phacility/phabricator · error · Exception

No field with field key "%s" exists for objects of class "%s

Error message

No field with field key "%s" exists for objects of class "%s" with custom field role "%s".

What it means

The datasource builds the field list for the given class and role, then scans for a field whose getFieldKey() equals the `key` parameter. If no field matches, it throws naming the field key, object class, and role — the three inputs that failed to line up.

Source

Thrown at src/infrastructure/customfield/datasource/PhabricatorStandardSelectCustomFieldDatasource.php:61

    $object = newv($class, array());
    $field_list = PhabricatorCustomField::getObjectFields($object, $role);

    $field_key = $this->getParameter('key');
    if (!strlen($field_key)) {
      throw new Exception(pht('No custom field key specified.'));
    }

    $field = null;
    foreach ($field_list->getFields() as $candidate_field) {
      if ($candidate_field->getFieldKey() == $field_key) {
        $field = $candidate_field;
        break;
      }
    }

    if ($field === null) {
      throw new Exception(
        pht(
          'No field with field key "%s" exists for objects of class "%s" with '.
          'custom field role "%s".',
          $field_key,
          $class,
          $role));
    }

    if (!($field instanceof PhabricatorStandardCustomFieldSelect)) {
      $field = $field->getProxy();
      if (!($field instanceof PhabricatorStandardCustomFieldSelect)) {
        throw new Exception(
          pht(
            'Field "%s" is not a standard select field, nor a proxy of a '.
            'standard select field.',
            $field_key));
      }
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to 5720a38cfe)

Solutions

Dump the available keys for this class/role — iterate `PhabricatorCustomField::getObjectFields(newv($class, array()), $role)->getFields()` and compare getFieldKey() — then set `key` to one that exists.
If the field was removed intentionally, delete or update the datasource wiring that references it.
Make sure the role matches where the field is attached (a view-only field will not appear under ROLE_EDIT) and that the extension providing the field is enabled.

Example fix

// before
$datasource->setParameter('object', 'ManiphestTask');
$datasource->setParameter('role', PhabricatorCustomField::ROLE_EDIT);
$datasource->setParameter('key', 'std:maniphest:priorityy'); // typo
// after
$datasource->setParameter('key', 'std:maniphest:priority');

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// Resolve the key against the live field list before loading results:
$fields = PhabricatorCustomField::getObjectFields(
  newv($class, array()), $role)->getFields();
$exists = false;
foreach ($fields as $field) {
  if ($field->getFieldKey() === $field_key) { $exists = true; break; }
}
if (!$exists) {
  throw new Exception('field key "'.$field_key.'" not found for '.$class);
}

Type guard

function selectFieldExists($class, $role, $field_key) {
  $fields = PhabricatorCustomField::getObjectFields(
    newv($class, array()), $role)->getFields();
  foreach ($fields as $field) {
    if ($field->getFieldKey() === $field_key) {
      return ($field instanceof PhabricatorStandardCustomFieldSelect)
        || ($field->getProxy()
          instanceof PhabricatorStandardCustomFieldSelect);
    }
  }
  return false;
}

Prevention

When a custom field is renamed or deleted, sweep all typeahead/datasource wiring for the old key in the same change.
Test datasource wiring per object class and role — a key valid for ROLE_EDIT may not exist under ROLE_VIEW.
Keep an inventory of field keys per extension so conflicts and stale references are found by grep.

When it happens

Trigger: The `key` parameter has a typo or stale value: the field was renamed, its configuration entry removed from the custom-field config, it belongs to a different object class, or the role parameter selects a list that excludes this field (a field can appear for edit but not view roles).

Common situations: Renaming or deleting a custom field while old typeahead wiring still references its key; copying datasource wiring between object types; fields provided by a disabled extension so they no longer appear in the list.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of phacility/phabricator@5720a38cfe (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/afae2278095bdd33. Report an issue: GitHub.