chocolatey/choco · error · NotImplementedException

Alternative sources do not allow the use of the 'all'…

Error message

Alternative sources do not allow the use of the 'all' package name/keyword.

What it means

RubyGemsService.Install rejects the 'all' keyword: alternative sources cannot install all packages. If config.PackageNames equals ApplicationParameters.AllPackages it throws NotImplementedException before building arguments or running gem.

Solutions

Install explicit gem names with the Ruby source
Never pass 'all' to alternative sources
Loop over a gem list in your script instead of using 'all'

Example fix

// before
choco install all --source=ruby
// after
choco install rails sinatra --source=ruby

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if (config.PackageNames == ApplicationParameters.AllPackages) {
    throw new ArgumentException("The Ruby source does not support 'all'; pass explicit gem names.");
}

Try / catch

try { rubyService.Install(config); }
catch (NotImplementedException ex) when (ex.Message.Contains("'all'")) {
    logger.Error(ex.Message); // pass explicit names
}

Prevention

Never pass 'all' to the Ruby (or other alternative) source
List gems explicitly in scripts
Validate PackageNames against the source type before invoking

When it happens

Trigger: Calling choco install with PackageNames == 'all' against the Ruby source (SourceTypes.Ruby).

Common situations: Reusing 'all' from a NuGet-style install against the gem source; scripted bulk install that does not apply to alternative sources.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of chocolatey/choco@0d5abdd10c (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/450c984578487e43. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/services/RubyGemsService.cs:216

        }

        public void InstallDryRun(ChocolateyConfiguration config, Action<PackageResult, ChocolateyConfiguration> continueAction)
        {
            var args = ExternalCommandArgsBuilder.BuildArguments(config, _installArguments);
            args = args.Replace(PackageNameToken, config.PackageNames.Replace(';', ','));
            this.Log().Info("Would have run '{0} {1}'".FormatWith(ExePath.EscapeCurlyBraces(), args.EscapeCurlyBraces()));
        }

        public ConcurrentDictionary<string, PackageResult> Install(ChocolateyConfiguration config, Action<PackageResult, ChocolateyConfiguration> continueAction)
        {
            return Install(config, continueAction, beforeModifyAction: null);
        }

        public ConcurrentDictionary<string, PackageResult> Install(ChocolateyConfiguration config, Action<PackageResult, ChocolateyConfiguration> continueAction, Action<PackageResult, ChocolateyConfiguration> beforeModifyAction)
        {
            if (config.PackageNames.IsEqualTo(ApplicationParameters.AllPackages))
            {
                throw new NotImplementedException("Alternative sources do not allow the use of the 'all' package name/keyword.");
            }

            var packageResults = new ConcurrentDictionary<string, PackageResult>(StringComparer.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase);
            var args = ExternalCommandArgsBuilder.BuildArguments(config, _installArguments);

            foreach (var packageToInstall in config.PackageNames.Split(new[] { ApplicationParameters.PackageNamesSeparator }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries))
            {
                var argsForPackage = args.Replace(PackageNameToken, packageToInstall);
                var exitCode = _commandExecutor.Execute(
                    ExePath,
                    argsForPackage,
                    config.CommandExecutionTimeoutSeconds,
                    (s, e) =>
                        {
                            var logMessage = e.Data;
                            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(logMessage))
                            {
                                return;

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