affaan-m/ECC · error · FileExistsError

output already exists; choose a new --out

Error message

output already exists; choose a new --out: {path}

What it means

validate_output() refuses to overwrite existing files: it checks the output video path and its derived .fcpxml, .edl, .json siblings and raises FileExistsError if any exists (including dangling symlinks). This protects prior edits — each run's timelines reference shot files, so an accidental overwrite would destroy a previous edit.

Solutions

1. Choose a new --out path for the run.
2. Deliberately archive or delete the old output set (the video plus its .fcpxml/.edl/.json) before rerunning.
3. In automation, generate a unique name, e.g. out = f'edit_{datetime.now():%Y%m%d%H%M%S}.mp4'.

Example fix

# before
forge('noir', takes, out='edit.mp4')  # second run: exists

# after
from datetime import datetime
forge('noir', takes, out=f"edit_{datetime.now():%Y%m%d%H%M%S}.mp4")

from pathlib import Path

def output_is_free(out):
    p = Path(out)
    return not any(x.exists() or x.is_symlink()
                   for x in [p, *(p.with_suffix(s) for s in ('.fcpxml', '.edl', '.json'))])

try:
    forge(genre, takes, out=out)
except FileExistsError as e:
    print(f'pick a new --out: {e}')

When it happens

Trigger: Running forge twice with the same --out; an output, timeline, or manifest from a previous run still present at the target location; a leftover symlink at any of the four paths.

Common situations: Re-running a failed or successful job without changing --out; scheduled scripts reusing a fixed output name; resuming work in a directory that already contains edit.mp4/edit.fcpxml.

Understand the failure class

Background: "already exists" / EEXIST / FileAlreadyExistsException: what the 'file already exists' error means and how to fix it — this error's family across 37 libraries.

Related errors

• all overlays must be readable local files
• all takes must be readable local files
• base video must be a readable local file
• output must have a video suffix distinct from…
• Path does not exist

AI-assisted analysis of affaan-m/ECC@8321021c54 (2026-09-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/69c9688769394cc7. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at skills/taste-application/scripts/forge.py:46

import numpy as np

from taste import assemble as asm
from taste import cadence as cad_mod
from taste import frames as frame_mod
from taste import grade as grade_mod
from taste import pack as pack_mod
from taste import plates as plate_mod
from taste import timeline as tl_mod


def validate_output(out_path: Path) -> None:
    """Refuse to replace either a viewing copy or any part of its handoff."""
    outputs = [out_path, *(out_path.with_suffix(s) for s in (".fcpxml", ".edl", ".json"))]
    if len(set(outputs)) != len(outputs):
        raise ValueError("output must have a video suffix distinct from timeline/manifest files")
    for path in outputs:
        if path.exists() or path.is_symlink():
            raise FileExistsError(f"output already exists; choose a new --out: {path}")


def forge(
    genre: str,
    takes: list[str],
    out: str,
    root: str = "stylepacks",
    base_video: str | None = None,
    base_ratio: float = 0.35,
    overlays: list[str] | None = None,
    overlay_every: int = 4,
    overlay_opacity: float = 0.3,
    duration: float | None = None,
    strength: float = 1.0,
    grade_base: bool = True,
    width: int | None = None,
    height: int | None = None,
    work: str = "out/forge_work",

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