puppetlabs/puppet · error · Puppet::ParseError

%{label} equality is referencing non existent attribute '%{a

Error message

%{label} equality is referencing non existent attribute '%{attribute}'

What it means

Every name in an Object type's explicit equality list must resolve to an attribute - looked up first in the parent members, then in the type's own attributes and functions. When a listed name resolves to nothing at all, Puppet::ParseError reports that equality references a non-existent attribute.

Source

Thrown at lib/puppet/pops/types/p_object_type.rb:808

        parent_eq_attrs = nil
        equality.each do |attr_name|
          attr = parent_members[attr_name]
          if attr.nil?
            attr = @attributes[attr_name] || @functions[attr_name]
          elsif attr.is_a?(PAttribute)
            # Assert that attribute is not already include by parent equality
            parent_eq_attrs ||= parent_object_type.equality_attributes
            if parent_eq_attrs.include?(attr_name)
              including_parent = find_equality_definer_of(attr)
              raise Puppet::ParseError, _("%{label} equality is referencing %{attribute} which is included in equality of %{including_parent}") %
                                        { label: label, attribute: attr.label, including_parent: including_parent.label }
            end
          end

          unless attr.is_a?(PAttribute)
            if attr.nil?
              raise Puppet::ParseError, _("%{label} equality is referencing non existent attribute '%{attribute}'") % { label: label, attribute: attr_name }
            end

            raise Puppet::ParseError, _("%{label} equality is referencing %{attribute}. Only attribute references are allowed") %
                                      { label: label, attribute: attr.label }
          end
          if attr.kind == ATTRIBUTE_KIND_CONSTANT
            raise Puppet::ParseError, _("%{label} equality is referencing constant %{attribute}.") % { label: label, attribute: attr.label } + ' ' +
                                      _("Reference to constant is not allowed in equality")
          end
        end
      end
      equality.freeze
    end
    @equality = equality

    @checks = init_hash[KEY_CHECKS]
    init_annotatable(init_hash)
  end

View on GitHub (pinned to e227c27540)

Solutions

Correct the name in the equality list to match an existing attribute exactly
If the attribute genuinely should participate in equality, declare it under attributes first
Remove stale entries for attributes that no longer exist

Example fix

# before
type MyApp::User = Object[{
  attributes => { name => String, id => Integer },
  equality => ['nam']          # attribute is 'name'
}]

# after
type MyApp::User = Object[{
  attributes => { name => String, id => Integer },
  equality => ['name']
}]

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

# every equality entry must be an attribute of this type or a parent
members = type.parent ? type.parent.members(true).merge(own_attrs) : own_attrs
unknown = equality_list - members.keys
raise "equality references unknown attributes: #{unknown.inspect}" unless unknown.empty?

Try / catch

begin
  Puppet::Pops::Types::PObjectType.new(name, init_hash)
rescue Puppet::ParseError => e
  raise unless e.message =~ /referencing non existent attribute/
  raise  # e.message names the missing attribute; fix spelling or declare it
end

Prevention

Keep equality lists next to the attributes block and update both together
Prefer default equality (omit the list) unless specific members must be excluded

When it happens

Trigger: equality => ['nam'] where the declared attribute is name; referencing an attribute that was deleted or renamed in a refactor; referencing an attribute of a sibling type rather than a parent.

Common situations: Typos in equality lists; renaming attributes without updating equality; equality lists written before the attributes they assumed were added.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of puppetlabs/puppet@e227c27540 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1aa940e483204223. Report an issue: GitHub.