{"id":"9b873ca4ac913e1d","repo":"rust-lang/cargo","slug":"could-not-compile-due-to-error-count-previous-ta","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"could not compile due to {error_count} previous target resolution error{plural}","messagePattern":"could not compile due to (.+?) previous target resolution error(.+?)","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"anyhow::Error","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"src/ops/cargo_compile/mod.rs","lineNumber":629,"sourceCode":"    }\n\n    // Validate target src path for each root unit\n    let mut error_count: usize = 0;\n    for unit in &root_units {\n        if let Some(target_src_path) = unit.target.src_path().path() {\n            validate_target_path_as_source_file(\n                gctx,\n                target_src_path,\n                unit.target.name(),\n                unit.target.kind(),\n                unit.pkg.manifest_path(),\n                &mut error_count,\n            )?\n        }\n    }\n    if error_count > 0 {\n        let plural: &str = if error_count > 1 { \"s\" } else { \"\" };\n        anyhow::bail!(\n            \"could not compile due to {error_count} previous target resolution error{plural}\"\n        );\n    }\n\n    if honor_rust_version.unwrap_or(true) {\n        let rustc_version = target_data.rustc.version.clone().into();\n\n        let mut incompatible = Vec::new();\n        let mut local_incompatible = false;\n        for unit in unit_graph.keys() {\n            let Some(pkg_msrv) = unit.pkg.rust_version() else {\n                continue;\n            };\n\n            if pkg_msrv.is_compatible_with(&rustc_version) {\n                continue;\n            }\n","sourceCodeStart":611,"sourceCodeEnd":647,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/blob/0e07a155371a6ce88ae53a2c00df940280c09a67/src/ops/cargo_compile/mod.rs#L611-L647","documentation":"Aggregate bail emitted after per-target source-path validation (validate_target_path_as_source_file) has already printed detailed errors and incremented error_count. Each root unit whose target.src_path() resolves to a file is validated; if validation fails for any, this summary halts compilation. See src/ops/cargo_compile/mod.rs:613-632.","triggerScenarios":"A target table ([[bin]], [[example]], [[test]], [[bench]]) or [lib] declares a path that does not point to a valid .rs source file (e.g. points to a directory, a non-existent file, or a file that fails the source-file checks). The loop over root_units records failures into error_count, then bails.","commonSituations":"Renaming/moving a source file without updating `path =` in Cargo.toml. Pointing a [[bin]] target at a directory instead of src/main.rs. A generated source file that does not yet exist at build time. Case-sensitivity mismatches on case-insensitive filesystems after a rename.","solutions":["Read the preceding detailed error lines above this summary; they name the exact offending target and path.","Correct the `path =` value in the target's Cargo.toml entry to point to the real .rs file.","If the file is generated, ensure the generation step runs before compile (e.g. a build.rs / xtask) or remove the target until the file exists.","Run `cargo build` again to confirm error_count is now 0."],"exampleFix":"# before\n[[bin]]\nname = \"cli\"\npath = \"src/cli\"        # directory, not a file -> resolution error\n\n# after\n[[bin]]\nname = \"cli\"\npath = \"src/cli/main.rs\"","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"// Pre-check that every declared target's src path is a real .rs file.\nuse std::path::Path;\n\nfn target_paths_ok(pkg: &cargo::core::Package) -> bool {\n    pkg.targets().iter().all(|t| {\n        t.src_path().path().map(|p| p.is_file()).unwrap_or(true)\n    })\n}\n// for ws in members: assert!(target_paths_ok(pkg));","typeGuard":"fn valid_target_src(pkg: &cargo::core::Package) -> Result<(), String> {\n    for t in pkg.targets() {\n        if let Some(p) = t.src_path().path() {\n            if !p.is_file() {\n                return Err(format!(\"{}: missing source {}\", t.name(), p.display()));\n            }\n        }\n    }\n    Ok(())\n}","tryCatchPattern":"// The detailed errors are printed before the aggregate bail; capture shell output.\nmatch ops::compile(ws, &opts) {\n    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains(\"previous target resolution error\") => {\n        eprintln!(\"one or more target source paths are invalid; check lines above\");\n        return Err(e);\n    }\n    r => r,\n}","preventionTips":["Run `cargo check` in CI to catch bad target paths early.","Keep `path =` in target tables in sync with the filesystem after renames.","Ensure generated sources exist before invoking compile."],"tags":["cargo","manifest","target-path","compilation","validation"],"analyzedSha":"0e07a155371a6ce88ae53a2c00df940280c09a67","analyzedAt":"2026-08-06T01:46:58.334Z","schemaVersion":2}