LGUG2Z/komorebi · error

unable to obtain user's home folder

Error message

unable to obtain user's home folder

What it means

startup_dir() builds the Windows Start Menu Startup folder path by joining fixed AppData segments onto dirs::home_dir(). If the home directory cannot be resolved, it panics with 'unable to obtain user's home folder'. This is used when creating the komorebi.lnk startup shortcut (komorebic startup / enable autostart).

Source

Thrown at komorebic/src/main.rs:1595

    GenerateStaticConfig,
    /// Generates the komorebi.lnk shortcut in shell:startup to autostart komorebi
    EnableAutostart(EnableAutostart),
    /// Deletes the komorebi.lnk shortcut in shell:startup to disable autostart
    DisableAutostart,
}

// print_query is a helper that queries komorebi and prints the response.
// panics on error.
fn print_query(message: &SocketMessage) {
    match send_query(message) {
        Ok(response) => println!("{response}"),
        Err(error) => panic!("{}", error),
    }
}

fn startup_dir() -> eyre::Result<PathBuf> {
    let startup = dirs::home_dir()
        .expect("unable to obtain user's home folder")
        .join("AppData")
        .join("Roaming")
        .join("Microsoft")
        .join("Windows")
        .join("Start Menu")
        .join("Programs")
        .join("Startup");

    if !startup.is_dir() {
        std::fs::create_dir_all(&startup)?;
    }

    Ok(startup)
}

#[allow(clippy::too_many_lines, clippy::cognitive_complexity)]
fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
    let opts: Opts = Opts::parse();

View on GitHub (pinned to e0709f02bf)

Solutions

1. Run the command from an interactive user session where USERPROFILE is set
2. Set USERPROFILE (or HOME) manually in the launching environment
3. Create the Startup folder manually if the profile is incomplete and skip shortcut installation
4. Verify the Windows profile AppData\Roaming structure exists

Example fix

// before
komorebic startup install
// after (ensure home resolves first)
set USERPROFILE=C:\Users\me
komorebic startup install

# PowerShell guard before installing the startup shortcut
if (-not $env:USERPROFILE -or -not (Test-Path "$env:USERPROFILE\AppData\Roaming")) {
  throw "User profile/Roaming unavailable; autostart install would panic"
}

// Wrap the invocation and fall back to manual shortcut creation
match run_komorebic("startup install") {
    Err(e) if e.contains("home folder") => create_startup_shortcut_manually(),
    other => other,
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling any komorebic command that touches the startup shortcut (e.g. 'komorebic startup install') while dirs::home_dir() returns None because USERPROFILE/HOME is missing.

Common situations: Installing the komorebi autostart shortcut from a service account, CI job, or environment with no USERPROFILE; running under a broken Windows profile without Roaming AppData.

Understand the failure class

Background: "environment variable is not set" and "Missing keys in environment" errors: what missing required env var messages mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 28 libraries.

Related errors

• there is no home directory
• $Env:KOMOREBI_CONFIG_HOME is set to '{home_path}', which is
• no home directory found
• there is no home directory
• there is no local data directory

AI-assisted analysis of LGUG2Z/komorebi@e0709f02bf (2026-09-06). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a14b8837d44e5634. Report an issue: GitHub.