garrytan/gstack · error · Error

Missing value for --shards

Error message

Missing value for --shards

What it means

In parseArgs (scripts/test-free-shards.ts:248) the --shards flag must be followed by a value token. If --shards is the last argv token or the next token is missing, it throws. The parsed value is then Number.parseInt'd into shardCount.

Source

Thrown at scripts/test-free-shards.ts:248

  shardCount: number;
  shardIndex: number | null;
};

function parseCliOptions(argv: string[]): CliOptions {
  let dryRun = false;
  let listOnly = false;
  let windowsOnly = false;
  let shardCount = DEFAULT_SHARD_COUNT;
  let shardIndex: number | null = null;

  for (let index = 0; index < argv.length; index += 1) {
    const arg = argv[index];
    if (arg === '--dry-run') { dryRun = true; continue; }
    if (arg === '--list') { listOnly = true; continue; }
    if (arg === '--windows-only') { windowsOnly = true; continue; }
    if (arg === '--shards') {
      const value = argv[index + 1];
      if (!value) throw new Error('Missing value for --shards');
      shardCount = Number.parseInt(value, 10);
      index += 1;
      continue;
    }
    if (arg === '--shard') {
      const value = argv[index + 1];
      if (!value) throw new Error('Missing value for --shard');
      shardIndex = Number.parseInt(value, 10);
      index += 1;
      continue;
    }
    throw new Error(`Unknown argument: ${arg}`);
  }

  return { dryRun, listOnly, windowsOnly, shardCount, shardIndex };
}

function formatShardSummary(shards: string[][]): string[] {

View on GitHub (pinned to 94993f7401)

Solutions

1. Append the value: `--shards 4`
2. Use a shell default: `--shards ${N:-4}`
3. Skip the flag entirely to keep DEFAULT_SHARD_COUNT

Example fix

# before
test-free-shards --shards
# after
test-free-shards --shards 4

const i = argv.indexOf('--shards');
if (i !== -1 && argv[i + 1] == null) {
  console.error('Missing value for --shards');
  process.exit(2);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `test-free-shards --shards` at the end of the command. Shell variable feeding the value being unset and producing no token.

Common situations: Conditionally appending `--shards $N` in a script where N is unset. Trailing flag from a generated argv array.

Related errors

• Missing value for --shard
• Unknown host: ${val}. Use ${ALL_HOST_NAMES.join(', ')}, or a
• Unknown model: ${val}. Use ${ALL_MODEL_NAMES.join(', ')}, or
• Unknown catalog mode: ${val}. Use 'trim' (default) or 'full'
• Unknown explain level: ${val}. Use 'default' or 'terse'.

AI-assisted analysis of garrytan/gstack@94993f7401 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/846addeb0e446908. Report an issue: GitHub.