Bringing local and remote repository in line with one another and adding Github Actions to publish package

src/utils/env-vars.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/**
+ * Strip quotes from a string (if they are present)
+ * 
+ * This is useful for environment variables because otherwise there can be unexpected behaviors between quoted and unquoted values
+ * 
+ * @param value The value to strip quotes from
+ * @returns The value without quotes
+ */
+function stripQuotes(value: string): string {
+    // Note we check BOTH the start and end of the string for quotes
+    // This is because we don't want to strip quotes from the middle of the string
+    // Or if for one reason or another there are quotes at one end but not the other
+    // 
+    // For instance, `abc"value"abc` should NOT be stripped to `abcvalueabc` 
+    // Further, `"value"abc` should NOT be stripped to `valueabc`
+    // Similarly, `value"abc"` should NOT be stripped to `valueabc`
+    // But `"value"` SHOULD BE stripped to `value`
+    // 
+    // In theory, the quotes should be used to avoid issues with spaces and other special characters and the encapsulated value should be treated as a single value and quotes removed
+    // But, for now, we'll just strip the quotes as described above
+    if(value.startsWith('"') && value.endsWith('"')) {
+        return value.slice(1, -1);
+    }
+
+    return value;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the value from an environment variable in a safe way
+ * 
+ * @param varname The name of the environment variable to get the value from
+ * @param options Options for getting the value from the environment variable. Optional.
+ * @param options.description A human readable description of the environment variable (used for error messages). Optional.
+ * @param options.default The default value to use if the environment variable is not defined. Optional.
+ * @param options.blank_allowed Whether a blank value is allowed. Optional. Default is true (blanks are allowed).
+ * @throws If the environment variable is not defined
+ * @returns The value of the environment variable
+ */
+export function getValueFromEnvironmentVariable(varname: string, options?: { description?: string, default?: string, blank_allowed?: boolean }): string {
+    // Verify if the environment variable is defined
+    if(typeof process.env[varname] === 'undefined' || process.env[varname] === null) {
+        if(typeof options !== 'undefined' && typeof options.default !== 'undefined') {
+            // Because the variable is not defined, but a default value is provided, return the default value
+            return options.default;
+        }
+        else {
+            // Because the variable is not defined AND no default value is provided, throw an error
+            throw new Error(`The ${typeof options !== 'undefined' && typeof options.description !== 'undefined' ? options.description : ''} (${varname} environment variable) is not defined`);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // If the value is blank and blanks are EXPLICITLY not allowed, return the default or throw an error
+    if(typeof options !== 'undefined' && typeof options.blank_allowed !== 'undefined' && !options.blank_allowed && process.env[varname] === '') {
+        if(typeof options.default !== 'undefined') {
+            // Because the variable is blank, but blanks aren't allowed AND a default value is provided, return the default value
+            return options.default;
+        }
+        else {
+            // Because the variable is blank, but blanks aren't allowed AND no default value is provided, throw an error
+            throw new Error(`The ${typeof options.description !== 'undefined' ? options.description : ''} (${varname} environment variable) cannot be blank`);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Strip quotes from the value before returning it
+    return stripQuotes(process.env[varname]);
+}