gitbutlerapp/gitbutler · error · anyhow::Error

unsupported escape sequence '\{other}'

Error message

unsupported escape sequence '\{other}'

What it means

Raised by `parse_quoted_string` when a backslash escape inside a quoted squash message is followed by a character other than the supported set. Only `\\`, `\"`, `\n`, `\r`, `\t` are recognized.

Source

Thrown at crates/but-workspace/src/branch/integrate_branch_upstream/parsing.rs:194

    parse_quoted_string(value)
}

fn parse_quoted_string(input: &str) -> Result<String> {
    if !input.starts_with('"') {
        bail!("message must start with a double quote");
    }

    let mut output = String::new();
    let mut escaped = false;
    for (index, ch) in input.char_indices().skip(1) {
        if escaped {
            let resolved = match ch {
                '\\' => '\\',
                '"' => '"',
                'n' => '\n',
                'r' => '\r',
                't' => '\t',
                other => bail!("unsupported escape sequence '\\{other}'"),
            };
            output.push(resolved);
            escaped = false;
            continue;
        }

        match ch {
            '\\' => escaped = true,
            '"' => {
                let trailing = input[index + ch.len_utf8()..].trim();
                if trailing.is_empty() {
                    return Ok(output);
                }
                bail!("unexpected trailing characters after quoted message");
            }
            other => output.push(other),
        }
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to caf1f223d3)

Solutions

1. Replace the unsupported escape: double the backslash for a literal one (`\\`), or remove it.
2. Keep control characters to the supported set (\n, \r, \t); anything else must be written literally.

Example fix

# before
squash 4f2a 991b | message="match \d+ exactly"

# after
squash 4f2a 991b | message="match \\d+ exactly"

if let Err(err) = parse_integration_steps_script(&script, &divergence) {
    if err.to_string().contains("unsupported escape sequence") {
        // tell user only \\ \" \n \r \t are allowed
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: A message containing e.g. `\x22`, `\'`, `\0`, or a literal backslash before an unrelated char: `| message="path C:\\temp"` is fine but `"\d+"` bails.

Common situations: Messages with regex snippets, Windows paths written with single backslashes, or JSON-ish content pasted into the message where `\uXXXX`/`\x` escapes are expected.

Related errors

• unterminated escape sequence in quoted message
• message must start with a double quote
• unexpected trailing characters after quoted message
• unterminated quoted message
• line {line_number}: pick does not accept a message clause

AI-assisted analysis of gitbutlerapp/gitbutler@caf1f223d3 (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/88bb5df34c4b51e0. Report an issue: GitHub.