Customize generateNotes configuration

[elizabethsjudd]

We are using semantic-release and semantic-release-monorepo in our project and want to modify the default conventional-changelog-angular writerOpts configuration (specifically the transform function).

Following the guidelines for semantic release, I added the function at the root of the config object and my changes were applied to the changelog notes in GH.

module.exports = {
  branches: ['master'],
  githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
  releaseRules: [...],
  generateNotes: {
    preset: 'angular',
    writerOpts: {
      transform: (commit, context) => {...},
    }
  },
  releaseNotes: {
    issueResolution: {
      template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
      baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
      source: 'github.ibm.com',
    },
  },
}

However, with this approach we lost the commit package scoping that is provided by semantic-release-monorepo.

In a different project we use semantic-release-gitmoji as our changelog convention and were able to set it up to work with semantic-release-monorepo by doing the following:

module.exports = {
  monorepo: {
    analyzeCommits: 'semantic-release-gitmoji',
    generateNotes: 'semantic-release-gitmoji',
  },
  branches: ['develop'],
  githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
  releaseRules,
  releaseNotes: {
    template,
    partials: {
      commitTemplate,
      emojiCommitsTemplate,
    },
    issueResolution: {
      template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
      baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
      source: 'github.ibm.com',
    },
  },
};

I tried to do something similar in my current project:

module.exports = {
  monorepo: {
    generateNotes: {
      preset: 'angular',
      writerOpts: {
        transform: (commit, context) => {...},
      }
    },
  },
  branches: ['master'],
  githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
  releaseRules: [...],
  releaseNotes: {
    issueResolution: {
      template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
      baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
      source: 'github.ibm.com',
    },
  },
}

but did not have any luck as it reverted back to using the default transform function

Debug with generateNotes in monorepo:

options values: { branches:
  [ 'master',
    { name: 'staging', prerelease: true } ],
 repositoryUrl: 'git@github.ibm.com:liz-judd/semantic-release-testing.git',
 tagFormat: '@whpal/liz-semrel-testing-utilities-v${version}',
 plugins:
  [ '@semantic-release/commit-analyzer',
    '@semantic-release/release-notes-generator',
    '@semantic-release/npm',
    '@semantic-release/github' ],
 analyzeCommits:
  [ [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction] ],
 generateNotes:
  [ [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction] ],
 monorepo:
  { generateNotes: { preset: 'angular', writerOpts: [Object] } },
 githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
 githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
 releaseRules:  [ ... ],
 releaseNotes:
  { issueResolution:
     { template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
       baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
       source: 'github.ibm.com' } },
 }

Debug with generateNotes at root:

options values: { branches:
  [ 'master',
    { name: 'staging', prerelease: true } ],
 repositoryUrl: 'git@github.ibm.com:liz-judd/semantic-release-testing.git',
 tagFormat: '@whpal/liz-semrel-testing-utilities-v${version}',
 plugins:
  [ '@semantic-release/commit-analyzer',
    '@semantic-release/release-notes-generator',
    '@semantic-release/npm',
    '@semantic-release/github' ],
 analyzeCommits:
  [ [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction],
    [AsyncFunction] ],
 generateNotes:
  { preset: 'angular',
    writerOpts: { transform: [Function: transform] } },
 githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
 githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
 releaseRules: [...],
 releaseNotes:
  { issueResolution:
     { template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
       baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
       source: 'github.ibm.com' } },
}

[elizabethsjudd]

FYI, After going through some closed issues I also tried the following without any luck:

module.exports = {
  monorepo: {
    plugins:[
      '@semantic-release/commit-analyzer',
      ['@semantic-release/release-notes-generator', {
        preset: 'angular',
        writerOpts: {
          transform: (commit, context) => {...},
        }
      }],
      '@semantic-release/npm',
      '@semantic-release/github'
    ],
  },
  branches: ['master'],
  githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
  releaseRules: [ ... ],
  releaseNotes: {
    issueResolution: {
      template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
      baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
      source: 'github.ibm.com',
    },
  },
}

[pmowrer]

Thanks for the report, @elizabethsjudd! Does it work if you move the plugins key to the top-level?

E.g.:

module.exports = {
  plugins: [
    '@semantic-release/commit-analyzer',
    ['@semantic-release/release-notes-generator', {
      preset: 'angular',
      writerOpts: {
        transform: (commit, context) => {...},
      }
    }],
    '@semantic-release/npm',
    '@semantic-release/github'
  ],
  branches: ['master'],
  githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
  releaseRules: [ ... ],
  releaseNotes: {
    issueResolution: {
      template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
      baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
      source: 'github.ibm.com',
    },
  },
}

[elizabethsjudd]

@pmowrer That doesn't even create the custom release notes at all. Is this something I should be bring up with release-notes-generator as semantic-release-monorepo is expecting this format?

[pmowrer]

It depends on what version of semantic-release-monorepo and semantic-release you're trying this with. The monorepo namespace key in the config was deprecated as of v7 of this lib and would have no effect.

[elizabethsjudd]

@pmowrer these are the versions I'm using. So it looks like I shouldn't be using the monorepo property at all.

    "semantic-release": "^17.0.4",
    "semantic-release-monorepo": "^7.0.1"

I guess my confusion is... is this a bug for:

• release-notes-generator - I can't use the plugins property to configure it and then semantic-release-monorepo would be able to use that

• semantic-release-monorepo - it doesn't work with the generateNotes property supported by release-notes-generator

[pmowrer]

It's most likely a bug with this library... I'll dig into it!

[pmowrer]

I believe this has been fixed in the latest version (7.0.2). Please re-open if it's still an issue.

[pmowrer]

:tada: This issue has been resolved in version 7.0.2 :tada:

The release is available on:

• npm package (@latest dist-tag)
• GitHub release

Your semantic-release bot :package::rocket:

[elizabethsjudd]

@pmowrer, I updated our version of monorepo to 7.0.2 and am still having the same issue where defining a custom generateNotesobject (at the root of the config) does not scope the commits to the specific packages.

Example both of the commits under build system should not be part of a thing4 package release as they are part of a utilities package (these screen shots are a dummy repo we use for testing)

---

I'm also now running in to the issue of it not recognizing our custom releaseRules property either. I used to be able to have a release with the build type and now that is no longer possible.

Here's our release rules:

[
    {breaking: true, release: 'major'},
    {revert: true, release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'feat', release: 'minor'},
    {type: 'fix', release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'perf', release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'docs', release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'style', release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'test', release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'build', release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'ci', release: 'patch'},
    {type: 'refactor', release: 'patch'},
  ],

but when I have a merge with only a build type, our CI system says it does not detect any changes

[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  There are no relevant changes, so no new version is released.

[pmowrer]

@elizabethsjudd Thanks for trying this out and sorry it still isn't working! A few questions as I try to diagnose this further:

• Do you mind sharing the release config that was used in your latest test (at least the plugins part)?
• Is the config in a .releaserc file or is it applied some other way?
• If you run with the --debug flag, are you seeing the following message: semantic-release:monorepo Filter commits by package path: "" +0ms? If so, what follows?

[elizabethsjudd]

Release config:

{ branches:
   [ 'master',
     { name: 'staging', prerelease: true },
     { name: 'v1', channel: 'v1x' },
     { name: 'next', prerelease: true } ],
  githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
  releaseRules:
   [ { breaking: true, release: 'major' },
     { revert: true, release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'feat', release: 'minor' },
     { type: 'fix', release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'perf', release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'docs', release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'style', release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'test', release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'build', release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'ci', release: 'patch' },
     { type: 'refactor', release: 'patch' },
     { scope: 'minor-*', release: 'minor' },
     { scope: 'patch-*', release: 'patch' },
     { scope: 'no-release', release: false } ],
  releaseNotes:
   { issueResolution:
      { template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
        baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
        source: 'github.ibm.com' } },
  generateNotes:
   { preset: 'angular',
     writerOpts: { transform: [Function: transform] } },
  tagFormatPrefix: '@whpal/liz-semrel-testing-',
  tagFormat: '@whpal/liz-semrel-testing-utilities-v${version}' }

We do not have any custom plugin setup.

Here's the config that's printed out from the --debug flag

semantic-release:config options values: { branches:
  semantic-release:config    [ 'master',
  semantic-release:config      { name: 'staging', prerelease: true },
  semantic-release:config      { name: 'v1', channel: 'v1x' },
  semantic-release:config      { name: 'next', prerelease: true } ],
  semantic-release:config   repositoryUrl: 'git@github.ibm.com:liz-judd/semantic-release-testing.git',
  semantic-release:config   tagFormat: '@whpal/liz-semrel-testing-utilities-v${version}',
  semantic-release:config   plugins:
  semantic-release:config    [ '@semantic-release/commit-analyzer',
  semantic-release:config      '@semantic-release/release-notes-generator',
  semantic-release:config      '@semantic-release/npm',
  semantic-release:config      '@semantic-release/github' ],
  semantic-release:config   analyzeCommits:
  semantic-release:config    [ [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo],
  semantic-release:config      [AsyncFunction: semantic-release-monorepo] ],
  semantic-release:config   generateNotes:
  semantic-release:config    { preset: 'angular',
  semantic-release:config      writerOpts: { transform: [Function: transform] } },
  semantic-release:config   githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  semantic-release:config   githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
  semantic-release:config   releaseRules:
  semantic-release:config    [ { breaking: true, release: 'major' },
  semantic-release:config      { revert: true, release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'feat', release: 'minor' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'fix', release: 32m'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'perf', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'docs', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'style', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'test', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'build', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'ci', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { type: 'refactor', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { scope: 'minor-*', release: 'minor' },
  semantic-release:config      { scope: 'patch-*', release: 'patch' },
  semantic-release:config      { scope: 'no-release', release: false } ],
  semantic-release:config   releaseNotes:
  semantic-release:config    { issueResolution:
  semantic-release:config       { template: '{baseUrl}/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{ref}',
  semantic-release:config         baseUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
  semantic-release:config         source: 'github.ibm.com' } },
  semantic-release:config   tagFormatPrefix: '@whpal/liz-semrel-testing-',
  semantic-release:config   _: [],
  semantic-release:config   debug: true,
  semantic-release:config   '$0': 'node_modules/.bin/semantic-release' } 

---

The config is in a release.config.js file and in the root of our package.json we include:

"release": {
    "extends": [
      "semantic-release-monorepo",
      "./release.config"
    ]
  }

Using a JavaScript file allows us to break up the config in to multiple objects and share them across the multiple packages in the monorepo.

---

Here's the output of the debug from the packages that had changes in this particular push

[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
  semantic-release:monorepo Running 'analyzeCommits' version '7.0.2' +0ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Filter commits by package path: "packages/thing2" +0ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Including commit "build: trying to debug" because it modified package file "packages/thing2/README.md". +117ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Including commit "build: update semantic release monorepo version" because it modified package file "packages/thing2/package-lock.json". +0ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Found 2 commits for package @whpal/liz-semrel-testing-thing2 since last release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analyzing commit: build: trying to debug
  semantic-release:commit-analyzer Analyzing with default rules +0ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  The commit should not trigger a release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analyzing commit: build: update semantic release monorepo version
  semantic-release:commit-analyzer Analyzing with default rules +1ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  The commit should not trigger a release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analysis of 2 commits complete: no release
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] 90m› ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔ 39m Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  There are no relevant changes, so no new version is released.

and

[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
  semantic-release:monorepo Running 'analyzeCommits' version '7.0.2' +0ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Filter commits by package path: "packages/utilities" +0ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Including commit "build: trying to debug" because it modified package file "packages/utilities/release.config.js". +49ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Including commit "build: testing releaseRules" because it modified package file "packages/utilities/release.config.common.js". +0ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Including commit "bug: fix JS bug in generateNotes function" because it modified package file "packages/utilities/release.config.common.js". +0ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Including commit "build: revert changes for generateNotes" because it modified package file "packages/utilities/release.config.common.js". +0ms
  semantic-release:monorepo Including commit "build: update semantic release monorepo version" because it modified package file "packages/utilities/package-lock.json". +0ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Found 5 commits for package @whpal/liz-semrel-testing-utilities since last release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analyzing commit: build: trying to debug
  semantic-release:commit-analyzer Analyzing with default rules +0ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  The commit should not trigger a release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analyzing commit: build: testing releaseRules
  semantic-release:commit-analyzer Analyzing with default rules +1ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  The commit should not trigger a release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analyzing commit: bug: fix JS bug in generateNotes function
  semantic-release:commit-analyzer Analyzing with default rules +1ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  The commit should not trigger a release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analyzing commit: build: revert changes for generateNotes
  semantic-release:commit-analyzer Analyzing with default rules +0ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  The commit should not trigger a release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analyzing commit: build: update semantic release monorepo version
  semantic-release:commit-analyzer Analyzing with default rules +0ms
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  The commit should not trigger a release
[semantic-release] [[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]] › ℹ  Analysis of 5 commits complete: no release
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › 32m✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  Start step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ✔  Completed step "analyzeCommits" of plugin "[Function: semantic-release-monorepo]"
[semantic-release] › ℹ  There are no relevant changes, so no new version is released.

Let me know if you need anything else and thank you for looking in to this.

[pmowrer]

That release config is using the old format semantic-release format. As of version 15.10, most of the configuration has been moved into the plugins. None of githubUrl, githubApiPathPrefix, releaseRules , releaseNotes, generateNotes are valid top-level configuration keys anymore - I think that's why the release rules aren't being applied anymore.

See the current top-level config options here: https://github.com/semantic-release/semantic-release/blob/master/docs/usage/configuration.md#configuration

(I'd recommend running the latest version of this plugin with the latest version of semantic-release.)

Here's roughly what I think your config should look like. Please reference the individual plugin READMEs via semantic-release for their respective configuration options:

https://github.com/semantic-release/commit-analyzer https://github.com/semantic-release/github https://github.com/semantic-release/release-notes-generator

module.exports = {
  branches: ...,
  plugins: [
    ['@semantic-release/commit-analyzer', {
      "releaseRules": [ 
       { breaking: true, release: 'major' },
       { revert: true, release: 'patch' },
       { type: 'feat', release: 'minor' }, 
       ...
       ]
    }],
    ['@semantic-release/release-notes-generator', {
      preset: 'angular',
      writerOpts: {
        transform: (commit, context) => {...},
      }
    }],
    '@semantic-release/npm',
    ['@semantic-release/github', {
      githubUrl: 'https://github.ibm.com',
      githubApiPathPrefix: 'api/v3',
    }]
  ],
}

[elizabethsjudd]

That did the trick @pmowrer. Thank you so much for your help!

[its-dibo]

I have a similar issue with npm options

described here