chocolatey/choco · error · ApplicationException

When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify

Error message

When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify --name.

What it means

Thrown by ChocolateySourceCommand.Validate when the subcommand is not 'list' and no --name was provided. All non-list source operations (add, remove, disable, enable) require a --name to identify which source to act upon. Without a name the operation has no target.

Source

Thrown at src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/commands/ChocolateySourceCommand.cs:110

            Enum.TryParse(unparsedCommand, true, out command);
            if (command == SourceCommandType.Unknown)
            {
                if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(unparsedCommand))
                {
                    this.Log().Warn("Unknown command {0}. Setting to list.".FormatWith(unparsedCommand));
                }

                command = SourceCommandType.List;
            }

            configuration.SourceCommand.Command = command;
        }

        public virtual void Validate(ChocolateyConfiguration configuration)
        {
            if (configuration.SourceCommand.Command != SourceCommandType.List && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(configuration.SourceCommand.Name))
            {
                throw new ApplicationException("When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify --name.".FormatWith(configuration.SourceCommand.Command.ToStringSafe().ToLower()));
            }

            if (configuration.SourceCommand.Command == SourceCommandType.Add && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(configuration.Sources))
            {
                throw new ApplicationException("When specifying the subcommand 'add', you must also specify --source.");
            }

            if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(configuration.SourceCommand.Username) && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(configuration.SourceCommand.Password))
            {
                this.Log().Debug(ChocolateyLoggers.LogFileOnly, "Username '{0}' provided. Asking for password.".FormatWith(configuration.SourceCommand.Username));
                System.Console.Write("User name '{0}' provided. Password: ".FormatWith(configuration.SourceCommand.Username));
                configuration.SourceCommand.Password = InteractivePrompt.GetPassword(configuration.PromptForConfirmation);
            }
        }

        public virtual void HelpMessage(ChocolateyConfiguration configuration)
        {
            this.Log().Info(ChocolateyLoggers.Important, "Source Command");

View on GitHub (pinned to 0d5abdd10c)

Solutions

1. Add the --name flag with the source name: 'choco source disable --name=myfeed'.
2. Run 'choco source list' first to see configured source names.
3. For add operations, also remember --source (the URL) is required.

Example fix

// before
choco source disable
// after
choco source disable --name="myfeed"

// For non-list source ops, ensure --name
if (sourceSubcommand != "list" && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(sourceName))
{
    Console.Error.WriteLine($"choco source {sourceSubcommand} requires --name=<source>.");
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running 'choco source add', 'choco source remove', 'choco source disable', or 'choco source enable' without --name=<source-name>. The condition: SourceCommand.Command != List AND SourceCommand.Name is empty.

Common situations: User runs 'choco source disable' without specifying which source. User expects an interactive prompt but the command requires explicit --name. Script omits --name due to a variable expansion issue.

Related errors

• When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify
• A Rule Name (-n|--name) is required when getting information
• When specifying the subcommand 'add', you must also specify
• When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify
• Package name is required. Please pass at least one package n

AI-assisted analysis of chocolatey/choco@0d5abdd10c (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d0c3dbf86e5de405. Report an issue: GitHub.