[BUG] compose publish fails if env_file is missing

[llamafilm]

Description

When running docker compose publish if the env_file is missing it fails with this error:

env file /home/runner/work/high-desert-happenings/high-desert-happenings/.envs/.production/.django not found: stat /home/runner/work/high-desert-happenings/high-desert-happenings/.envs/.production/.django: no such file or directory

I believe the env_file is not needed for publishing, and it would be scary if it were because that's where I store secrets. Example file:

services:
  django:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: ./compose/production/django/Dockerfile
    image: ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_NAME}-django:latest
    env_file:
      - ./.envs/.production/.django
    command: /start

Steps To Reproduce

No response

Compose Version

Docker Compose version v2.40.0-desktop.1

Docker Environment

Anything else?

No response

[ndeloof]

publish will actually not allow publishing a compose file with env_file until you explicitly ask for it using --with-env.
As your compose file refers to an env_file it can't be published as a consumer would miss this required file

[llamafilm]

Ok thank you. That wasn't clear to me from the documentation.

I thought docker compose publish could be used as a shortcut for pushing multiple images at once, but in this case I'll just use docker push for each one instead.