phacility/phabricator · warning · PhutilArgumentUsageException

Specify a content type to run rules for. For this object, va

Error message

Specify a content type to run rules for. For this object, valid content types are: %s.

What it means

PhutilArgumentUsageException thrown by HeraldTestManagementWorkflow when --type is missing. For the given object the workflow first computes $can_select — adapters where canCreateTestAdapterForObject($object) is true — and the error helpfully lists exactly those content-type keys, so the message doubles as discovery for valid values. A --type is mandatory because one object can be seen by several adapters.

Source

Thrown at src/applications/herald/management/HeraldTestManagementWorkflow.php:73

      if (!$adapter->isTestAdapterForObject($object)) {
        continue;
      }

      if (!$adapter->isAvailableToUser($viewer)) {
        continue;
      }

      $display_adapters[$key] = $adapter;

      if ($adapter->canCreateTestAdapterForObject($object)) {
        $can_select[$key] = $adapter;
      }
    }


    $content_type = $args->getArg('type');
    if (!strlen($content_type)) {
      throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
        pht(
          'Specify a content type to run rules for. For this object, valid '.
          'content types are: %s.',
          implode(', ', array_keys($can_select))));
    }

    if (!isset($can_select[$content_type])) {
      if (!isset($display_adapters[$content_type])) {
        throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
          pht(
            'Specify a content type to run rules for. The specified content '.
            'type ("%s") is not valid. For this object, valid content types '.
            'are: %s.',
            $content_type,
            implode(', ', array_keys($can_select))));
      } else {
        throw new PhutilArgumentUsageException(
          pht(

View on GitHub (pinned to 5720a38cfe)

Solutions

1. Re-run with --type set to one of the keys printed inside the error message itself: bin/herald test --object T123 --type maniphest.task.
2. Use the fully-qualified adapter key (application.object, e.g. differential.revision, maniphest.task), not a friendly name.
3. If the message lists no types, the object cannot be dry-run tested — pick a different object or enable the relevant application.

Example fix

# before
bin/herald test --object T123

# after
bin/herald test --object T123 --type maniphest.task

// Enumerate selectable types for the object, then require one
$can_select = array();
foreach (HeraldAdapter::getAllAdapters() as $key => $adapter) {
  if ($adapter->canCreateTestAdapterForObject($object)) {
    $can_select[$key] = $adapter;
  }
}
if (!strlen($args->getArg('type')) || !isset($can_select[$args->getArg('type')])) {
  // print the valid keys: implode(', ', array_keys($can_select))
}

function isSelectableHeraldContentType($object, $type) {
  foreach (HeraldAdapter::getAllAdapters() as $key => $adapter) {
    if ($key === $type && $adapter->canCreateTestAdapterForObject($object)) {
      return true;
    }
  }
  return false;
}

try {
  (new HeraldTestManagementWorkflow())->execute($args);
} catch (PhutilArgumentUsageException $ex) {
  // the message itself lists valid content types; re-run with one of them
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running 'bin/herald test --object T123' without --type. The strlen() check on getArg('type') fires after adapters are enumerated for the object, and implode(', ', array_keys($can_select)) shows the accepted keys (e.g. 'maniphest.task'). If the listed set is empty, no adapter can create a test for that object at all.

Common situations: Users assume the tool infers the content type from the monogram; first-time users don't know the adapter key strings; the follow-up error (content type not valid / can't create adapter) hits those who guess a key like 'task' instead of 'maniphest.task'.

Related errors

• Specify an object to test rules for with "--object".
• Specify a rule to edit with "--rule <id|monogram>".
• Use flags to specify at least one edit to apply to the rule
• The specified content type ("%s") does not support dry runs.
• Specify a commit to extract the diff from.

AI-assisted analysis of phacility/phabricator@5720a38cfe (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/bfee588af0623355. Report an issue: GitHub.