argoproj/argo-workflows · error

%w

Error message

%w

What it means

The `argoexec data` command processes data templates (data sourcing/transformation in DAG steps). If execData fails, RunE re-wraps the error with `%w`, adding no context — the inner error from the data processing pipeline (artifact loading, transformation, source failure) is the actual cause.

Source

Thrown at cmd/argoexec/commands/data.go:22

	"context"
	"fmt"

	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace"

	"github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4/cmd/argoexec/executor"
	"github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4/util/logging"
	"github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4/workflow/executor/tracing"
)

func NewDataCommand() *cobra.Command {
	command := cobra.Command{
		Use:   "data",
		Short: "Process data",
		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
			err := execData(cmd.Context())
			if err != nil {
				return fmt.Errorf("%w", err)
			}
			return nil
		},
	}
	return &command
}

//nolint:contextcheck
func execData(ctx context.Context) error {
	ctx = tracing.InjectTraceContext(ctx)
	wfExecutor := executor.Init(ctx, clientConfig, varRunArgo)
	defer func() {
		if err := wfExecutor.Tracing.Shutdown(context.WithoutCancel(ctx)); err != nil {
			logging.RequireLoggerFromContext(ctx).WithError(err).Error(ctx, "Failed to shutdown tracing")
		}
	}()
	span := trace.SpanFromContext(ctx)

View on GitHub (pinned to 35bff19146)

Solutions

1. Read the wrapped cause — it identifies the failing source, transform, or artifact operation.
2. Validate the data template spec: source paths/URIs and the transform expression against the actual data.
3. Check that the workflow pod's service account has access to the data source (S3/GCS/etc.).
4. Inspect argoexec logs for the detailed stack before the re-wrap.

if err := execData(ctx); err != nil {
    logger.Error(ctx, "data processing failed", "err", err)
    return fmt.Errorf("data processing failed: %w", err)
}

When it happens

Trigger: `argoexec data` run inside a data-template step where the data source (e.g. artifact listing, S3/GCS/HTTP source) fails; transformation (e.g. JSON filtering) produces invalid output; executor cannot access the data source credentials.

Common situations: Misconfigured data source paths or URIs in a Workflow's data template; missing cloud credentials (IAM/SA) in the workflow pod; transformation expression matching zero records or producing malformed parameters.

Related errors

• %w
• not supported
• failed to create ctr directory: %w
• failed to create dependency dir: %w
• dependency %q exited with non-zero code: %d

AI-assisted analysis of argoproj/argo-workflows@35bff19146 (2026-09-03). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f5a4f4512404b538. Report an issue: GitHub.