jackwener/OpenCLI · error

Multiple collections share the name "${raw}" (ids: ${ids}).

Error message

Multiple collections share the name "${raw}" (ids: ${ids}). Pass the numeric collection_id explicitly to disambiguate.

What it means

Thrown when more than one collection in the account has the same name (case-insensitive match). Name-based deletion would be ambiguous, so the tool refuses and asks for the numeric collection_id. This protects against deleting the wrong duplicate.

Source

Thrown at clis/instagram/collection-delete.js:62

  let id = '';
  let resolvedName = '';
  if (isNumericId) {
    const hit = collections.find((c) => String(c?.collection_id) === raw);
    if (!hit) {
      throw new Error('Collection id not found in your account: ' + raw);
    }
    id = String(hit.collection_id);
    resolvedName = String(hit.collection_name || '');
  } else {
    const wanted = raw.toLowerCase();
    const matches = collections.filter((c) => String(c?.collection_name || '').trim().toLowerCase() === wanted);
    if (matches.length === 0) {
      const names = collections.map((c) => c?.collection_name).filter(Boolean);
      throw new Error('Collection not found: ' + raw + '. Available: ' + (names.length ? names.join(', ') : '(none)'));
    }
    if (matches.length > 1) {
      const ids = matches.map((c) => c.collection_id).join(', ');
      throw new Error('Multiple collections share the name "' + raw + '" (ids: ' + ids + '). Pass the numeric collection_id explicitly to disambiguate.');
    }
    id = String(matches[0].collection_id);
    resolvedName = String(matches[0].collection_name || raw);
  }

  const fd = new FormData();
  fd.append('module_name', 'collection_settings');
  const res = await fetch('https://www.instagram.com/api/v1/collections/' + encodeURIComponent(id) + '/delete/', {
    method: 'POST',
    credentials: 'include',
    headers: { ...headers, 'X-CSRFToken': csrf },
    body: fd,
  });
  if (!res.ok) {
    const body = await res.text().catch(() => '');
    throw new Error('Failed to delete collection: HTTP ' + res.status + (body ? ' - ' + body.slice(0, 200) : ''));
  }
  const d = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));

View on GitHub (pinned to 49907e53dc)

Solutions

1. Re-run passing the numeric collection_id of the specific collection to delete (ids are listed in the error)
2. List collections to map ids to creation dates and pick the right one
3. Rename duplicates in the Instagram UI to unique names for future name-based operations
4. Dedupe collections before running name-based deletes

Example fix

// before
node collection-delete.js --target "Travel" // ambiguous
// after
node collection-delete.js --target 17895600000000001 // explicit id from error message

const list = await listCollections();
const matches = list.filter((c) => c.collection_name.trim().toLowerCase() === name.toLowerCase());
if (matches.length > 1) {
  throw new Error('Ambiguous name; pass one of ids: ' + matches.map((m) => m.collection_id).join(', '));
}

function isUnambiguousName(name: string, collections: {collection_name: string}[]): boolean {
  const w = name.trim().toLowerCase();
  return collections.filter((c) => c.collection_name.trim().toLowerCase() === w).length === 1;
}

try {
  await deleteCollection(name);
} catch (e) {
  if (String(e.message).startsWith('Multiple collections share the name')) {
    console.error(e.message); // contains candidate ids
    return; // require explicit id from operator
  }
  throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Instagram allows duplicate collection names; calling delete by name when two or more collections share that exact trimmed/lowercased name.

Common situations: Users creating same-named collections over time (e.g. 'Travel' twice); automation accidentally creating duplicates previously; syncing across devices duplicating collections.

Related errors

• Collection id not found in your account: ${raw}
• Collection not found: ${raw}. Available: ${(names.length ? n
• Cannot resolve aid for bvid: ${bvid}
• Model name "${rawName}" is ambiguous.
• Picker option "${rawLabel}" is ambiguous.

AI-assisted analysis of jackwener/OpenCLI@49907e53dc (2026-08-29). Data as JSON: /api/errors/8dd372c63f04b243. Report an issue: GitHub.