MemPalace/mempalace · error · ValueError

source_file contains null bytes

Error message

source_file contains null bytes

What it means

Error "source_file contains null bytes" thrown in MemPalace/mempalace.

Source

Thrown at mempalace/mcp_server.py:1817

    Unlike wing/room, a source_file is a path: ``/``, ``\\`` and ``.`` are
    legal, so it is NOT run through ``sanitize_name`` (which rejects path
    characters as traversal attempts). The value is matched verbatim as a
    ChromaDB metadata-equality / parameterized-SQL value — never used as a
    filesystem path — so there is no traversal risk to guard against. A null
    byte or a pathological length can still upset the backend (chromadb
    add/upsert chokes on null bytes / lone surrogates, #1235), so guard those
    for parity with ``sanitize_name``. Blank / whitespace-only is "no filter".
    """
    if value is None:
        return None
    if not isinstance(value, str):
        raise ValueError("source_file must be a string")
    value = value.strip()
    if not value:
        return None
    if "\x00" in value:
        raise ValueError("source_file contains null bytes")
    if value != strip_lone_surrogates(value):
        raise ValueError("source_file contains invalid surrogate characters")
    if len(value) > _MAX_SOURCE_FILE_LENGTH:
        raise ValueError(
            f"source_file exceeds maximum length of {_MAX_SOURCE_FILE_LENGTH} characters"
        )
    return value


# The #1128 date-filter helpers moved to ``mempalace.date_window`` so the
# search-side window (#463) can share them without importing this module
# (whose import installs MCP stdio protection). Aliased under their
# historical private names — every call site and test keeps working.
_parse_date_filter = parse_date_bound
_filed_at_in_window = filed_at_in_window


# ==================== READ TOOLS ====================

View on GitHub (pinned to 06cb6987f0)

Solutions

1. Remove null bytes from the source_file value

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at mempalace/mcp_server.py:1817 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: Client payload contained a NUL character in the path.

AI-assisted analysis of MemPalace/mempalace@06cb6987f0 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ca11926a88f54348. Report an issue: GitHub.