trimmed_equal_or_error alias --%s requires string input

Error message

trimmed_equal_or_error alias --%s requires string input

What it means

Thrown by validateInputCLI when an independent-mode alias declares conflict=trimmed_equal_or_error but the field's underlying type is not string. That conflict strategy compares flag values after whitespace trimming, which only makes sense for string fields, so the compiler rejects other kinds.

Source

Thrown at shortcuts/common/typed_compile_args.go:366

		}
		if _, duplicate := seenAliases[alias.Name]; duplicate {
			return fmt.Errorf("duplicate alias --%s", alias.Name)
		}
		seenAliases[alias.Name] = struct{}{}
		switch alias.Mode {
		case typedAliasNormalize:
			if alias.Conflict != "" {
				return fmt.Errorf("normalize alias --%s cannot declare Conflict", alias.Name)
			}
			if alias.Deprecated {
				return fmt.Errorf("deprecated alias --%s must use independent mode so Cobra can emit its warning", alias.Name)
			}
		case typedAliasIndependent:
			switch alias.Conflict {
			case typedAliasCanonicalWins, typedAliasErrorIfBoth:
			case typedAliasTrimmedEqualOrError:
				if indirectKind(field.valueType) != reflect.String {
					return fmt.Errorf("trimmed_equal_or_error alias --%s requires string input", alias.Name)
				}
			default:
				return fmt.Errorf("independent alias --%s must declare a supported Conflict", alias.Name)
			}
		default:
			return fmt.Errorf("alias --%s has invalid Mode %q", alias.Name, alias.Mode)
		}
	}
	return nil
}

type schemaTag struct {
	required     bool
	optional     bool
	nullable     *bool
	defaultValue typedInputDefault
	enum         []string
	format       string

View on GitHub (pinned to 7fd6ef3c07)

Solutions

Change the field to a string type if trimmed comparison is required
Switch the Conflict to canonical-wins or error-if-both, which work for any type
Remove the alias if it is no longer needed

Example fix

// before
Count int `cli:"--count,alias:--c;mode=independent;conflict=trimmed_equal_or_error"`
// after
Count int `cli:"--count,alias:--c;mode=independent;conflict=canonical-wins"`

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if a.Mode == "independent" && a.Conflict == "trimmed_equal_or_error" && indirectKind(fieldType) != reflect.String {
    return fmt.Errorf("alias --%s needs a string field for trimmed_equal_or_error", a.Name)
}

Type guard

func aliasSupportsTrimmedEqual(fieldType reflect.Type) bool {
    k := fieldType
    for k.Kind() == reflect.Ptr { k = k.Elem() }
    return k.Kind() == reflect.String
}

Prevention

Only use trimmed_equal_or_error on string (or *string) fields
Default independent aliases to conflict=canonical-wins unless trimming matters
Review field type changes together with their CLI tags

When it happens

Trigger: A field like `Count int` tagged `alias:--num;mode=independent;conflict=trimmed_equal_or_error`; compileInput invokes validateInputCLI, indirectKind(field.valueType) != reflect.String triggers the error.

Common situations: Copying trimmed_equal_or_error onto a numeric or bool alias; changing a field's type from string to int without updating the alias conflict strategy.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of larksuite/cli@7fd6ef3c07 (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d84d0166da6d11e4. Report an issue: GitHub.