Sitecore Error Troubleshooting: Node.js error while setting Sitecore JSS Integrated Mode

Sitecore Error Troubleshooting: Node.js error while setting Sitecore JSS Integrated Mode

Problem Statement:

I was setting up the new machine with Sitecore Experience Platform 9.3 Initial Release and was successfully able to setup. After that I tried creating the Sitecore JSS Sample App and successfully able to use the sample app in Disconnected Application mode.

 Error-1: 
Once I tried deploying sample app into Sitecore using Integrated Mode and tried accessing the sample in Sitecore Experience Editor and I started getting following error:

Error Rendering Sitecore.JavaScriptServices.ViewEngine.Presentation.JsLayoutRenderer: Failed to start Node process. To resolve this: [1] Ensure that Node.js is installed and can be found in one of the PATH directories. Current PATH environment variable is: C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\windows\system32;C:\windows;C:\windows\System32\Wbem;C:\windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-9.0.4\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\130\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\150\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;C:\Program Files (x86)\dotnet\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe;C:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps Make sure the Node executable is in one of those directories, or update your PATH. [2] See the InnerException for further details of the cause

view raw Sitecore JavaScript Services Node js Error.log hosted with ❤ by GitHub

As a prerequisite of Sitecore JSS I already installed the Node.js latest version and it was running successfully, and did the verification of following items:
  •  Checked the Node.js version:
   

   • Checked the Path of Node.js in Environment Variables :
   

  •  Restarted the system also.

  All of the above steps didn’t help in opening the sample in Sitecore Experience Editor.

Error-2: 
Other error with while opening Sitecore JSS Site in Sitecore Horizon 9.3.0: "Failed to render a page: Failed to render the root extension, with error: Failed to render a fragment. Status code: InternalServerError, message: "

	Failed to render a page: Failed to render the root extension, with error: Failed to render a fragment. Status code: InternalServerError, message: "
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3751828+05:30 [INF] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) Sending file. Request path: '"/index.html"'. Physical path: '"C:\inetpub\wwwroot\horizon.sitecore930v1sc.dev.local\sitecore\Horizon.Client\Horizon.Client\dist\index.html"'
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3754690+05:30 [DBG] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) AuthenticationScheme: "BearerIdentityServerAuthenticationJwt" was successfully authenticated.
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3844082+05:30 [ERR] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) Connection id ""0HLUF4Q5HTPI6"", Request id ""0HLUF4Q5HTPI6:00000004"": An unhandled exception was thrown by the application.
	System.InvalidOperationException: Failed to start Node process. To resolve this:.
	[1] Ensure that Node.js is installed and can be found in one of the PATH directories.
	Current PATH enviroment variable is: C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\windows\system32;C:\windows;C:\windows\System32\Wbem;C:\windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-9.0.4\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\130\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\150\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;C:\Program Files (x86)\dotnet\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe;C:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps
	Make sure the Node executable is in one of those directories, or update your PATH.
	[2] See the InnerException for further details of the cause. ---> System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The system cannot find the file specified
	at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
	at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start()
	at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.OutOfProcessNodeInstance.LaunchNodeProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
	--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.OutOfProcessNodeInstance.LaunchNodeProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.OutOfProcessNodeInstance..ctor(String entryPointScript, String projectPath, String[] watchFileExtensions, String commandLineArguments, CancellationToken applicationStoppingToken, ILogger nodeOutputLogger, IDictionary`2 environmentVars, Int32 invocationTimeoutMilliseconds, Boolean launchWithDebugging, Int32 debuggingPort)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.HttpNodeInstance..ctor(NodeServicesOptions options, Int32 port)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.NodeServicesOptionsExtensions.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<UseHttpHosting>b__0()
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.NodeServicesImpl.GetOrCreateCurrentNodeInstance()
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.NodeServicesImpl.InvokeExportWithPossibleRetryAsync[T](String moduleName, String exportedFunctionName, Object[] args, Boolean allowRetry, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.SpaPrerenderingExtensions.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<<UseSpaPrerendering>b__1>d.MoveNext()
	--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.StaticFiles.StaticFileMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
	at Horizon.Client.ConfigureSitecore.<>c.<<Configure>b__5_2>d.MoveNext()
	--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
	at Sitecore.Services.GraphQL.Hosting.GraphQLCacheStatsMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
	at Sitecore.Horizon.API.Gateway.ConfigureSitecore.<>c__DisplayClass4_0.<<Configure>b__1>d.MoveNext()
	--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Cors.Infrastructure.CorsMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.Extensions.MapMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.Extensions.MapWhenMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.AuthenticationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
	at Sitecore.Plugin.Authentication.ErrorHandling.AuthenticationExceptionMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IISIntegration.IISMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext httpContext)
	at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.Kestrel.Core.Internal.Http.HttpProtocol.ProcessRequests[TContext](IHttpApplication`1 application)
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3883826+05:30 [DBG] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) Connection id ""0HLUF4Q5HTPI6"" completed keep alive response.
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3885877+05:30 [INF] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) Request finished in 17.528ms 500
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3892775+05:30 [INF] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) Received HTTP response after 19.7908ms - InternalServerError
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3893730+05:30 [INF] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) End processing HTTP request after 20.0121ms - InternalServerError
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3894349+05:30 [ERR] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) [Sitecore.FederatedUI.PageComposer] Failed to render a fragment root in region , with error: Failed to render a fragment. Status code: InternalServerError, message:
	2020-03-23T18:08:57.3896237+05:30 [ERR] (SerilogSample/amitkumar) [Sitecore.FederatedUI.PageComposer] Failed to render the root extension, with error: Failed to render a fragment. Status code: InternalServerError, message:
	Sitecore.FederatedUI.PageComposer.ComposingException: Failed to render the root extension, with error: Failed to render a fragment. Status code: InternalServerError, message:
	at Sitecore.FederatedUI.PageComposer.Loader.FragmentLoader.LoadFragments(Extension root, RequestContext requestContext, TimeSpan timeout)
	at Sitecore.FederatedUI.PageComposer.HtmlComposer.ComposeResponse(RequestContext requestContext, Layout layoutOptions)
	at Sitecore.FederatedUI.PageComposer.CoreHost.PageComposerMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context, HtmlComposer composer)

view raw Sitecore Horizon Error Log for Node.js hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Solution:

For Error-1: 
By default, the JSS Node engine will use your PATH variable and this setting defined on Sitecore instance (with JSS installed) at App_Config/Sitecore/JavaScriptServices/Sitecore.JavaScriptServices.ViewEngine.Node.config

In my case Sitecore JSS Framework was not able to recognize the path of Node.exe from the system/environment PATH variable.

With the help of Sitecore Stack Exchange Discussion Rendering Sitecore.JavaScriptServices.ViewEngine.Presentation.JsLayoutRenderer: Failed to start Node process, I found the solution to resolve error “Rendering Sitecore.JavaScriptServices.ViewEngine.Presentation.JsLayoutRenderer: Failed to start Node process. To resolve this: [1] Ensure that Node.js is installed and can be found in one of the PATH directories. Current PATH environment variable is:” we can add patch config which will inform Sitecore JSS engine to look for Node.js exe from particular location.

	<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
	<configuration xmlns:patch="http://www.sitecore.net/xmlconfig/">
	<sitecore>
	<javaScriptServices>
	<renderEngines>
	<renderEngine name="nodejs">
	<instance id="defaults">
	<NodePath>C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe</NodePath>
	</instance>
	</renderEngine>
	</renderEngines>
	</javaScriptServices>
	</sitecore>
	</configuration>

view raw zz.Sitecore.JavaScriptServices.ViewEngine.Node.config hosted with ❤ by GitHub

We can directly update /configuration/sitecore/javaScriptServices/renderEngines/renderEngine/instance/NodePath value at App_Config/Sitecore/JavaScriptServices/Sitecore.JavaScriptServices.ViewEngine.Node.config but good practice is to utilize the patch the config file.

After above fix, I was able to access the Sitecore JSS app in Integrated mode.

For Error-2:

After fixing of Error#1, I thought that Horizon application will be able to recognize the Node.exe path but it was not happening. Even I tried by adding the patch config for node.js in Horizon web app and tried .NET core (Horizon Application build using .NET Core Framework) related configuration also.

At the end, I placed the copy of node.exe file from C:\Program Files\nodejs to web root of Horizon Web application (Sitecore will create separate web application for Horizon) because when web application will initialize it will start looking into required resources in their own folders where it installed, for example if you are using any binaries in your webapplication then during start of application it will first find referenced binaries in local folder and after that it will look for Global Assembly Cache.

After above fix, I was able to access the Sitecore JSS app in Sitecore Horizon Application.

I hope this post will guide you to resolve the error “Failed to start Node process. To resolve this: [1] Ensure that Node.js is installed and can be found in one of the PATH directories. Current PATH environment variable is”.

Credit/References:

  • Rendering Sitecore.JavaScriptServices.ViewEngine.Presentation.JsLayoutRenderer: Failed to start Node process

Pingback:

 • Sitecore JSS installation

 • Sitecore JSS modes

 • Sitecore JSS integrated mode

 • Failed to start process node exec not found

 • Sitecore ensure that node.js is installed and can be found in one of the path directories

 • Install Sitecore Horizon

 • Sitecore Experience Platform