Incorrect and confusing CHROME_PATH error occurring when CHROME_PATH is not set

Provide the steps to reproduce

1. Run which chromium-browser to ensure chromium-browser is installed: /usr/bin/chromium-browser
2. Run echo $CHROME_PATH to ensure it is NOT set:
3. Run chromium-browser --product-version to ensure installed version is at least 66 (as per https://github.com/GoogleChrome/lighthouse/blob/52826e5536517453c154e8870ce2868f9222a991/lighthouse-cli/cli-flags.js#L93 ): 69.0.3497.81
4. Run lighthouse --version to ensure latest version: 3.1.1
5. Run lighthouse --quiet --no-update-notifier --no-enable-error-reporting --output=json --chrome-flags="--headless" https://**** replace **** with any site.

What is the current behavior?

Displays the following error:

Runtime error encountered: The environment variable CHROME_PATH must be set to executable of a build of Chromium version 54.0 or later.
Error
    at new LauncherError (/opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/utils.js:35:22)
    at new ChromePathNotSetError (/opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/utils.js:42:9)
    at Object.linux (/opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-finder.js:108:15)
    at Launcher.<anonymous> (/opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:143:80)
    at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
    at /opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:12:71
    at new Promise (<anonymous>)
    at __awaiter (/opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:8:12)
    at Launcher.launch (/opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:131:16)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/opt/pagespeed/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:52:24)

What is the expected behavior?

Lighthouse should find the chromium-browser from the PATH, and run the request. I just upgraded from 3.0.1 to 3.1.1 and it was working prior to my upgrade.

NOTE: If I replace the command with CHROME_PATH=/usr/bin/chromium-browser lighthouse --quiet --no-update-notifier --no-enable-error-reporting --output=json --chrome-flags="--headless" https://**** it works perfectly, but I’d like to avoid this if possible.

Environment Information

• Affected Channels: CLI (didn’t test other channels)
• Lighthouse version: 3.1.1
• Node.js version: 10.11.0
• Operating System: Ubuntu Server 18.04.1 LTS

Related issues

[wardpeet]

@klick-barakgall yes, we will release it when it’s a bit more battle tested. I checked it in docker. I’m installing ubuntu as we speak to get it validated too.

The message is small todo which I can handle in a separate PR. Thanks for pointing out. I’ll keep you updated.

[Vasiharan]

Still getting the same error

(node:4255) UnhandledPromiseRejectionWarning: Error at new LauncherError (/var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/utils.js:35:22) at new ChromePathNotSetError (/var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/utils.js:42:9) at Object.linux (/var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-finder.js:108:15) at Launcher.<anonymous> (/var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:143:80) at Generator.next (<anonymous>) at /var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:12:71 at new Promise (<anonymous>) at __awaiter (/var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:8:12) at Launcher.launch (/var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:131:16) at Object.<anonymous> (/var/www/node_modules/chrome-launcher/dist/chrome-launcher.js:52:24)