lima-vm/lima · error

--verbatim cannot be used with any of --embed, --embed-all,

Error message

--verbatim cannot be used with any of --embed, --embed-all, or --fill

What it means

`limactl copy`/template copy modes are mutually exclusive: --verbatim outputs the template exactly as-is, while --embed, --embed-all, and --fill resolve and inline dependencies. Combining --verbatim with any embed/fill flag is contradictory and rejected before reading the template.

Source

Thrown at cmd/limactl/template.go:131

	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	fill, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool("fill")
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	verbatim, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool("verbatim")
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if fill {
		embedAll = true
	}
	if embedAll {
		embed = true
	}
	if embed && verbatim {
		return errors.New("--verbatim cannot be used with any of --embed, --embed-all, or --fill")
	}
	tmpl, err := limatmpl.Read(ctx, "", source)
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if len(tmpl.Bytes) == 0 {
		return fmt.Errorf("don't know how to interpret %#q as a template locator", source)
	}
	if !verbatim {
		if embed {
			// Embed default base.yaml only when fill is true.
			if err := tmpl.Embed(ctx, embedAll, fill); err != nil {
				return err
			}
		} else {
			if err := tmpl.UseAbsLocators(ctx); err != nil {
				return err
			}

View on GitHub (pinned to dd909d0973)

Solutions

1. Remove --verbatim if you want dependency resolution (keep --embed/--embed-all/--fill)
2. Remove the --embed/--embed-all/--fill flags if you want the exact original bytes
3. In scripts, make the mode flags mutually exclusive (e.g. case/flag groups)

Example fix

// before
limactl copy --verbatim --embed template://default my.yaml
// after
limactl copy --embed template://default my.yaml
# or truly verbatim:
limactl copy --verbatim template://default my.yaml

# reject conflicting modes before invoking
[[ ( $verbatim && ( $embed || $embed_all || $fill ) ) ]] && { echo 'conflicting copy modes'; exit 2; }

if ! limactl copy "$@"; then echo 'check flag combination: --verbatim excludes embed/fill'; fi

When it happens

Trigger: `limactl copy --verbatim --embed ... source dest` or `--verbatim --fill ...` etc.

Common situations: Scripted flag accumulation where defaults set embed=true; users wanting verbatim output plus filled defaults without realizing they conflict; copy-pasting flag sets from different examples.

Related errors

• invalid parameter %#q, expected NAME=VALUE
• template does not define param %#q
• network mode %#q does not support specifying interface
• the file argument can be specified only for --check mode
• unexpected arguments %v

AI-assisted analysis of lima-vm/lima@dd909d0973 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a03742f97399ab58. Report an issue: GitHub.