astrid-runtime/astrid · error

is redirected

Error message

{} is redirected: {}

What it means

The run-dir resolver validates the configured directory variable's path: after rejecting '.'/'..' components, it uses symlink_metadata and refuses any path that is a symlink with InvalidData, formatting '{VARIABLE} is redirected: <path>'. This enforces that run directories are real directories, never redirects that could move runtime state outside the intended location.

Solutions

1. Set the run-dir variable to a path that is (or create) a real directory — mkdir the literal path and keep the data there instead of a link.
2. If capacity requires another volume, mount that volume at the configured path (mountpoint of a real dir is fine; a symlink is not).
3. Remove the symlink and relocate content: rm <link> && mv <target> <path>.

Example fix

// before
export ASTRID_RUN_DIR=/tmp/astrid   # /tmp -> private/tmp on macOS
// after
mkdir -p /var/astrid/run
export ASTRID_RUN_DIR=/var/astrid/run

fn validate_run_dir(raw: &str) -> io::Result<()> {
    let p = PathBuf::from(raw);
    if p.components().any(|c| matches!(c, Component::CurDir | Component::ParentDir)) {
        return Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, "bad components"));
    }
    if std::fs::symlink_metadata(&p)?.file_type().is_symlink() {
        return Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, "run dir is a symlink"));
    }
    Ok(())
}

fn run_dir_is_real(p: &Path) -> bool {
    std::fs::symlink_metadata(p).map(|m| !m.file_type().is_symlink() && m.is_dir()).unwrap_or(false)
}

match RunDir::configured_path() {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("is redirected") => eprintln!("use a real directory, not a symlink: {e}"),
    other => other?,
}

When it happens

Trigger: The env variable / config that sets the run dir (e.g. during resolved(), called from configured_path() or validate()) points to a path that is a symlink — including the classic /tmp on macOS or user-home symlink setups.

Common situations: User pointed the run-dir env var at /tmp or ~/... which is a symlink on their OS; admins symlinked the run dir to another volume; default locations resolved through /var or /run symlinks.

Related errors

• canonical Astrid workspace requires the kernel workspace…
• capsule path escaped source root
• directory symlink not allowed in capsule source tree…
• duplicate corpus label
• Failed to resolve ASTRID_HOME for handshake

AI-assisted analysis of astrid-runtime/astrid@affd8760f4 (2026-09-09). Data as JSON: /api/errors/8a77e56da8f2a03c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at crates/astrid-core/src/dirs_run_dir.rs:38

        return Ok(None);
    };
    let path = PathBuf::from(raw);
    if path.as_os_str().is_empty() {
        return Err(invalid("must not be empty"));
    }
    if !path.is_absolute() {
        return Err(invalid("must be an absolute path"));
    }
    if path
        .components()
        .any(|component| matches!(component, Component::ParentDir | Component::CurDir))
    {
        return Err(invalid("must not contain '.' or '..' path components"));
    }

    match std::fs::symlink_metadata(&path) {
        Ok(metadata) if metadata.file_type().is_symlink() => {
            return Err(io::Error::new(
                io::ErrorKind::InvalidData,
                format!("{VARIABLE} is redirected: {}", path.display()),
            ));
        },
        Ok(metadata) if !metadata.is_dir() => {
            return Err(io::Error::new(
                io::ErrorKind::InvalidData,
                format!("{VARIABLE} is not a real directory: {}", path.display()),
            ));
        },
        Ok(_) => {},
        Err(error) if error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {},
        Err(error) => return Err(error),
    }
    crate::platform_fs::verify_no_redirects(&path)?;

    let physical_run = physical_path(&path)?;
    let physical_root = physical_path(home.root())?;

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