cli: cdk synth doesn't output yaml when having dependency stacks

❓ General Issue

I have a LambdaStack depending on NetworkStack’s vpc. There is the code

LambdaStack

import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/core');
import lambda = require('@aws-cdk/aws-lambda');
import iam = require('@aws-cdk/aws-iam');
import vpc = require('@aws-cdk/aws-ec2')

interface LambdaStackProps extends cdk.StackProps {
  vpc: vpc.Vpc
}

export class LambdaStack extends cdk.Stack {
  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, props: LambdaStackProps) {
    super(scope, id, props);
    // define lambdas by using props.vpc
  }
}

NetworkStack

import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/core');
import ec2 = require("@aws-cdk/aws-ec2");
import iam = require("@aws-cdk/aws-iam");


interface NetworkStackProps extends cdk.StackProps { }

export class NetworkStack extends cdk.Stack {
  public readonly vpc: ec2.Vpc;
  constructor(scope: cdk.Construct, id: string, prop: NetworkStackProps) {
    super(scope, id, prop);
    this.vpc = new ec2.Vpc(some code here);
  }
}

app

const networkStack = new NetworkStack(app, 'network-stack-dev', { env: UsEast1Env });
const lambdaStack = new LambdaStack(app, 'lambda-stack-dev', { 
  env: UsEast1Env,
  vpc: networkStack.vpc
});

I tried to generate yaml file for LambdaStack by executing

cdk synth lambda-stack-dev > template.yaml

Then I got

Including dependency stacks: network-stack-dev
Successfully synthesized to /Users/whao/Developer/serverless-dev/cdk.out
Supply a stack name (network-stack-dev, lambda-stack-dev) to display its template.

I tried cdk synth network-stack-dev lambda-stack-dev but it gave the same output. I am kinda confused with what Supply a stack name (network-stack-dev, lambda-stack-dev) to display its template. means

I have read issue #3259 but I didn’t find it helpful. Forgive me if I am asking stupid questions.

Environment

• CDK CLI Version: 1.4.0 (build 175471f)
• Module Version: N/A
• OS: macOS 10.14.6
• Language: TypeScript

[ctaylor-osv]

@sacag I was struggling with this myself and I found that if I added the --exclusively, -e flag to the synth command, I could get it to generate the YAML for the dependent stack. Hope that helps.

[shivlaks]

bumping this up as a p1 to prioritize a fix