spacedriveapp/spacedrive · error

No library selected

Error message

No library selected

What it means

A wrapper error from the thumbstrip processor: super::generate_thumbstrip_for_file returned Err and the processor wraps it with 'Thumbstrip generation failed: {e}'. The real cause is in the appended inner error string — typically ffmpeg invocation failures, unreadable/corrupt video files, or failures writing variant outputs. The wrapping preserves the inner message, so read the text after the colon.

Source

Thrown at apps/mobile/src/client/SpacedriveClient.ts:140

    method: string,
    input: unknown = {},
  ): Promise<T> {
    const wireMethod = (WIRE_METHODS.coreQueries as any)[method];
    if (!wireMethod) {
      throw new Error(`Unknown core query: ${method}`);
    }
    return this.transport.request<T>(wireMethod, { input });
  }

  /**
   * Execute a library-level query.
   */
  async libraryQuery<T = unknown>(
    method: string,
    input: unknown = {},
  ): Promise<T> {
    if (!this.currentLibraryId) {
      throw new Error("No library selected");
    }

    const wireMethod = (WIRE_METHODS.libraryQueries as any)[method];
    if (!wireMethod) {
      throw new Error(`Unknown library query: ${method}`);
    }

    return this.transport.request<T>(wireMethod, {
      input,
      library_id: this.currentLibraryId,
    });
  }

  /**
   * Execute a core-level action (mutation).
   */
  async coreAction<T = unknown>(
    method: string,

View on GitHub (pinned to 6dfeccf211)

Solutions

1. Read the inner error after 'Thumbstrip generation failed:' — it names the actual failing step.
2. Verify ffmpeg (and ffprobe) are installed and reachable from the daemon's environment: run `ffmpeg -version` with the same env/user as sd-daemon.
3. Check the source file plays: `ffprobe <entry.path>` from the same machine.
4. Check write permissions and free space in the library's thumbstrip variants directory.
5. Re-run with RUST_LOG=sd_core::ops::media=debug to get the per-file debug lines (→ Generating thumbstrip for ...) pinpointing the entry.

Example fix

# before
systemctl start sd-daemon   # ffmpeg not on daemon PATH

# after
Environment="PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin"  # add dir containing ffmpeg to the daemon unit
systemctl restart sd-daemon

// Pre-flight: file exists, is readable, and ffmpeg is on PATH before processing.
use std::path::Path;

fn can_attempt_thumbstrip(path: &Path) -> bool {
    path.is_file() && which::which("ffmpeg").is_ok()
}

// Per-file isolation: one bad video must not abort the batch.
match generate_thumbstrip_for_file(&library, &uuid, &path, &variants, regenerate).await {
    Ok(n) => tracing::info!(count = n, "thumbstrip ok"),
    Err(e) => {
        tracing::warn!(path = %path.display(), error = %e, "thumbstrip failed, skipping file");
        // record failure against the entry and continue
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling the thumbstrip processor on a video/ entry (MIME starts with video/) where generate_thumbstrip_for_file fails: ffmpeg/ffprobe not found in the daemon's PATH, a truncated or non-decodable video, missing write permissions or full disk at the thumbstrip variants directory.

Common situations: Daemon running in an environment (service, container, launchd) whose PATH lacks ffmpeg; partially downloaded/synced video files; codec unsupported by the installed ffmpeg build; variants cache directory owned by another user.

Related errors

• Failed to initialize core: error code ${result}
• Unknown config key: {}
• Library with ID '${libraryId}' not found
• This operation requires an active library. Use switchToLibra
• ${isQuery ? "Query" : "Action"} failed: ${JSON.stringify(err

AI-assisted analysis of spacedriveapp/spacedrive@6dfeccf211 (2026-08-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/03ef3fce57b765db. Report an issue: GitHub.