puppetlabs/puppet · error · ArgumentError

manifest_file or code_string cannot be given when configured

Error message

manifest_file or code_string cannot be given when configured_by_env is true

What it means

PAL environment setup raises ArgumentError when configured_by_env: true is combined with manifest_file or code_string. configured_by_env means 'take the code from Puppet settings' (it then uses Puppet[:manifest]), so an inline manifest or code string is a conflicting input.

Source

Thrown at lib/puppet/pal/pal_impl.rb:77

  def self.with_script_compiler(
    configured_by_env: false,
    manifest_file:     nil,
    code_string:       nil,
    facts:             {},
    variables:         {},
    set_local_facts:   true,
    &block
  )
    # TRANSLATORS: do not translate variable name strings in these assertions
    assert_mutually_exclusive(manifest_file, code_string, 'manifest_file', 'code_string')
    assert_non_empty_string(manifest_file, 'manifest_file', true)
    assert_non_empty_string(code_string, 'code_string', true)
    assert_type(T_BOOLEAN, configured_by_env, "configured_by_env", false)

    if configured_by_env
      unless manifest_file.nil? && code_string.nil?
        # TRANSLATORS: do not translate the variable names in this error message
        raise ArgumentError, _("manifest_file or code_string cannot be given when configured_by_env is true")
      end

      # Use the manifest setting
      manifest_file = Puppet[:manifest]
    elsif manifest_file.nil? && code_string.nil?
      # An "undef" code_string is the only way to override Puppet[:manifest] & Puppet[:code] settings since an
      # empty string is taken as Puppet[:code] not being set.
      #
      code_string = 'undef'
    end

    previous_tasks_value = Puppet[:tasks]
    previous_code_value = Puppet[:code]
    Puppet[:tasks] = true
    # After the assertions, if code_string is non nil - it has the highest precedence
    Puppet[:code] = code_string unless code_string.nil?

    # If manifest_file is nil, the #main method will use the env configured manifest

View on GitHub (pinned to e227c27540)

Solutions

1. Drop configured_by_env (default false) when you pass manifest_file or code_string
2. Or keep configured_by_env: true and omit manifest_file/code_string, setting Puppet[:manifest]/Puppet[:code] instead
3. Audit wrapper code so the two options cannot both reach PAL

Example fix

# before
Puppet::Pal.with_script_compiler(code_string: code, configured_by_env: true) { |c| }

# after
Puppet::Pal.with_script_compiler(code_string: code) { |c| }

if configured_by_env && (manifest_file || code_string)
  raise ArgumentError, 'cannot combine configured_by_env with manifest_file/code_string'
end

When it happens

Trigger: Puppet::Pal.with_script_compiler(manifest_file: 'site.pp', configured_by_env: true), or any PAL entry call passing both code_string and configured_by_env: true.

Common situations: Wrappers that always forward a code_string option into PAL while defaulting configured_by_env to true; migrating older PAL code that tolerated the combination; scripts that want Puppet[:code] but also pass a string.

Related errors

• Given data_type value is not a data type, got '%{type}'
• Given variables must be a hash, got %{type}
• Cannot use '%{a_term}' and '%{b_term}' at the same time
• puppet.tasks/unparseable-metadata
• Invalid terminus name %{terminus_class}

AI-assisted analysis of puppetlabs/puppet@e227c27540 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2f52918ecbe8cebf. Report an issue: GitHub.