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 by option or position.

What it means

Validate() requires a setting name for any config subcommand other than List. If ConfigCommand.Command != List and configuration.ConfigCommand.Name is blank, it throws, naming the offending subcommand. get/set/unset all need to know which config key to act on.

Source

Thrown at src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/commands/ChocolateyConfigCommand.cs:97

            {
                throw new ApplicationException("A single config command must be listed. Please see the help menu for those commands.");
            }

            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(configuration.ConfigCommand.Name) && unparsedArguments.Count >= 2)
            {
                configuration.ConfigCommand.Name = unparsedArguments[1];
            }
            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(configuration.ConfigCommand.ConfigValue) && unparsedArguments.Count >= 3)
            {
                configuration.ConfigCommand.ConfigValue = unparsedArguments[2];
            }
        }

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

            if (configuration.ConfigCommand.Command == ConfigCommandType.Set && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(configuration.ConfigCommand.ConfigValue))
            {
                throw new ApplicationException("When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify --value by option or position.".FormatWith(configuration.ConfigCommand.Command.ToStringSafe().ToLower()));
            }
        }

        public virtual void HelpMessage(ChocolateyConfiguration configuration)
        {
            this.Log().Info(ChocolateyLoggers.Important, "Config Command");
            this.Log().Info(@"
Chocolatey will allow you to interact with the configuration file settings.
");

            "chocolatey".Log().Info(ChocolateyLoggers.Important, "Usage");
            "chocolatey".Log().Info(@"
    choco config [list]|get|set|unset [<options/switches>]

View on GitHub (pinned to 0d5abdd10c)

Solutions

1. Add --name <setting> (or a positional name): 'choco config get --name cacheLocation'.
2. Use 'choco config list' to discover valid setting names first.
3. Ensure the name token isn't being consumed as a flag.

Example fix

# before
choco config set C:\cache

# after
choco config set --name cacheLocation --value C:\cache

// Non-list config subcommands require a name.
if (configVerb != "list" && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(name))
{
    throw new InvalidOperationException($"config {configVerb} requires --name");
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running 'choco config get', 'choco config set', or 'choco config unset' without --name and without a positional name token.

Common situations: Forgetting the setting name; passing the name as a value; assuming a bare subcommand lists/operates on all settings.

Related errors

• When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify
• A single config command must be listed. Please see the help
• When specifying the subcommand '{0}', you must also specify
• Name is required. Please pass in a name for the new package.
• Feature '{0}' is not supported.

AI-assisted analysis of chocolatey/choco@0d5abdd10c (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a851ed1617c1b259. Report an issue: GitHub.