garrytan/gstack · error · Error

Cannot create state directory ${config.stateDir}: a file exi

Error message

Cannot create state directory ${config.stateDir}: a file exists at that path

What it means

Error "Cannot create state directory ${config.stateDir}: a file exists at that path" thrown in garrytan/gstack.

Source

Thrown at browse/src/config.ts:93

    networkLog: path.join(stateDir, 'browse-network.log'),
    dialogLog: path.join(stateDir, 'browse-dialog.log'),
    auditLog: path.join(stateDir, 'browse-audit.jsonl'),
  };
}

/**
 * Create the .gstack/ state directory if it doesn't exist.
 * Throws with a clear message on permission errors.
 */
export function ensureStateDir(config: BrowseConfig): void {
  try {
    mkdirSecure(config.stateDir);
  } catch (err: any) {
    if (err.code === 'EACCES') {
      throw new Error(`Cannot create state directory ${config.stateDir}: permission denied`);
    }
    if (err.code === 'ENOTDIR') {
      throw new Error(`Cannot create state directory ${config.stateDir}: a file exists at that path`);
    }
    throw err;
  }

  // Ensure .gstack/ is in the project's .gitignore
  const gitignorePath = path.join(config.projectDir, '.gitignore');
  try {
    const content = fs.readFileSync(gitignorePath, 'utf-8');
    if (!content.match(/^\.gstack\/?$/m)) {
      const separator = content.endsWith('\n') ? '' : '\n';
      fs.appendFileSync(gitignorePath, `${separator}.gstack/\n`);
    }
  } catch (err: any) {
    if (err.code !== 'ENOENT') {
      // Write warning to server log (visible even in daemon mode)
      const logPath = path.join(config.stateDir, 'browse-server.log');
      try {
        fs.appendFileSync(logPath, `[${new Date().toISOString()}] Warning: could not update .gitignore at ${gitignorePath}: ${err.message}\n`);

View on GitHub (pinned to 94993f7401)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at browse/src/config.ts:93 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of garrytan/gstack@94993f7401 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/48e24eb729869286. Report an issue: GitHub.