sqlmapproject/sqlmap · error · SqlmapSyntaxException

value for option '--start' (limitStart) must be an integer v

Error message

value for option '--start' (limitStart) must be an integer value greater than zero (>0)

What it means

Error "value for option '--start' (limitStart) must be an integer value greater than zero (>0)" thrown in sqlmapproject/sqlmap.

Source

Thrown at lib/core/option.py:2782

        tor_status = None

    if not tor_status or not tor_status.get("IsTor"):
        errMsg = "it appears that Tor is not properly set. Please try using options '--tor-type' and/or '--tor-port'"
        raise SqlmapConnectionException(errMsg)
    else:
        infoMsg = "Tor is properly being used"
        logger.info(infoMsg)

def _basicOptionValidation():
    _nonSqlTechniques = ["--%s" % _ for _ in NONSQL_TECHNIQUES if conf.get(_)]
    if len(_nonSqlTechniques) > 1:
        errMsg = "only one non-SQL technique switch may be used at a time (found: %s). " % ", ".join(_nonSqlTechniques)
        errMsg += "each is a self-contained scan for a different back-end class - pick one"
        raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)

    if conf.limitStart is not None and not (isinstance(conf.limitStart, int) and conf.limitStart > 0):
        errMsg = "value for option '--start' (limitStart) must be an integer value greater than zero (>0)"
        raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)

    if conf.limitStop is not None and not (isinstance(conf.limitStop, int) and conf.limitStop > 0):
        errMsg = "value for option '--stop' (limitStop) must be an integer value greater than zero (>0)"
        raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)

    if conf.level is not None and not (isinstance(conf.level, int) and conf.level >= 1 and conf.level <= 5):
        errMsg = "value for option '--level' must be an integer value from range [1, 5]"
        raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)

    if conf.risk is not None and not (isinstance(conf.risk, int) and conf.risk >= 1 and conf.risk <= 3):
        errMsg = "value for option '--risk' must be an integer value from range [1, 3]"
        raise SqlmapSyntaxException(errMsg)

    if isinstance(conf.limitStart, int) and conf.limitStart > 0 and \
       isinstance(conf.limitStop, int) and conf.limitStop < conf.limitStart:
        warnMsg = "usage of option '--start' (limitStart) which is bigger than value for --stop (limitStop) option is considered unstable"
        logger.warning(warnMsg)

View on GitHub (pinned to 0a35b20e39)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at lib/core/option.py:2782 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of sqlmapproject/sqlmap@0a35b20e39 (2026-08-26). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a01740b6bf0d5c6f. Report an issue: GitHub.