Mintplex-Labs/anything-llm · error

type requires argument

Error message

type requires <text> argument

What it means

cdp-input argument validation for action 'type': argv[3] must be a non-empty string; the helper types it character by character with randomized human-like delays via Input.dispatchKeyEvent (keyDown with text, then keyUp). An empty/missing text argument aborts before any keystroke is sent.

Solutions

1. Pass the text as a single quoted argument: node cdp-input.js type 'hello world' [tabFilter]
2. Quote shell variables in the caller: "type" "$TEXT" so empty expands visibly and can be caught upstream
3. To clear a field, use key presses (Ctrl+A / Backspace) rather than an empty type call

Example fix

# before
node cdp-input.js type $USER_INPUT        # empty var -> argv[3] missing
# after
node cdp-input.js type "$USER_INPUT"      # or guard: [ -n "$USER_INPUT" ] && ...

const text = process.argv[3];
if (typeof text !== 'string' || text.length === 0) { console.error('usage: cdp-input.js type <text> [tabFilter]'); process.exit(2); }

function isNonEmptyString(s: unknown): s is string { return typeof s === 'string' && s.length > 0; }

try { await sendInput('type', text); } catch (e) { if (/type requires <text> argument/.test(e.message)) { /* caller bug: fix text production, never retry empty */ } else throw e; }

When it happens

Trigger: Running `node cdp-input.js type` with no text argument, an empty string argument, or an argument that shell-expansion swallowed (unquoted empty variable: type "" or type $EMPTY).

Common situations: Calling scripts pass an unset variable ($TEXT with TEXT empty) which bash drops entirely; quoting mistakes; intentional empty-string clears being unsupported (use key Backspace instead).

Understand the failure class

Background: "Unknown argument", "Invalid value", and "must be one of": invalid CLI argument errors explained — this error's family across 35 libraries.

Related errors

• click requires coordinates
• key requires argument (e.g. Enter, Tab, Escape)
• No browser tab matching
• No browser pages open.
• No browser pages open.

AI-assisted analysis of Mintplex-Labs/anything-llm@3aec848f28 (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/038487d3f9824447. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at open-computer/services/interface-service/utils/cdp-input.js:147

      }, sessionId);
      await sleep(50);

      // Press
      await cdpSend(ws, "Input.dispatchMouseEvent", {
        type: "mousePressed", x, y, button: "left", clickCount: 1
      }, sessionId);
      await sleep(30 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 40));

      // Release
      await cdpSend(ws, "Input.dispatchMouseEvent", {
        type: "mouseReleased", x, y, button: "left", clickCount: 1
      }, sessionId);

      process.stdout.write(`clicked at (${x}, ${y})`);

    } else if (action === "type") {
      const text = process.argv[3];
      if (!text) throw new Error("type requires <text> argument");

      // Type each character individually with realistic delays
      for (let i = 0; i < text.length; i++) {
        const char = text[i];

        // dispatchKeyEvent with char sends the character as a trusted keyboard input
        await cdpSend(ws, "Input.dispatchKeyEvent", {
          type: "keyDown",
          text: char,
          key: char,
          code: charToCode(char),
          unmodifiedText: char,
        }, sessionId);

        await cdpSend(ws, "Input.dispatchKeyEvent", {
          type: "keyUp",
          key: char,
          code: charToCode(char),

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