"Build an Image" Docker tutorial not working with Packer docker image

Packer
1

Hi all,

I’m trying to go through the Packer tutorial on building a Docker image.
(Build an image | Packer | HashiCorp Developer)
This works on my system when Packer is directly installed in the environment but doesn’t work if i try using the Hashicorp Packer docker container (Docker)
When running through the tutorial i can generate a docker image from the .pkr.hcl file.
Doing the same as stated in the tutorial, but using the packer docker image i get the following result.

$ docker run -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace -e PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH=/workspace/.packer.d/plugins hashicorp/packer:latest init .
Installed plugin github.com/hashicorp/docker v1.0.5 in "/workspace/.packer.d/plugins/github.com/hashicorp/docker/packer-plugin-docker_v1.0.5_x5.0_linux_amd64"
$ docker run -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace -e PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH=/workspace/.packer.d/plugins hashicorp/packer:latest fmt .
$ docker run -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace -e PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH=/workspace/.packer.d/plugins hashicorp/packer:latest validate .
The configuration is valid.
$ docker run -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace -e PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH=/workspace/.packer.d/plugins hashicorp/packer:latest build .
learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: output will be in this color.

Build 'learn-packer.docker.ubuntu' errored after 917 microseconds: exec: "docker": executable file not found in $PATH

==> Wait completed after 989 microseconds

==> Some builds didn't complete successfully and had errors:
--> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: exec: "docker": executable file not found in $PATH

==> Builds finished but no artifacts were created.

My .pkr.hcl file is the same as the one in “Write packer template” part of the tutorial. Build an image | Packer | HashiCorp Developer

I’m wondering why I keep getting this error. Am i missing something here?

“docker”: executable file not found in $PATH

As stated earlier, the problem only occurs when using the packer docker image. Using the installed version of Packer seems to work without problems.

$ packer init .
$ packer fmt .
$ packer validate .
The configuration is valid.
$ packer build .
learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: output will be in this color.

==> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Creating a temporary directory for sharing data...
==> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Pulling Docker image: ubuntu:xenial
    learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: xenial: Pulling from library/ubuntu
    learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Digest: sha256:20858ebbc96215d6c3c574f781133ebffdc7c18d98af4f294cc4c04871a6fe61
    learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Status: Image is up to date for ubuntu:xenial
    learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: docker.io/library/ubuntu:xenial
==> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Starting docker container...
    learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Run command: docker run -v /home/cis/.config/packer/tmp3121193182:/packer-files -d -i -t --entrypoint=/bin/sh -- ubuntu:xenial
    learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Container ID: 6a60a71a03f0def89550f4644a722f9ccf62d4bb31316f8abc04cb7f9e766843
==> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Using docker communicator to connect: 172.17.0.2
==> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Committing the container
    learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Image ID: sha256:60afb0bc072c2e55c336cc02c5366b548b0186eda55a1fb1f88d01628d76bc1c
==> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Killing the container: 6a60a71a03f0def89550f4644a722f9ccf62d4bb31316f8abc04cb7f9e766843
Build 'learn-packer.docker.ubuntu' finished after 2 seconds 506 milliseconds.

==> Wait completed after 2 seconds 506 milliseconds

==> Builds finished. The artifacts of successful builds are:
--> learn-packer.docker.ubuntu: Imported Docker image: sha256:60afb0bc072c2e55c336cc02c5366b548b0186eda55a1fb1f88d01628d76bc1c
2

The reason is that the packer docker image doesn’t have docker itself. So if you use source "docker" "container" then it will not work as it needs docker engine running inside the packer docker image itself. So its docker in docker concept. If you still need packer docker image to build docker images then you need to build a custom docker image with source as the official one and using the method described here:

3

Sorry for the late reply.
But thank you for the clarification, this solves my issue.