nexu-io/open-design · error · SystemExit

Unknown config key: {args.key}

Error message

Unknown config key: {args.key}

What it means

Raised by cmd_config in watchlist.py via `raise SystemExit(...)` when the positional `key` argument is not one of the recognized config keys. The dispatcher only knows `budget` (writes daily_budget) and `delivery` (writes delivery_channel); anything else aborts the process with a non-zero exit. SystemExit (not ValueError) means argparse/CLI semantics: the error message is printed and the process exits.

Source

Thrown at design-templates/last30days/scripts/watchlist.py:252

    except json.JSONDecodeError as exc:
        duration = time.time() - start_time
        store.update_run(
            run_id,
            status="failed",
            error_message=f"Invalid JSON output: {exc}",
            duration_seconds=duration,
        )
        return {"topic": topic["name"], "status": "failed", "error": f"parse error: {exc}"}
def cmd_config(args):
    if args.key == "budget":
        store.set_setting("daily_budget", str(args.value))
        print(json.dumps({"action": "config", "key": "daily_budget", "value": str(args.value)}))
        return
    if args.key == "delivery":
        store.set_setting("delivery_channel", str(args.value))
        print(json.dumps({"action": "config", "key": "delivery_channel", "value": str(args.value)}))
        return
    raise SystemExit(f"Unknown config key: {args.key}")


def build_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Manage the last30days watchlist")
    sub = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command")

    add = sub.add_parser("add")
    add.add_argument("topic")
    add.add_argument("--schedule")
    add.add_argument("--weekly", action="store_true")
    add.add_argument("--queries")
    add.set_defaults(func=cmd_add)

    remove = sub.add_parser("remove")
    remove.add_argument("topic")
    remove.set_defaults(func=cmd_remove)

    list_parser = sub.add_parser("list")

View on GitHub (pinned to 5be4028344)

Solutions

1. Use a supported key: `watchlist config budget <number>` or `watchlist config delivery <channel>`.
2. Run `watchlist config --help` (or read cmd_config in watchlist.py:240) to see the accepted keys for your installed version.
3. If you need a setting that is not budget/delivery, check store.set_setting's known keys and environment variables (OD_*) instead of guessing a config subcommand.
4. If wrapping this CLI from another script, validate the key against {'budget','delivery'} before invoking to produce a cleaner error.

Example fix

// before
python3 watchlist.py config interval 60
# -> SystemExit: Unknown config key: interval

// after
python3 watchlist.py config delivery slack
# or for budget
python3 watchlist.py config budget 30

SUPPORTED_CONFIG_KEYS = {"budget", "delivery"}

if args.key not in SUPPORTED_CONFIG_KEYS:
    raise SystemExit(
        f"Unknown config key: {args.key}. "
        f"Supported: {', '.join(sorted(SUPPORTED_CONFIG_KEYS))}"
    )
# then dispatch

When it happens

Trigger: Invoking `watchlist config <unknown> <value>` with a key other than 'budget' or 'delivery' — e.g. `watchlist config interval 60`, `watchlist config source hn`, typos like `watchlist config delivry slack`, or guessing a key name from a different tool version.

Common situations: User assumes config keys mirror CLI flags or environment variables; outdated documentation/blog lists a key that was renamed or removed; tab-completion or shell history replay with a stale key; script wrapper passing user input straight through without validation.

Related errors

• invalid JSON in ${filePath}: ${message}
• ${filePath} must contain a JSON object
• --schedule is required. Forms: hourly:<minute> | daily:HH:MM
• --schedule hourly requires :<minute>, 0-59
• --schedule ${kind} requires :HH:MM[:TZ]

AI-assisted analysis of nexu-io/open-design@5be4028344 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ccc9b1234377dd11. Report an issue: GitHub.