jamiepine/voicebox · warning · ValueError

A preset named '{data.name}' already exists

Error message

A preset named '{data.name}' already exists

What it means

create_preset() queries DBEffectPreset by name before insert; if a row already has that name it raises ValueError. Names are globally unique across built-in and user presets (the DB also enforces uniqueness, see error 225). This is the optimistic pre-check that catches the common case.

Source

Thrown at backend/services/effects.py:66

    """Get a preset by name."""
    p = db.query(DBEffectPreset).filter_by(name=name).first()
    if not p:
        return None
    return _preset_response(p)


def create_preset(data: EffectPresetCreate, db: Session) -> EffectPresetResponse:
    """Create a new user effect preset."""

    chain_dicts = [e.model_dump() for e in data.effects_chain]
    error = validate_effects_chain(chain_dicts)
    if error:
        raise ValueError(error)

    # Check for duplicate name before insert
    existing = db.query(DBEffectPreset).filter_by(name=data.name).first()
    if existing:
        raise ValueError(f"A preset named '{data.name}' already exists")

    preset = DBEffectPreset(
        id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
        name=data.name,
        description=data.description,
        effects_chain=json.dumps(chain_dicts),
        is_builtin=False,
    )
    db.add(preset)
    try:
        db.commit()
    except IntegrityError:
        db.rollback()
        raise ValueError(f"A preset named '{data.name}' already exists")
    db.refresh(preset)
    return _preset_response(preset)

View on GitHub (pinned to 51f49dea19)

Solutions

1. Choose a different name.
2. Call get_preset_by_name(name) first to detect the collision earlier and guide the user.
3. Delete or rename the existing preset before recreating.

Example fix

# before
create_preset(EffectPresetCreate(name='Radio', ...), db)

# after — pick a unique name
base, n, name = 'Radio', 1, 'Radio'
while get_preset_by_name(name, db):
    n += 1
    name = f'{base} ({n})'
create_preset(EffectPresetCreate(name=name, ...), db)

from backend.services.effects import get_preset_by_name

def name_available(name, db) -> bool:
    return get_preset_by_name(name, db) is None

try:
    create_preset(data, db)
except ValueError as e:
    if "already exists" in str(e):
        # suggest an alternate name (e.g. append ' (1)')
        ...
    raise

When it happens

Trigger: POST create-preset with a name colliding with an existing preset — either a built-in ('Robotic', 'Radio', 'Echo Chamber', 'Deep Voice' from BUILTIN_PRESETS) or another user preset.

Common situations: User reusing a built-in name; restoring a preset export over an existing name; double-submit in the UI.

Related errors

• Unknown effect type '{effect_type}' at index {i}. Available:
• Effect '{effect_type}' at index {i}: param '{param_name}' mu
• Generation is not completed
• {validation error from validate_effects_chain}
• {exception message from create_preset (ValueError)}

AI-assisted analysis of jamiepine/voicebox@51f49dea19 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a312c056a0c55435. Report an issue: GitHub.