gitlabhq/gitlabhq · error · Gitlab::Graphql::Errors::ArgumentError

#{end_name} must be greater than #{start_name}

Error message

#{end_name} must be greater than #{start_name}

What it means

The same validate_end_line_has_start! in LatestDiffNote also checks ordering: after confirming the start line exists, it requires end_line > start_line, otherwise it raises ArgumentError '<end> must be greater than <start>'. A range comment must span forward in the diff; equal or inverted ranges are rejected before the note is created.

Source

Thrown at app/graphql/mutations/notes/create/latest_diff_note.rb:82

        private

        def validate_line_range!(args)
          validate_end_line_has_start!(args[:end_new_line], args[:new_line], 'newLine', 'endNewLine')
          validate_end_line_has_start!(args[:end_old_line], args[:old_line], 'oldLine', 'endOldLine')
        end

        def validate_end_line_has_start!(end_line, start_line, start_name, end_name)
          return unless end_line

          unless start_line
            raise Gitlab::Graphql::Errors::ArgumentError,
              "#{start_name} is required when #{end_name} is provided"
          end

          return if end_line > start_line

          raise Gitlab::Graphql::Errors::ArgumentError,
            "#{end_name} must be greater than #{start_name}"
        end

        def create_note_params(noteable, args)
          super.merge({
            type: 'DiffNote',
            position: position(noteable, args),
            merge_request_diff_head_sha: args[:head_sha]
          })
        end

        def position(noteable, args)
          resolve_result = ::MergeRequests::ResolveDiffPositionService.new(
            noteable.project,
            current_user,
            merge_request: noteable,
            file_path: args[:file_path],
            new_line: args[:new_line],

View on GitHub (pinned to 55ee20384a)

Solutions

1. Normalize before sending: start = Math.min(a, b); end = Math.max(a, b)
2. Treat a single-row selection (start === end) as a plain line comment: send only newLine/oldLine without end* fields
3. Check end > start after converting UI row indexes to diff line numbers

Example fix

// before
await gql(CREATE_NOTE, { ..., newLine: 50, endNewLine: 42 });

// after
const [start, end] = selection[0] <= selection[1]
  ? selection : [selection[1], selection[0]];
await gql(CREATE_NOTE, { ..., newLine: start, endNewLine: end });

function normalizeRange(a, b) {
  if (a == null && b == null) return null;
  if (a == null || b == null) return { start: a ?? b, end: null }; // single line
  return { start: Math.min(a, b), end: Math.max(a, b) > Math.min(a, b) ? Math.max(a, b) : null }; // equal -> single line
}

On /must be greater than/, swap or normalize start/end (min/max) client-side and retry; if start === end, resend without the end* argument.

When it happens

Trigger: Calling the mutation with newLine: 50, endNewLine: 50 (equal), or newLine: 50, endNewLine: 42 (inverted). The comparison runs right after the pairing check in ready?.

Common situations: Drag-select in a custom diff viewer that reports rows in mouse-up order regardless of direction; off-by-one when normalizing 0-based UI rows to 1-based diff lines; passing coordinates as (x, y) where the API expects (start, end).

Related errors

• #{start_name} is required when #{end_name} is provided
• position oldLine or newLine arguments are required
• oldLine or newLine arguments are required
• No object found for `id: #{id.to_s.inspect}`
• Note cannot be converted to a resolvable thread

AI-assisted analysis of gitlabhq/gitlabhq@55ee20384a (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/76d243da5142252e. Report an issue: GitHub.