paperclipai/paperclip · error · Error

Output path already exists and is not a directory

Error message

Output path already exists and is not a directory: ${outputDir}

What it means

ensureEmptyOutputDirectory stat'ed the feedback export output path and found a non-directory entry, so the export bundle cannot be written there.

Solutions

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

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/src/commands/client/feedback.ts:559 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/f1934b6f91854f3a. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at cli/src/commands/client/feedback.ts:559

function horizontalRule(): string {
  return pc.dim("-".repeat(72));
}

function padRight(value: string, width: number): string {
  return `${value}${" ".repeat(Math.max(0, width - value.length))}`;
}

function defaultFeedbackExportDirName(): string {
  const iso = new Date().toISOString().replace(/[-:]/g, "").replace(/\.\d{3}Z$/, "Z");
  return `feedback-export-${iso}`;
}

async function ensureEmptyOutputDirectory(outputDir: string): Promise<void> {
  try {
    const info = await stat(outputDir);
    if (!info.isDirectory()) {
      throw new Error(`Output path already exists and is not a directory: ${outputDir}`);
    }
    const entries = await readdir(outputDir);
    if (entries.length > 0) {
      throw new Error(`Output directory already exists and is not empty: ${outputDir}`);
    }
  } catch (error) {
    const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : "";
    if (/ENOENT/.test(message)) {
      await mkdir(outputDir, { recursive: true });
      return;
    }
    throw error;
  }
}

async function collectJsonFilesForArchive(
  outputDir: string,
  relativePaths: string[],

View on GitHub (pinned to 120ae5428f)