -it node:lts /bin/bash
$ npx cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"
 __________
/ v14.17.0 \
\ 6.14.13  /
 ----------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

[loynoir]

Special character other than LF

$ npx cowsay $'1\f2'
 ______
< 1\f2 >
 ------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||
$ cowsay $'1\f2'    
 ____
< 1
   2 >
 ----
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

[noway]

Hello, I've encountered this too! I was searching for "new line" in issues and haven't noticed this ticket.

For now I see the workaround is to use stdin instead of args.

[lxe]

A gentle bump on this one. It's breaking commently-cli when passing multi-line --message arguments.

[lxe]

Temporary workaround:

$(npx --package=cowsay which cowsay) "$(node --version; npm --version)"

[ruyadorno]

Can confirm this is still happening in the current version of the npm cli (npm@8.5.2 at the time of writing).

Other possible workaround seems to be using the call config option, e.g:

• npx -p cowsay -c 'cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"'
• npm exec --package=cowsay -c 'cowsay "$(node --version; npm --version)"'