Angular-cli: ng <command> --help does not work

[KissBalazs]

🐞 bug report

Affected Package

The issue is caused by package @angular/cli

Is this a regression?

not sure.

Description

Angular cli commands seems to be working, but the --help flag does not work in them in angular 8. It is suggested in the documentation in multiple places that it should.

🔬 Minimal Reproduction

(npm uninstall -g @angular/cli)
npm install -g @angular/cli@latest
ng generate --help

🔥 Exception or Error

forest@forest:~$ ng generate --help

An unhandled exception occurred: Unable to locate a workspace file for workspace path.
See "/tmp/ng-s4wanw/angular-errors.log" for further details.

forest@forest:~$ cat /tmp/ng-MYDOue/angular-errors.log

[error] Error: Unable to locate a workspace file for workspace path.
    at Object.readWorkspace (/home/forest/.nvm/versions/node/v12.3.1/lib/node_modules/@angular/cli/node_modules/@angular-devkit/core/src/workspace/core.js:74:19)
    at async GenerateCommand._loadWorkspace (/home/forest/.nvm/versions/node/v12.3.1/lib/node_modules/@angular/cli/models/schematic-command.js:442:35)
    at async GenerateCommand.initialize (/home/forest/.nvm/versions/node/v12.3.1/lib/node_modules/@angular/cli/models/schematic-command.js:40:9)
    at async GenerateCommand.initialize (/home/forest/.nvm/versions/node/v12.3.1/lib/node_modules/@angular/cli/commands/generate-impl.js:12:9)
    at async GenerateCommand.validateAndRun (/home/forest/.nvm/versions/node/v12.3.1/lib/node_modules/@angular/cli/models/command.js:124:9)
    at async Object.runCommand (/home/forest/.nvm/versions/node/v12.3.1/lib/node_modules/@angular/cli/models/command-runner.js:186:24)
    at async default_1 (/home/forest/.nvm/versions/node/v12.3.1/lib/node_modules/@angular/cli/lib/cli/index.js:54:31)forest@forest:~$ ^C

🌍 Your Environment

Angular Version:

Angular CLI: 8.3.19
Node: 12.3.1
OS: linux x64
Angular: 
... 

Package                      Version
------------------------------------------------------
@angular-devkit/architect    0.803.19
@angular-devkit/core         8.3.19
@angular-devkit/schematics   8.3.19
@schematics/angular          8.3.19
@schematics/update           0.803.19
rxjs                         6.4.0

Anything else relevant?
-

[santoshyadavdev]

Are you trying to run this from inside a Angular project? Or globally , to use ng generate --help you need to be inside an Angular workspace. Let me know if that works, we can update the docs if needed.

[KissBalazs]

Yep, that was the problem. Outside of an angular project, ng new --help works, ng generate --help does not. Inside they both works.

Although this might be a source of misunderstanding. Using the --help flag produces a different error than using the command itself:
forest@forest:~/projects$ ng generate
The generate command requires to be run in an Angular project, but a project definition could not be found.
forest@forest:~/projects$ ng generate --help
An unhandled exception occurred: Unable to locate a workspace file for workspace path. See "/tmp/ng-QM4fsM/angular-errors.log" for further details.

Best solution could be updating the error message a bit maybe. Thank you for the help!

[santoshyadavdev]

That's a good suggestion @alan-agius4 what's your thought on this?

[alan-agius4]

We should fix this 😊

[imrvasishtha]

Please try to update the docs also because it can create a problem for person like me who is new in angular. Thanks. cli#basic-workflow

[kuncevic]

Oh I believe it is really confused people who just new to angular cli and might be a kinda blocker for some, so this ng command --help should just work

Here is the list of commands that does not work outside the angular project https://github.com/angular/angular-cli/issues/19057:

ng build --help
ng serve --help
ng test --help
ng e2e --help
ng generate --help
ng add --help
ng lint --help
ng xi18n --help
ng run --help