Appium install returns a non-zero exit code with NPM7

The problem

Appium fails to install or at least returns a non-zero exit code while installing

Environment

• Appium version (or git revision) that exhibits the issue: 1.19.0
• Last Appium version that did not exhibit the issue (if applicable): Unsure - maybe 1.11.0
• Desktop OS/version used to run Appium: OSX
• Node.js version (unless using Appium.app|exe): v15.2.1
• Npm or Yarn package manager: npm@7.0.10
• Mobile platform/version under test: N/A
• Real device or emulator/simulator: N/A
• Appium CLI or Appium.app|exe: CLI

Details

When running the following commands on a fresh OS Catalina install:

brew install node
npm install -g appium

it errors with

npm ERR! code ENOENT
npm ERR! syscall chmod
npm ERR! path /usr/local/lib/node_modules/appium/node_modules/.bin/authorize-ios
npm ERR! errno -2
npm ERR! enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, chmod '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/appium/node_modules/.bin/authorize-ios'
npm ERR! enoent This is related to npm not being able to find a file.
npm ERR! enoent 

However - if I go to run appium it does appear to launch. We’re installing appium through Packer so the fact that it errors but is still installed is not ideal. I’m also not 100% convinced the install is complete because of this error but I can’t be sure.

Someone else saw this same behavior here

Other notable things:

• Since we’re doing this with packer I can say that the OS is new and the test is repeatable
• I tried downgrading node but that does not seem to have an effect until v1.11.0. It also doesn’t seem like I can update it to the latest

[KazuCocoa]

I was able to install the authorize-ios with appium 1.19.0 on my local via npm install -g. I guess npm failed to create the file in the installation process because of write permission.

[chrmoritz]

This should be fixed for npm 7 starting with appium v1.20.0+ too.