cocoindex-io/cocoindex · error · Error

Application file path not found

Error message

Application file path not found: {app_target}

What it means

Raised when the application target passed to the loader looks like a path (contains a path separator or ends in `.py`) but no file exists at that location. The loader distinguishes file-path targets from dotted module names with this heuristic and refuses to proceed for a nonexistent file.

Solutions

1. Run the CLI from the directory containing the app file, or pass an absolute path.
2. Check the path for typos and confirm the file exists (`ls`/`test -f <path>`).
3. If you meant an installed module, drop the path-like form and use the dotted module name (no `/` or `.py`).

Example fix

// before
cocoindex update ./src/main.py   # run from repo root, file is at ./app/main.py
// after
cocoindex update ./app/main.py

import os
if os.sep in target or target.lower().endswith(".py"):
    assert os.path.isfile(target), f"app file not found: {os.path.abspath(target)}"

try:
    app = cocoindex.user_app_loader.load_user_app(app_target)
except cocoindex.Error as e:
    if 'file path not found' in str(e):
        print(f'Check the path; cwd={os.getcwd()}'); sys.exit(1)
    raise

When it happens

Trigger: Running e.g. `cocoindex update ./main.py` or `cocoindex update app/main.py` from a directory where that file does not exist, or with a typo in the path.

Common situations: Running the CLI from the wrong working directory; typos in the filename; assuming relative paths resolve from the project root when the CLI resolves them from cwd; deleted or moved app file.

Understand the failure class

Background: "File not found" and ENOENT errors: why libraries can't find a file that should exist — this error's family across 50 libraries.

Related errors

• Could not create loader for file
• Could not create spec for file
• Failed importing file
• Failed importing ' ' from package
• Failed to load module

AI-assisted analysis of cocoindex-io/cocoindex@e84aa99b32 (2026-09-08). Data as JSON: /api/errors/56f7b49057784924. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at python/cocoindex/user_app_loader.py:58

    full_module_name = ".".join(package_parts + [module_name])
    if root_parent not in sys.path:
        sys.path.insert(0, root_parent)
    try:
        return importlib.import_module(full_module_name)
    except ImportError as e:
        raise Error(f"Failed importing '{full_module_name}' from package: {e}") from e


def load_user_app(app_target: str) -> types.ModuleType:
    """
    Loads the user's application, which can be a file path or an installed module name.
    Exits on failure.
    """
    looks_like_path = os.sep in app_target or app_target.lower().endswith(".py")

    if looks_like_path:
        if not os.path.isfile(app_target):
            raise Error(f"Application file path not found: {app_target}")
        app_path = os.path.abspath(app_target)
        app_dir = os.path.dirname(app_path)
        # Use the file basename as the module name (e.g. main.py -> "main"). This
        # matches the bare-module CLI form (`cocoindex update main`) so memo cache
        # keys are consistent across both, and avoids triggering the user's
        # `if __name__ == "__main__":` block during module loading.
        module_name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(app_path))[0]

        # If the file lives inside a package (directory has __init__.py),
        # load it as a proper submodule so that relative imports work.
        if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(app_dir, "__init__.py")):
            root_parent, package_parts = _find_package_root(app_dir)
            return _import_as_package_module(root_parent, package_parts, module_name)

        if app_dir not in sys.path:
            sys.path.insert(0, app_dir)
        try:
            spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, app_path)

View on GitHub (pinned to e84aa99b32)