kovidgoyal/kitty · error

must specify the key

Error message

must specify the key

What it means

The `set` subcommand requires at least one argument: the settings key to set (or delete, when no value is given). Invoking it with no arguments shows help and returns this error.

Source

Thrown at kittens/desktop_ui/main.go:149

			case "high":
				v = dbus.MakeVariant(uint32(1))
			default:
				return 1, fmt.Errorf("%s is not a valid contrast value", args[0])
			}
			err = set_variant_setting(PORTAL_APPEARANCE_NAMESPACE, PORTAL_CONTRAST_KEY, v, false)
			return utils.IfElse(err == nil, 0, 1), err
		},
	})
	st := parent.AddSubCommand(&cli.Command{
		Name:             "set-setting",
		ShortDescription: "Change an arbitrary setting",
		Usage:            " key [value]",
		HelpText:         "Set an arbitrary setting. If you want to set the color-scheme use the dedicated command for it. Use this command with care as it does no validation for the type of value. The syntax for specifying values is described at: :link:`the glib docs <https://docs.gtk.org/glib/gvariant-text-format.html>`. Leaving out the value or specifying an empty value, will delete the setting.",
		Run: func(cmd *cli.Command, args []string) (rc int, err error) {
			val := ""
			if len(args) < 1 {
				cmd.ShowHelp()
				return 1, fmt.Errorf("must specify the key")
			}
			if len(args) > 1 {
				val = args[1]
			}
			opts := SetOptions{}
			if err = cmd.GetOptionValues(&opts); err == nil {
				err = set_setting(args[0], val, &opts)
			}
			return utils.IfElse(err == nil, 0, 1), err
		},
	})
	st.Add(cli.OptionSpec{
		Name:    "--namespace -n",
		Help:    "The namespace in which to change the setting.",
		Default: PORTAL_APPEARANCE_NAMESPACE,
	})
	st.Add(cli.OptionSpec{
		Name: "--data-type",

View on GitHub (pinned to 6d5d0c4406)

Solutions

1. Provide at least a key: `kitten desktop-ui set org.example.key value`
2. Omit the value only when you intend to delete the setting
3. Verify shell variables used for the key are non-empty

Example fix

# before
kitten desktop-ui set ""
# after
kitten desktop-ui set org.freedesktop.appearance color-scheme 1

if key == "" {
    return errors.New("key must not be empty")
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `kitten desktop-ui set` with no arguments at all.

Common situations: Scripts passing an empty key variable; users exploring the command without reading its usage line `set key [value]`.

Related errors

• must specify the new contrast value
• no arguments allowed
• Unknown extra argument(s) supplied to {command.name}
• %s is not a valid contrast value
• Unknown --kitten option: %s

AI-assisted analysis of kovidgoyal/kitty@6d5d0c4406 (2026-08-27). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2cbb86a9834f6434. Report an issue: GitHub.