commaai/openpilot · error

error: unknown option %s

Error message

error: unknown option %s

What it means

Printed by cabana's parseArgs for any argument beginning with '-' that matches no known option (--help/-h, --qcam, --msgq, --zmq, --data_dir, --dbc, --no-vipc, --panda, --panda-serial, --socketcan, --wide_road, --cabin). Usage is printed after the error and the process exits 1.

Source

Thrown at openpilot/tools/cabana/cabana.cc:113

      if (!takeValue(argc, argv, i, args.panda_serial)) return 1;
      args.panda = true;
    } else if (std::strcmp(a, "--socketcan") == 0) {
      if (!takeValue(argc, argv, i, args.socketcan)) return 1;
#ifdef __linux__
#else
      fprintf(stderr, "error: --socketcan is only supported on Linux\n");
      return 1;
#endif
    } else if (std::strcmp(a, "--zmq") == 0) {
      if (!takeValue(argc, argv, i, args.zmq)) return 1;
    } else if (std::strcmp(a, "--data_dir") == 0) {
      if (!takeValue(argc, argv, i, args.data_dir)) return 1;
    } else if (std::strcmp(a, "--no-vipc") == 0) {
      args.no_vipc = true;
    } else if (std::strcmp(a, "--dbc") == 0) {
      if (!takeValue(argc, argv, i, args.dbc)) return 1;
    } else if (a[0] == '-') {
      fprintf(stderr, "error: unknown option %s\n", a);
      printUsage(argv[0]);
      return 1;
    } else if (args.route.empty()) {
      args.route = a;
    } else {
      fprintf(stderr, "error: unexpected argument %s\n", a);
      printUsage(argv[0]);
      return 1;
    }
  }
  ok = true;
  return 0;
}

}  // namespace

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
  QCoreApplication::setApplicationName("Cabana");

View on GitHub (pinned to 516ec1e682)

Solutions

1. Run `cabana --help` and re-check the exact spelling of every flag in your command.
2. Note options taking values use a space (--dbc file.dbc), not '='.
3. Update stale scripts when you pull a new openpilot checkout; option sets change between versions.

Example fix

# before
cabana --qcamera <route>

# after
cabana --qcam <route>

KNOWN = {'--help','-h','--qcam','--msgq','--zmq','--data_dir','--dbc','--no-vipc','--panda','--panda-serial','--socketcan','--wide_road','--cabin'}
for a in args[1:]:
    if a.startswith('-') and a.split('=')[0] not in KNOWN:
        raise SystemExit(f'unknown cabana option {a}; see cabana --help')

When it happens

Trigger: Passing a misspelled or outdated flag: `cabana --qcamera` instead of --qcam, `--dir` instead of --data_dir, single-dash `-zmq`, or a flag removed/renamed in a newer cabana version.

Common situations: Copy-pasting commands from old documentation or forum posts; flags renamed upstream (e.g. camera-selection flags changed over time); scripts written against a different cabana build.

Related errors

• error: %s requires a value
• error: unexpected argument %s
• usage: encoderd --clip OUTPUT START DURATION [--bitrate BPS]
• clip encoding failed: %s
• error: --socketcan is only supported on Linux

AI-assisted analysis of commaai/openpilot@516ec1e682 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a647155ead56a743. Report an issue: GitHub.