`EmptyFiles` directory is missing from `dotnet publish` output after 31.7.2

[tbaliukynas]

Describe the bug

After upgrading Verify.NUnit from version 31.7.1 to 31.7.2 (or higher), tests started failing with the following error:

System.Exception : Failed to compare files
  ----> System.TypeInitializationException : The type initializer for 'EmptyFiles.AllFiles' threw an exception.
  ----> System.Exception : Could not find empty files directory. Searched: ...

My CI/CD workflow builds the test project once and then runs the compiled binaries on a schedule, so building and running tests are separate jobs. The test project is built using the dotnet publish command.

After inspecting the published output, I noticed that the EmptyFiles directory is missing. Downgrading to 31.7.1 resolves the issue.

Minimal Repro

Run the following:

git clone https://github.com/VerifyTests/Verify.git
cd ./Verify/usages/NUnitNugetUsage/
dotnet publish ./NUnitNugetUsage.csproj -o ./out/
ls -dir ./out/EmptyFiles/

Notice that the EmptyFiles directory is missing when using 31.7.2 or newer.

[SimonCropp]

does this still happen in the current version?

[tbaliukynas]

Yes, the issue is still reproducible in the latest version.

Repro

.
├── Program.cs
├── Sample.CompareImage.verified.png
├── Sample.png
└── VerifyIssue.csproj

<!-- VerifyIssue.csproj -->
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="18.0.1" />
    <PackageReference Include="NUnit" Version="4.5.0" />
    <PackageReference Include="Verify.ImageMagick" Version="3.8.3" />
    <PackageReference Include="Verify.NUnit" Version="31.13.0" />
    <PackageReference Include="NUnit3TestAdapter" Version="6.1.0" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Content Include="Sample.png">
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </Content>
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>

// Program.cs
[TestFixture]
public class Sample
{
    [OneTimeSetUp]
    public void Init()
    {
        VerifyImageMagick.Initialize();
        VerifyImageMagick.RegisterComparers(0.05);
    }

    [Test]
    public Task CompareImage() =>
        VerifyFile("Sample.png");
}

Run the following:

dotnet publish ./VerifyIssue.csproj -o ./out/
dotnet test ./out/VerifyIssue.dll

Notice the error:

A total of 1 test files matched the specified pattern.
  Failed CompareImage [255 ms]
  Error Message:
   System.Exception : Failed to compare files:
ReceivedPath: C:\VerifyIssue\Sample.CompareImage.received.png
VerifiedPath: C:\VerifyIssue\Sample.CompareImage.verified.png
  ----> System.TypeInitializationException : The type initializer for 'EmptyFiles.AllFiles' threw an exception.
  ----> System.Exception : Could not find empty files directory. Searched:
C:\VerifyIssue\out\EmptyFiles
C:\VerifyIssue\out\EmptyFiles
C:\VerifyIssue\out\EmptyFiles

[SimonCropp]

please submit a pull request with a failing unit test

[tbaliukynas]

This issue only occurs when running dotnet test against the published output. Since publishing is a separate step, a regular unit test won't gonna cut it - some sort of integration test is needed here.

I can add a small test project (something like Verify.PublishedOutput.Tests), publish it, and then run dotnet test on the published files to reproduce the issue. Let me know if that works for you.