Confused by : ${{ env.OPTIONS }}

Code to Cloud GitHub Actions
#1

I’m trying to learn Github Actions using a repo with a TOC Generator action.

It’s uses a set of Options:

          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ACCESS_TOKEN }}
          TARGET_BRANCH_PREFIX: ${{ env.BRANCH_PREFIX }}
          FOLDING: ${{ env.TOC_FOLDING }}
          MAX_HEADER_LEVEL: ${{ env.TOC_MAX_HEADER_LEVEL }}
          TOC_TITLE: ${{ env.TOC_TITLE }}
          CREATE_PR: ${{ env.TOC_CREATE_PR }}
          TARGET_PATHS: ${{ env.TOC_TARGET_PATHS }}

Those Options are explained in the toc-generator documentation; but where and how do i define or supply the env.VALUES?! (myrepo/settings/environments?)

Also the action documentation though extensive doesn’t explain this to me!

Any help would be appreciated.

#2

The env context refers to environment variables. You can set them in the workflow file, or dynamically by writing to a special file. For details, see:

#3

Tnx

setting directly in workflow.yml makes more sense to me "

TOC_TITLE: ${{ env.TOC_TITLE }} -> TOC_TITLE: “My TOC Title”

But ‘writing to a special file’ doesn’t make sense to me; even after reading the linked GitHub Doc.

I know I can set secrets and environment options on each repo, but I’m not sure where env.TOC_TITLE should point to!?

#4

for instance when I look at :

I see many ${{ env.somestyff) references and I’m trying to understand where to put those values!

#5

You only need that if you want to generate a value dynamically while your workflow is running. In that case see Setting an environment variable.

Otherwise you should be able to just use static values like this:

      - uses: technote-space/toc-generator@gh-actions
        with:
          TOC_TITLE: 'your title here'
          # ... other options

In the example you linked it looks like the technote-space/load-config-action creates the environment variables.

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#6

I’m a bit new to this but i’m starting to see it.
The values are derived from workflow-settings.json / workflow-details.json inside this folder.

I found an interesting series about GitHub Actions including the env part on Dev.to to get me started.

Tnx again for your help!

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