podman-container-tools/podman · error · Exception

Error while processing {infile} line '{line[:-1]}'

Error message

Error while processing {infile} line '{line[:-1]}'

What it means

Umbrella error from Preprocessor.process(): any exception raised while handling one line of a *.md.in file is re-raised with the file name and offending line text, original error chained in __cause__. The lines it wraps are '@@option NAME' (insert_file of options/NAME.md, optionally with quadlet: prefix) and '@@include PATH' — so typical causes are FileNotFoundError for a missing option/include file, ValueError from split(' ') when the line has extra spaces/fields, or any render()/replace_type error (undefined variable, bad pod|container token) bubbling up from the included file.

Source

Thrown at hack/markdown-preprocess:159

            for line in fh_in:
                try:
                    # '@@option foo' -> include file options/foo.md
                    if line.startswith('@@option '):
                        _, optionname = line.strip().split(" ")
                        is_quadlet = optionname.startswith("quadlet:")
                        if is_quadlet:
                            optionname = optionname[len("quadlet:"):]
                        optionfile = os.path.join("options", optionname + '.md')
                        self.track_optionfile(optionfile)
                        self.insert_file(fh_out, optionfile, is_quadlet)
                    # '@@include relative-path/must-exist.md'
                    elif line.startswith('@@include '):
                        _, path = line.strip().split(" ")
                        self.insert_file(fh_out, path)
                    else:
                        fh_out.write(line)
                except Exception as ex:
                    raise Exception(f"Error while processing {infile} line '{line[:-1]}'") from ex

        os.chmod(outfile_tmp, 0o444)
        os.rename(outfile_tmp, outfile)

    def track_optionfile(self, optionfile: str):
        """
        Keep track of which man pages use which option files
        """
        if optionfile not in self.used_by:
            self.used_by[optionfile] = []
        self.used_by[optionfile].append(self.podman_subcommand('full'))

    def rewrite_optionfiles(self):
        """
        Rewrite all option files, such that they include header comments
        cross-referencing all the man pages in which they're used.
        """
        for optionfile in self.used_by:

View on GitHub (pinned to a2409076ef)

Solutions

1. Read the chained exception (ex.__cause__ or the traceback's 'The above exception was the direct cause') to get the real error
2. Verify the referenced file exists: ls docs/source/markdown/options/NAME.md (for quadlet, the file name after the 'quadlet:' prefix)
3. Fix the directive syntax: exactly one space, two fields ('@@option NAME' / '@@include PATH')
4. If the cause is a render/replace_type error, fix the option file per that error's guidance

Example fix

# before (docs/source/markdown/podman-pod-run.1.md.in)
@@option pod-create-sigstore

# after (name must match options/pod-create-sigstore.md if that file exists; else use the real file)
@@option pod-create

# Verify every @@option/@@include target exists before running
import pathlib, re, sys
md = pathlib.Path('docs/source/markdown')
missing = []
for f in md.glob('*.md.in'):
    for line in f.read_text().splitlines():
        if line.startswith('@@option ') or line.startswith('@@include '):
            parts = line.strip().split(' ')
            if len(parts) != 2:
                missing.append(f'{f.name}: bad directive {line!r} (expected exactly 2 fields)')
                continue
            target = parts[1].removeprefix('quadlet:')
            path = md / 'options' / (target + '.md') if line.startswith('@@option ') else md / target
            if not path.is_file():
                missing.append(f'{f.name}: {line.strip()} -> missing {path.relative_to(md)}')
if missing:
    sys.exit('\n'.join(missing))

try:
    preprocessor.process(infile)
except Exception as ex:
    cause = ex.__cause__  # the real error: FileNotFoundError, ValueError from split, render/replace_type errors
    raise SystemExit(f'{ex}\n  caused by: {type(cause).__name__}: {cause}') from None

When it happens

Trigger: '@@option rm' when options/rm.md does not exist; '@@include foo bar.md' (space in path breaks the two-field split); '@@option quadlet:containers.pod' where options/containers.pod.md is missing; a render/replace_type error inside the included option file (errors 0-5, 7, 8 surface wrapped as this message).

Common situations: Renaming or deleting an option file without updating @@option references; typos in option names; adding new @@option lines for options whose .md was never created; paths with spaces or tabs; merge conflicts leaving duplicated @@option lines.

Related errors

• undefined variable: {name}
• `else` without `if`
• multiple `else` in the same `if`
• `end` without `if`
• Invalid inline if/else syntax: {inner}

AI-assisted analysis of podman-container-tools/podman@a2409076ef (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1345ef01df4fa5b9. Report an issue: GitHub.