Add --envrc-dir flag to allow specifying location of direnv config

internal/boxcli/generate.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package boxcli
 import (
 	"cmp"
 	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ type generateCmdFlags struct {
 	force             bool
 	printEnvrcContent bool
 	rootUser          bool
+	envrcDir          string // only used by generate direnv command
 }
 
 type generateDockerfileCmdFlags struct {
@@ -151,6 +153,15 @@ func direnvCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	// this command marks a flag as hidden. Error handling for it is not necessary.
 	_ = command.Flags().MarkHidden("print-envrc")
 
+	// --envrc-dir allows users to specify a directory where the .envrc file should be generated
+	// separately from the devbox config directory. Without this flag, the .envrc file
+	// will be generated in the same directory as the devbox config file (i.e., either the current
+	// directory or the directory specified by --config). This is useful for users who want to keep
+	// their .envrc and devbox config files in different locations.
+	command.Flags().StringVar(
+		&flags.envrcDir, "envrc-dir", "", "path to directory where the .envrc file should be generated. "+
+			"If not specified, the .envrc file will be generated in the current working directory.")
+
 	flags.config.register(command)
 	return command
 }
@@ -266,13 +277,32 @@ func runGenerateCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, flags *generateCmdFlags) error {
 }
 
 func runGenerateDirenvCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, flags *generateCmdFlags) error {
+	// --print-envrc is used within the .envrc file and therefore doesn't make sense to also
+	// use it with --envrc-dir, which specifies a directory where the .envrc file should be generated.
+	if flags.printEnvrcContent && flags.envrcDir != "" {
+		return usererr.New(
+			"Cannot use --print-envrc with --envrc-dir. " +
+				"Use --envrc-dir to specify the directory where the .envrc file should be generated.")
+	}
+
+	// Determine the directories for .envrc and config
+	configDir, envrcDir, err := determineDirenvDirs(flags.config.path, flags.envrcDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+
+	generateOpts := devopt.EnvrcOpts{
+		EnvrcDir:  envrcDir,
+		ConfigDir: configDir,
+		EnvFlags:  devopt.EnvFlags(flags.envFlag),
+	}
+
 	if flags.printEnvrcContent {
-		return devbox.PrintEnvrcContent(
-			cmd.OutOrStdout(), devopt.EnvFlags(flags.envFlag))
+		return devbox.PrintEnvrcContent(cmd.OutOrStdout(), generateOpts)
 	}
 
 	box, err := devbox.Open(&devopt.Opts{
-		Dir:         flags.config.path,
+		Dir:         filepath.Join(envrcDir, configDir),
 		Environment: flags.config.environment,
 		Stderr:      cmd.ErrOrStderr(),
 	})
@@ -281,5 +311,37 @@ func runGenerateDirenvCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, flags *generateCmdFlags) error {
 	}
 
 	return box.GenerateEnvrcFile(
-		cmd.Context(), flags.force, devopt.EnvFlags(flags.envFlag))
+		cmd.Context(), flags.force, generateOpts)
+}
+
+// Returns cononical paths for configDir and envrcDir. Both locations are relative to the current
+// working directory when provided to this function. However, since the config file will ultimately
+// be relative to the .envrc file, we need to determine the relative path from envrcDir to configDir.
+func determineDirenvDirs(configDir, envrcDir string) (string, string, error) {
+	// If envrcDir is not specified, we will use the configDir as the location for .envrc. This is
+	// for backward compatibility (prior to the --envrc-dir flag being introduced).
+	if envrcDir == "" {
+		return "", configDir, nil
+	}
+
+	// If no configDir is specified, it will be assumed to be in the same directory as the .envrc file
+	// which means we can just return an empty configDir.
+	if configDir == "" {
+		return "", envrcDir, nil
+	}
+
+	relativeConfigDir, err := filepath.Rel(envrcDir, configDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "", errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to determine relative path from %s to %s", envrcDir, configDir)
+	}
+
+	// If the relative path is ".", it means configDir is the same as envrcDir. Leaving it as "."
+	// will result in the .envrc containing "--config .", which is fine, but unnecessary and also
+	// a change from the previous behavior. So we will return an empty string for relativeConfigDir
+	// which will result in the .envrc file not containing the "--config" flag at all.
+	if relativeConfigDir == "." {
+		relativeConfigDir = ""
+	}
+
+	return relativeConfigDir, envrcDir, nil
 }

internal/devbox/devbox.go

@@ -527,21 +527,21 @@ func (d *Devbox) GenerateDockerfile(ctx context.Context, generateOpts devopt.Gen
 	}))
 }
 
-func PrintEnvrcContent(w io.Writer, envFlags devopt.EnvFlags) error {
-	return generate.EnvrcContent(w, envFlags)
+func PrintEnvrcContent(w io.Writer, opts devopt.EnvrcOpts) error {
+	return generate.EnvrcContent(w, opts)
 }
 
 // GenerateEnvrcFile generates a .envrc file that makes direnv integration convenient
-func (d *Devbox) GenerateEnvrcFile(ctx context.Context, force bool, envFlags devopt.EnvFlags) error {
+func (d *Devbox) GenerateEnvrcFile(ctx context.Context, force bool, opts devopt.EnvrcOpts) error {
 	ctx, task := trace.NewTask(ctx, "devboxGenerateEnvrc")
 	defer task.End()
 
-	envrcfilePath := filepath.Join(d.projectDir, ".envrc")
+	envrcfilePath := filepath.Join(opts.EnvrcDir, ".envrc")
 	filesExist := fileutil.Exists(envrcfilePath)
 	if !force && filesExist {
 		return usererr.New(
-			"A .envrc is already present in the current directory. " +
-				"Remove it or use --force to overwrite it.",
+			"A .envrc is already present in %q. Remove it or use --force to overwrite it.",
+			opts.EnvrcDir,
 		)
 	}
 
@@ -551,18 +551,18 @@ func (d *Devbox) GenerateEnvrcFile(ctx context.Context, force bool, envFlags dev
 	}
 
 	// .envrc file creation
-	err := generate.CreateEnvrc(ctx, d.projectDir, envFlags)
+	err := generate.CreateEnvrc(ctx, opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
-	ux.Fsuccessf(d.stderr, "generated .envrc file\n")
+	ux.Fsuccessf(d.stderr, "generated .envrc file in %q.\n", opts.EnvrcDir)
 	if cmdutil.Exists("direnv") {
-		cmd := exec.Command("direnv", "allow")
+		cmd := exec.Command("direnv", "allow", opts.EnvrcDir)
 		err := cmd.Run()
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.WithStack(err)
 		}
-		ux.Fsuccessf(d.stderr, "ran `direnv allow`\n")
+		ux.Fsuccessf(d.stderr, "ran `direnv allow %s`\n", opts.EnvrcDir)
 	}
 	return nil
 }

internal/devbox/devopt/devboxopts.go

@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ type EnvFlags struct {
 	EnvFile string
 }
 
+type EnvrcOpts struct {
+	EnvFlags
+	EnvrcDir  string
+	ConfigDir string
+}
+
 type PullboxOpts struct {
 	Overwrite   bool
 	URL         string

internal/devbox/generate/devcontainer_util.go

@@ -140,32 +140,33 @@ func (g *Options) CreateDevcontainer(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func CreateEnvrc(ctx context.Context, path string, envFlags devopt.EnvFlags) error {
+func CreateEnvrc(ctx context.Context, opts devopt.EnvrcOpts) error {
 	defer trace.StartRegion(ctx, "createEnvrc").End()
 
 	// create .envrc file
-	file, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(path, ".envrc"))
+	file, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(opts.EnvrcDir, ".envrc"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer file.Close()
 
 	flags := []string{}
 
-	if len(envFlags.EnvMap) > 0 {
-		for k, v := range envFlags.EnvMap {
+	if len(opts.EnvMap) > 0 {
+		for k, v := range opts.EnvMap {
 			flags = append(flags, fmt.Sprintf("--env %s=%s", k, v))
 		}
 	}
-	if envFlags.EnvFile != "" {
-		flags = append(flags, fmt.Sprintf("--env-file %s", envFlags.EnvFile))
+	if opts.EnvFile != "" {
+		flags = append(flags, fmt.Sprintf("--env-file %s", opts.EnvFile))
 	}
 
 	t := template.Must(template.ParseFS(tmplFS, "tmpl/envrc.tmpl"))
 
 	// write content into file
 	return t.Execute(file, map[string]string{
 		"Flags": strings.Join(flags, " "),
+		"Dir":   opts.ConfigDir,
 	})
 }
 
@@ -219,7 +220,7 @@ func (g *Options) getDevcontainerContent() *devcontainerObject {
 	return devcontainerContent
 }
 
-func EnvrcContent(w io.Writer, envFlags devopt.EnvFlags) error {
+func EnvrcContent(w io.Writer, envFlags devopt.EnvrcOpts) error {
 	tmplName := "envrcContent.tmpl"
 	t := template.Must(template.ParseFS(tmplFS, "tmpl/"+tmplName))
 	envFlag := ""
@@ -231,5 +232,6 @@ func EnvrcContent(w io.Writer, envFlags devopt.EnvFlags) error {
 	return t.Execute(w, map[string]string{
 		"EnvFlag": envFlag,
 		"EnvFile": envFlags.EnvFile,
+		"Dir":     envFlags.EnvrcDir,
 	})
 }

internal/devbox/generate/tmpl/envrc.tmpl

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # Automatically sets up your devbox environment whenever you cd into this
 # directory via our direnv integration:
 
-eval "$(devbox generate direnv --print-envrc{{ if .Flags}} {{ .Flags }}{{ end }})"
+eval "$(devbox generate direnv --print-envrc{{ if .Flags}} {{ .Flags }}{{ end }}{{ if .Dir }} --config {{ .Dir -}}{{ end }})"
 
 # check out https://www.jetpack.io/devbox/docs/ide_configuration/direnv/
 # for more details

internal/devbox/generate/tmpl/envrcContent.tmpl

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+{{define "DirPrefix"}}{{ if .Dir }}{{ .Dir }}/{{ end }}{{end}}
 use_devbox() {
-    watch_file devbox.json devbox.lock
-    eval "$(devbox shellenv --init-hook --install --no-refresh-alias{{ if .EnvFlag }} {{ .EnvFlag }}{{ end }})"
+    watch_file {{template "DirPrefix" .}}devbox.json {{template "DirPrefix" .}}devbox.lock
+    eval "$(devbox shellenv --init-hook --install --no-refresh-alias {{ if .EnvFlag }}{{ .EnvFlag }}{{ end }} {{- if .Dir }}--config {{ .Dir -}}{{ end }})"
 }
 use devbox
 {{ if .EnvFile }}

testscripts/generate/direnv-envrcdir-config-sibling.test.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Testscript to validate generating a direnv .envrc in a specified location (./dir) that also
+# references a devbox config in another dir (./cfg) that is a sibling to the first.
+
+mkdir cfg
+exec devbox init cfg
+exists cfg/devbox.json
+
+mkdir dir
+exec devbox generate direnv --envrc-dir dir --config cfg
+grep 'eval "\$\(devbox generate direnv --print-envrc --config ../cfg\)"' dir/.envrc

testscripts/generate/direnv-envrcdir-config-subdir.test.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Testscript to validate generating a direnv .envrc in a specified location (./dir) that also
+# references a devbox config in another dir (./cfg) that is a subdir of the first.
+
+mkdir dir/cfg
+exec devbox init dir/cfg
+exists dir/cfg/devbox.json
+
+exec devbox generate direnv --envrc-dir dir --config dir/cfg
+grep 'eval "\$\(devbox generate direnv --print-envrc --config cfg\)"' dir/.envrc

testscripts/generate/direnv-envrcdir-current-config-sub.test.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Testscript to validate generating a direnv .envrc in the current location that
+# references a devbox config in a subdir (./cfg).
+
+mkdir cfg
+exec devbox init cfg
+exists cfg/devbox.json
+
+exec devbox generate direnv --envrc-dir . --config cfg
+grep 'eval "\$\(devbox generate direnv --print-envrc --config cfg\)"' ./.envrc

testscripts/generate/direnv-envrcdir.test.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Testscript to validate generating a direnv .envrc in a specified location (./cfg) that also
+# references a devbox config in the same location (no --config needed)
+
+mkdir cfg
+exec devbox init cfg
+exists cfg/devbox.json
+
+exec devbox generate direnv --envrc-dir cfg
+grep 'eval "\$\(devbox generate direnv --print-envrc\)"' cfg/.envrc

testscripts/generate/direnv-printenvrc-config.test.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Testscript to validate generating the contents of the .envrc file. In this case the
+# config location is ignored because there is no --envrc-dir param.
+
+exec devbox init
+exec devbox generate direnv --print-envrc --config config-dir
+cp stdout results.txt
+grep 'watch_file config-dir/devbox.json config-dir/devbox.lock' results.txt
+grep 'eval "\$\(devbox shellenv --init-hook --install --no-refresh-alias --config config-dir\)"' results.txt
+! exists .envrc
+! exists config-dir
+! exists config-dir/.envrc

testscripts/generate/direnv-printenvrc-envrcdir.test.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Testscript to validate that the --print-envrc and --envrc-dir params are not allowed
+# to be used at the same time.
+
+exec devbox init
+! exec devbox generate direnv --print-envrc --envrc-dir dir
+stderr 'Cannot use --print-envrc with --envrc-dir'

testscripts/generate/direnv-printenvrc.test.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Testscript to validate the output of --print-envrc
+
+exec devbox init
+exec devbox generate direnv --print-envrc
+cp stdout results.txt
+grep 'watch_file devbox.json devbox.lock' results.txt
+grep 'eval "\$\(devbox shellenv --init-hook --install --no-refresh-alias \)"' results.txt
+! exists .envrc

testscripts/generate/direnv.test.txt

@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+# Testscript to validate generating the contents of the .envrc file.
+
 exec devbox init
 exec devbox generate direnv
 exists .envrc
-
+exists devbox.json
+grep 'eval "\$\(devbox generate direnv --print-envrc\)"' .envrc