[BUG] NPM Scripts with Colons Break w/ Windows File Paths

[chrstophr-wltrs]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

When running an npm script with a colon (:) in its name, Windows will return a number of different errors.

Sometimes the error is as follows:

The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

At other times, this error occurs:

Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 'C:\Users\Chris\AppData\Local\Temp\foo:bar-1656368147831.cmd'
    at Object.openSync (node:fs:585:3)
    at writeFileSync (node:fs:2170:35)
    at makeSpawnArgs (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\run-script\lib\make-spawn-args.js:82:3)
    at runScriptPkg (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\run-script\lib\run-script-pkg.js:57:55)
    at runScript (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\run-script\lib\run-script.js:9:16)
    at RunScript.run (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\lib\commands\run-script.js:125:13)
    at async module.exports (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\lib\cli.js:78:5)

I haven't been able to nail down exactly what causes the differing behavior, sometimes they will alternate when I run the same command, in the same terminal session, one right after the other.

Interestingly, when I highlight the name of the "missing" file in the VS Code integrated terminal, only the path up to the first colon is highlighted as being a navigable path.

Expected Behavior

When I use npm run foo:bar, I'd like it to successfully execute the script of the same name.

When I roll back to npm 8.11.0 using nvm, I get the irritating config global '--global', '--local' are deprecated. Use '--location=global' instead. error, but I am able to successfully execute scripts with colons in their names.

Workaround

I'm extremely confident that this issue between npm and the Windows filesystem is caused by the colons, because when I change the name of the script by replacing the colons with hyphens (foo:bar to foo-bar), the script works perfectly.

When I mentioned this problem to my coworkers, they said that they were able to use scripts w/ colon names without issue. I had updated my npm that morning, but they were still using npm version 8.11, so this error is definitely caused by something that was changed in the last few versions.

I don't yet know whether npm 8.12 has similar problems.

Steps To Reproduce

In a Windows 10 environment...

1. Install or update to npm 8.13.1
2. Initialize or navigate to a node.js project
3. Within the scripts section of package.json:
   a. Create a script with a colon in its name (ex. foo:bar)
   b. The actual contents of the script don't matter, just the name
4. From a command prompt or Powershell terminal, execute npm run foo:bar [or whatever the name of the script is]
5. Observe one of the above mentioned errors, either
   a. filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect
   b. no such file or directory

Environment

• npm: 8.13.1
• Node.js: v16.15.1
• OS Name: Windows 10 21H2 (Build 19044.1766)
• System Model Name: Dell Precision 5550
• npm config:

; "builtin" config from C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\npmrc

prefix = "C:\\Users\\Chris\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm"

; "global" config from C:\Users\Chris\AppData\Roaming\npm\etc\npmrc

include = ["dev"]
omit = []

; "user" config from C:\Users\Chris\.npmrc

strict-ssl = false

; "project" config from C:\Users\Chris\development\spotify-playlist-maker\.npmrc

always-auth = true
registry = "https://registry.npmjs.org/"

; node bin location = C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
; node version = v16.15.1
; npm local prefix = C:\Users\Chris\development\spotify-playlist-maker
; npm version = 8.13.1
; cwd = C:\Users\Chris\development\spotify-playlist-maker
; HOME = C:\Users\Chris
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[chrstophr-wltrs]

I know that this is a fairly minor issue. While the colon separators for script titles have been a convention in my workplace for a while, it wouldn't be that difficult to convince them to switch it up, or to simply use a version of node with a working npm. I just figured I should document this as it occurred.

[fritzy]

Duplicate of #5066
Should be fixed in tomorrow's release.

[chrstophr-wltrs]

Duplicate of #5066 Should be fixed in tomorrow's release.

Oh! Sorry I didn't catch that other issue in my search, guess I was being too specific.

Thanks for keeping on top of things. You rock!