MSBuild can't exec command `npm i` while compiling a project in Rider/Visual Studio

Question

I need to build and run a .NET 5 project in Mac using Visual Studio for Mac or Jetbrains Rider.

In csproj file of one of the projects in the solution, I have following Target:

  <Target Name="SassBuild" BeforeTargets="Build" Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|AnyCPU'">
    <Exec Command="npm i" />
    <Exec Command="npm rebuild node-sass" />
    <Exec Command="npm run gulp-sass" />
    <Exec Command="npm run gulp-js" />
  </Target>

When I run dotnet build or dotnet msbuild project builds just fine, however building it in VS/Rider throws the following error:

Error MSB3073: The command "npm i" exited with code 127. (MSB3073)

Details in the log:

Target SassBuild:
    npm i
    /var/folders/9l/d02_tk1j5f93vklft82p1z996dm09b/T/tmp89785a0aeebb4347a3696de11d8c281e.exec.cmd: line 2: npm: command not found
    PATH_TO_CSPROJ_HERE.csproj(232,5): error MSB3073: The command "npm i" exited with code 127.
Done building target "SassBuild" in project "TicToc.T3.Web.csproj" -- FAILED.

npm is installed already and I can run the npm commands in terminal. I use nvm for node versioning.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Alright, I figured out that Mac OS terminal and VS/Rider terminals are not fed from the same terminal configuration files; that's why the IDEs weren't able to find the npm in their paths.

I copied all the nvm related configuration from ~/.zprofile to ~/.profile and now I am able to build the project in VS/Rider.

Hope it helps anyone having the same problem.