abiosoft/colima · error

error reading embedded file: %w

Error message

error reading embedded file: %w

What it means

Fatal error in `colima template`'s RunE when embedded.ReadString('defaults/abort.yaml') cannot read the abort header from the go:embed filesystem baked into the binary. Unlike the start --edit path (which only warns), the template command aborts. The embedded FS cannot fail at runtime for official binaries, so this indicates a broken or nonstandard build.

Source

Thrown at cmd/template.go:33

// templateCmd represents the template command
var templateCmd = &cobra.Command{
	Use:     "template",
	Aliases: []string{"tmpl", "tpl", "t"},
	Short:   "edit the template for default configurations",
	Long: `Edit the template for default configurations of new instances.
`,
	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
		if templateCmdArgs.Print {
			fmt.Println(templateFile())
			return nil
		}
		// there are unwarranted []byte to string overheads.
		// not a big deal in this case

		abort, err := embedded.ReadString("defaults/abort.yaml")
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error reading embedded file: %w", err)
		}
		info, err := embedded.ReadString("defaults/template.yaml")
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error reading embedded file: %w", err)
		}
		template, err := templateFileOrDefault()
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error reading template file: %w", err)
		}

		tmpFile, err := waitForUserEdit(templateCmdArgs.Editor, []byte(abort+"\n"+info+"\n"+template))
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("error editing template file: %w", err)
		}
		if tmpFile == "" {
			return fmt.Errorf("empty file, template edit aborted")
		}
		defer func() {

View on GitHub (pinned to c3a5f9184d)

Solutions

1. Reinstall colima from an official channel (brew, Nix, release binaries) to rule out a bad build
2. If building from source, ensure embedded/defaults/abort.yaml exists relative to the //go:embed directive in embedded/embed.go, then rebuild

When it happens

Trigger: Running `colima template` with a binary compiled from a tree where embedded/defaults/abort.yaml was removed/renamed without updating //go:embed; a corrupted binary. Not reproducible via user config.

Common situations: Local developer builds after moving embedded assets; third-party repackaged colima binaries.

Related errors

• error reading template file: %w
• unable to read embedded file: %w
• error parsing incus config template: %w
• error applying nerdctl script template: %w
• error editing template file: %w

AI-assisted analysis of abiosoft/colima@c3a5f9184d (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fb7392ee9b20c38d. Report an issue: GitHub.