iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI · error · CliException

invalid_value

invalid_value

Error message

Unknown format: {format}. Use 'csv' or 'tsv'

What it means

The --format flag only accepts 'csv' (comma) or 'tsv' (tab). Any other value (e.g. 'json', 'xlsx') is rejected here with the valid set surfaced via ValidValues.

Source

Thrown at src/officecli/CommandBuilder.Import.cs:98

            }
            else
            {
                throw new CliException("Either --file or --stdin must be specified")
                {
                    Code = "missing_argument",
                    Suggestion = "Use --file <path> to specify a CSV/TSV file, or --stdin to read from standard input"
                };
            }

            // Determine delimiter: --format flag > file extension > default csv
            char delimiter = ',';
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(format))
            {
                delimiter = format.ToLowerInvariant() switch
                {
                    "tsv" => '\t',
                    "csv" => ',',
                    _ => throw new CliException($"Unknown format: {format}. Use 'csv' or 'tsv'")
                    {
                        Code = "invalid_value",
                        ValidValues = ["csv", "tsv"]
                    }
                };
            }
            else if (source != null)
            {
                var sourceExt = Path.GetExtension(source.FullName).ToLowerInvariant();
                if (sourceExt == ".tsv" || sourceExt == ".tab")
                    delimiter = '\t';
            }

            // Release any running resident's file lock before direct-open (import bypasses resident)
            ResidentClient.SendClose(file.FullName);
            using var handler = new OfficeCli.Handlers.ExcelHandler(file.FullName, editable: true);
            var msg = handler.Import(parentPath, csvContent, delimiter, header, startCell);
            if (json)

View on GitHub (pinned to 1ced45e900)

Solutions

1. Use --format csv or --format tsv.
2. If omitted, format is inferred from the source extension (.tsv/.tab -> tab, else comma).

Example fix

// before
officecli import out.xlsx --file data.csv --format json
// after
officecli import out.xlsx --file data.csv --format csv

static readonly HashSet<string> ImportFormats = new(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase) { "csv", "tsv" };
if (format is not null && !ImportFormats.Contains(format))
    throw new ArgumentException($"--format must be csv or tsv, got '{format}'.");

static bool IsValidImportFormat(string? f) =>
    f is null || f.Equals("csv", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
              || f.Equals("tsv", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);

When it happens

Trigger: 'officecli import out.xlsx --file data.csv --format json' or any --format value outside {csv, tsv}.

Common situations: Confusing the source file format with the target workbook format; passing the data's logical type instead of the delimiter name.

Related errors

• missing_argument
• ${r.stderr || r.stdout}
• invalid_format
• invalid_value
• file_not_found

AI-assisted analysis of iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI@1ced45e900 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0d195906b2554e77. Report an issue: GitHub.