lima-vm/lima · error

invalid parameter %#q, expected `static=` followed by a bool

Error message

invalid parameter %#q, expected `static=` followed by a boolean value

What it means

ParsePortForward requires the optional second segment after the comma to be exactly `static=` followed by a boolean. This error is returned when the segment does not have the `static=` prefix at all (e.g. `8080:80,mode=tcp` or a stray comma).

Source

Thrown at cmd/limactl/editflags/editflags.go:161

	}

	portParts := strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(parts[0]), ":")
	if len(portParts) != 2 {
		return "", "", false, fmt.Errorf("invalid port forward format %#q, expected HOST:GUEST", parts[0])
	}

	hostPort = strings.TrimSpace(portParts[0])
	guestPort = strings.TrimSpace(portParts[1])

	if len(parts) == 2 {
		staticPart := strings.TrimSpace(parts[1])
		if staticValue, ok := strings.CutPrefix(staticPart, "static="); ok {
			isStatic, err = strconv.ParseBool(staticValue)
			if err != nil {
				return "", "", false, fmt.Errorf("invalid value for static parameter: %#q", staticValue)
			}
		} else {
			return "", "", false, fmt.Errorf("invalid parameter %#q, expected `static=` followed by a boolean value", staticPart)
		}
	}

	return hostPort, guestPort, isStatic, nil
}

func BuildPortForwardExpression(portForwards []string) (string, error) {
	if len(portForwards) == 0 {
		return "", nil
	}

	ports := make([]string, len(portForwards))
	for i, spec := range portForwards {
		hostPort, guestPort, isStatic, err := ParsePortForward(spec)
		if err != nil {
			return "", err
		}
		ports[i] = fmt.Sprintf(`{"guestPort": %q, "hostPort": %q, "static": %v}`, guestPort, hostPort, isStatic)

View on GitHub (pinned to dd909d0973)

Solutions

1. Use the exact syntax `static=true` or `static=false` as the second segment, e.g. '9090:9090,static=true'
2. Remove extra commas or unknown parameters from the flag value
3. Pass only HOST:GUEST if you do not need a static forward

Example fix

// before
limactl create --port-forward '8080:80,static'
// after
limactl create --port-forward '8080:80,static=true'

func validPortForwardSpec(spec string) error {
	parts := strings.Split(spec, ",")
	if len(parts) > 2 {
		return fmt.Errorf("too many segments in %q", spec)
	}
	if !strings.Contains(parts[0], ":") {
		return fmt.Errorf("expected HOST:GUEST in %q", spec)
	}
	if len(parts) == 2 {
		p := strings.TrimSpace(parts[1])
		if !strings.HasPrefix(p, "static=") {
			return fmt.Errorf("second segment %q must be static=<bool>", p)
		}
	}
	return nil
}

func hasStaticParam(part string) bool {
	_, ok := strings.CutPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(part), "static=")
	return ok
}

_, _, _, err := editflags.ParsePortForward(spec)
if err != nil {
	return fmt.Errorf("invalid --port-forward %q: %w (format: HOST:GUEST[,static=true])", spec, err)
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling ParsePortForward / BuildPortForwardExpression with a spec whose second comma segment is not `static=<bool>`, e.g. '8080:80,static' (missing =), '8080:80,permanent=true', or '8080:80,' (trailing comma producing an empty segment).

Common situations: Users guessing the parameter name (writing 'static' without '=', or another flag name); trailing commas from scripted flag lists; copying syntax from other port-forwarding tools.

Related errors

• invalid value for static parameter: %#q
• invalid port forward format %#q, expected HOST:GUEST or HOST
• invalid port forward format %#q, expected HOST:GUEST
• invalid parameter %#q, expected NAME=VALUE
• template does not define param %#q

AI-assisted analysis of lima-vm/lima@dd909d0973 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/13f561f884ce36a1. Report an issue: GitHub.