paperclipai/paperclip · error · Error

Export output path exists and is not a directory.

Error message

Export output path ${root} exists and is not a directory.

What it means

confirmOverwriteExportDirectory stat'ed the requested export output path and found an existing filesystem entry that is not a directory, so export files cannot be written there.

Solutions

1. Choose a different output path, or remove/rename the existing file at that path.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/src/commands/client/company.ts:1243 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of paperclipai/paperclip@120ae5428f (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a00e7a244e192657. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at cli/src/commands/client/company.ts:1243

export function resolveExportOutputPath(root: string, relativePath: string): string {
  const resolvedRoot = path.resolve(root);
  const filePath = path.resolve(resolvedRoot, relativePath);
  const rootPrefix = resolvedRoot.endsWith(path.sep) ? resolvedRoot : `${resolvedRoot}${path.sep}`;
  if (filePath !== resolvedRoot && !filePath.startsWith(rootPrefix)) {
    throw new Error(`Refusing to write export file outside output directory: ${relativePath}`);
  }
  return filePath;
}

export async function confirmOverwriteExportDirectory(
  outDir: string,
  opts: { force?: boolean } = {},
): Promise<void> {
  const root = path.resolve(outDir);
  const stats = await stat(root).catch(() => null);
  if (!stats) return;
  if (!stats.isDirectory()) {
    throw new Error(`Export output path ${root} exists and is not a directory.`);
  }

  const entries = await readdir(root);
  if (entries.length === 0) return;

  // --force skips the guard for non-interactive/automated callers (e.g. the
  // nightly backup routine, which exports into a git clone that legitimately
  // still holds .git and BACKUP-README.md after cleaning tracked content).
  if (opts.force) return;

  if (!process.stdin.isTTY || !process.stdout.isTTY) {
    throw new Error(`Export output directory ${root} already contains files. Re-run interactively, pass --force, or choose an empty directory.`);
  }

  const confirmed = await p.confirm({
    message: `Overwrite existing files in ${root}?`,
    initialValue: false,
  });

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