How to pass arguments in bulk to another step in a Github Action?

Question

I want to pass the value set by core.setOutput to different steps at once. So I passed the outputs of the step hello-action to another step:

//index.js
const core = require("@actions/core");
core.setOutput("res1","res1");
core.setOutput("res2","res2");
core.setOutput("res3","res3");

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    name: Hello
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@master
      - name: run hello action
        id: hello-action
        run: node index.js
      - name: run hello2 action
        id: hello2-action
        run: node index2.js
        with:
          outputs: ${{ steps.hello-action.outputs }}

point is this.

outputs: ${{ steps.hello-action.outputs }}

The type of the above value is an object, but I couldn't access the key inside the object.

//index2.js
const core = require("@actions/core");
const outputs = core.getInput("outputs");
console.log("hello2 outputs:", outputs); //result is [object Object]
console.log("hello2 outputs:", outputs.res1); //result is undefined

Is there a way to pass arguments in bulk?

Answer 1

Objects cannot be transferred to output from action, only strings. Therefore, when passing an object from a custom action toString() method will be called on it. As a result, you get your [object Object] already at the moment of performing this action here:

- name: run hello action
  id: hello-action
  run: node index.js

To transfer data structures from a custom action, cast object to JSON string using JSON.stringify() method.

first action

//index1.js
const obj = {
    field1: "value1",
    field2: "value2",
}
core.setOutput("outputs", JSON.stringify(obj));

And in your second step, parse the JSON string

second action

//index2.js
const core = require("@actions/core");
const outputs = JSON.parse(core.getInput("outputs"));

This should help you.