Debug This Error I Am Getting on Pulumi Up: Collecting Instance Settings: Couldn't Find Resource

In this guide, we will address the error message “* collecting instance settings: couldn’t find resource” that you might encounter while running pulumi up in a TypeScript Pulumi project. This error typically indicates that Pulumi is unable to locate a specified resource during the deployment process. We will walk through the steps to debug and resolve this issue, focusing on key services such as Pulumi, TypeScript, and the specific cloud provider’s SDK (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).

Step-by-Step Explanation

1. Verify Resource Names and IDs: Ensure that the resource names and IDs specified in your Pulumi program match those in your cloud provider’s console. Typos or incorrect IDs can lead to this error.
2. Check Resource Dependencies: Make sure that any dependencies between resources are correctly defined. If a resource depends on another resource that hasn’t been created yet, Pulumi may not be able to find it.
3. Review Pulumi Stack Configuration: Check your Pulumi stack configuration files (e.g., Pulumi.dev.yaml) for any misconfigurations or missing values that could affect resource creation.
4. Update Pulumi and Provider SDKs: Ensure that you are using the latest versions of the Pulumi CLI and the cloud provider SDKs. Run npm update to update your dependencies.
5. Inspect Pulumi Logs: Use the pulumi logs command to get detailed logs of the deployment process. This can provide more context about which resource is causing the issue.
6. Simplify the Program: If the error persists, try simplifying your Pulumi program to isolate the problematic resource. Gradually add resources back until you identify the one causing the issue.

Key Points

• Ensure resource names and IDs are correct and match those in the cloud provider’s console.
• Define resource dependencies accurately to avoid creation order issues.
• Check Pulumi stack configuration files for any misconfigurations.
• Keep Pulumi CLI and provider SDKs up to date.
• Use pulumi logs for detailed deployment logs.
• Simplify the Pulumi program to isolate and identify the problematic resource.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to debug and resolve the “* collecting instance settings: couldn’t find resource” error in your Pulumi TypeScript project. Ensuring that resource names, dependencies, and configurations are correct, along with keeping your tools up to date, will help prevent such issues in the future.

Full Code Example

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as aws from "@pulumi/aws";

// Create an S3 bucket
const bucket = new aws.s3.Bucket("my-bucket");

// Create an EC2 instance
const instance = new aws.ec2.Instance("my-instance", {
    ami: "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0", // Example AMI ID
    instanceType: "t2.micro",
    tags: {
        Name: "my-instance",
    },
});

// Export the instance ID and bucket name
export const instanceId = instance.id;
export const bucketName = bucket.bucket;