Docker compose doesn't recognize 'env_file'

Question

I am trying to run docker-compose up with the following configuration:

php:
    image: php:7.0-fpm
    expose:
        - 9000
    links:
        - nginx

nginx:
    env_file: .env
    image: nginx:latest
    ports:
        - 80:80
        - 433:433
    environment:
        - NGINX_HOST: ${APP_URL}

mysql:
    env_file: .env
    image: mysql:latest
    ports:
        - 3306:3306
    environment:
        - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${DB_PASSWORD}
        - MYSQL_DATABASE: ${DB_DATABASE}
        - MYSQL_USER: ${DB_USERNAME}
        - MYSQL_PASSWORD: ${DB_PASSWORD}
        - MYSQL_ALLOW_EMPTY_PASSWORD: no

I have an .env file in the same directory and am able to test the variable in the shell, but docker doesn't seem to load the .env.

WARNING: The APP_URL variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string.

WARNING: The DB_PASSWORD variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string.

WARNING: The DB_DATABASE variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string.

WARNING: The DB_USERNAME variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string.

ERROR: Validation failed in file './docker-compose.yaml'

UPDATE

I just changed the env_file value to point to a non-existing file and no errors are thrown. It seems like docker is completely ignoring the option.

You can always check if the docker-compose file is set up as you expected with: `docker-compose convert` Then you're able to see the actual settings (no need to trial and error). — Pedram, Nov 23 '22 at 07:51
I have the same issue using the same configuration file (except I'm using MariaDB instead of MySQL). It seems like PHP & MySQL are receiving the environment correctly whereas NGINX is not. I have to manually provide the environment variable to the `nginx` service by using the `environment` key. — Amin NAIRI, Feb 03 '23 at 10:36

Dov Benyomin Sohacheski · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-28T09:57:12.117

3

Like many other version related issues, updating to v1.7.1 of docker-compose resolved the issue, works like a charm!

edited May 28 '17 at 09:57

answered Jun 23 '16 at 06:20

Dov Benyomin Sohacheski

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3

How do you update docker-compose? I have the latest version of Docker 17.06.0 and docker-compose is 1.14.1 – ChrisRich Aug 14 '17 at 11:20
I also have compose in 1.14.0 and docker in 17.05 but can't get environment variables work in docker-compose file. – Lion Feb 04 '18 at 12:05

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 16 '19 at 20:54

I got this issue because I wasn't running $docker-compose up from the same directory as my .env and docker-compose.yml file. The command can still find the docker-compose.yml file, through a search, but it doesn't also search that location for the .env file.

Docker compose doesn't recognize 'env_file'

2 Answers2

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