Morganamilo/paru · error · anyhow::Error

can't find package name in packagelist

Error message

can't find package name in packagelist: {}

What it means

parse_package_list takes makepkg output lines that should be paths to built package files of the form pkgname-pkgver-pkgrel-arch.pkgext. It strips the directory, splits on '-', and requires at least 4 segments; fewer means the line is not a package filename, so the package name can't be extracted.

Solutions

1. Check the built files in the PKGBUILD directory: the filename must be pkgname-pkgver-pkgrel-arch.pkgext
2. Fix the PKGBUILD's pkgname/pkgver/pkgrel/arch so makepkg emits a conventional 4-part filename
3. Inspect makepkg's raw output for non-package lines and remove anything that alters the parsed list (e.g. custom PKGEXT/commands echoing extra text)

Example fix

// before (PKGBUILD)
pkgver=1.0
pkgrel=
// after (empty pkgrel produced malformed filename)
pkgver=1.0
pkgrel=1

// require basename to have pkgname-pkgver-pkgrel-arch shape
let file = line.rsplit('/').next().unwrap();
let split: Vec<&str> = file.split('-').collect();
if split.len() < 4 { eprintln!("unexpected package filename: {}", line); }

When it happens

Trigger: After build_pkgbuild/build_install_pkgbuild runs makepkg, an output line's basename splits into fewer than 4 '-'-separated parts — e.g. the file name contains unexpected formatting or the output line isn't a package path at all.

Common situations: PKGBUILD producing package files whose pkgname/pkgver contain characters that break the assumed split; custom PKGEXT or unusual naming; makepkg printing non-package lines that slip into the parsed output; package names containing hyphens are fine (rsplit takes fields from the right, but very short names like 'a-b-x.pkg.tar.zst' fall under 4 parts).

Related errors

• failed to parse srcinfo
• duplicate PKGBUILD
• {}: {}
• packages failed to build
• package list does not match srcinfo

AI-assisted analysis of Morganamilo/paru@9ac3578807 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a53406c652495e3b. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/install.rs:2067

        args.arg("d");
    }
}

fn parse_package_list(
    config: &Config,
    dir: &Path,
    pkgdest: Option<&str>,
) -> Result<(HashMap<String, String>, String)> {
    let output = exec::makepkg_output_dest(config, dir, &["--packagelist"], pkgdest)?;
    let output = String::from_utf8(output.stdout).context("pkgdest is not utf8")?;
    let mut pkgdests = HashMap::new();
    let mut version = String::new();

    for line in output.trim().lines() {
        let file = line.rsplit('/').next().unwrap();

        let split = file.split('-').collect::<Vec<_>>();
        ensure!(
            split.len() >= 4,
            "{}",
            tr!("can't find package name in packagelist: {}", line)
        );

        // pkgname-pkgver-pkgrel-arch.pkgext
        // This assumes 3 dashes after the pkgname, Will cause an error
        // if the PKGEXT contains a dash. Please no one do that.
        let pkgname = split[..split.len() - 3].join("-");
        version = split[split.len() - 3..split.len() - 1].join("-");
        pkgdests.insert(pkgname, line.to_string());
    }

    Ok((pkgdests, version))
}

fn needs_build(
    config: &Config,

View on GitHub (pinned to 9ac3578807)