tikv/tikv · error

--data-dir must be specified

Error message

--data-dir must be specified

What it means

The tikv-ctl bad-ssts command requires the path to the TiKV data directory to locate the SST/manifest files it inspects. If opt.data_dir is None, an assert! panics with "--data-dir must be specified"; the subsequent expect uses the same message.

Source

Thrown at cmd/tikv-ctl/src/main.rs:149

                "ldb" => run_ldb_command(args, &cfg),
                "sst_dump" => run_sst_dump_command(args, &cfg),
                _ => Opt::command().print_help().unwrap(),
            }
        }
        Cmd::RaftEngineCtl { args } => {
            if !validate_storage_data_dir(&mut cfg, opt.data_dir) {
                return;
            }
            let key_manager =
                data_key_manager_from_config(&cfg.security.encryption, &cfg.storage.data_dir)
                    .expect("data_key_manager_from_config should success");
            let file_system = Arc::new(ManagedFileSystem::new(key_manager.map(Arc::new), None));
            raft_engine_ctl::run_command(args, file_system);
        }
        Cmd::BadSsts { manifest, pd } => {
            let data_dir = opt.data_dir.as_deref();
            assert!(data_dir.is_some(), "--data-dir must be specified");
            let data_dir = data_dir.expect("--data-dir must be specified");
            let pd_client = get_pd_rpc_client(Some(pd), Arc::clone(&mgr));
            print_bad_ssts(data_dir, manifest.as_deref(), pd_client, &cfg);
        }
        Cmd::DumpSnapMeta { file } => {
            let path = file.as_ref();
            dump_snap_meta_file(path);
        }
        Cmd::DecryptFile { file, out_file } => {
            if !validate_storage_data_dir(&mut cfg, opt.data_dir) {
                return;
            }
            let message =
                "This action will expose sensitive data as plaintext on persistent storage";
            if !warning_prompt(message) {
                return;
            }
            let infile = &file;
            let outfile = &out_file;

View on GitHub (pinned to 78aedc1c81)

Solutions

1. Pass --data-dir pointing at the TiKV data directory when running bad-ssts
2. Fix the invoking script so it includes --data-dir
3. Check `tikv-ctl bad-ssts --help` for the exact flag name and expected value

Example fix

// before
tikv-ctl bad-ssts --manifest MANIFEST -pd http://pd:2379
// after
tikv-ctl bad-ssts --data-dir /tidb/tikv-data --manifest MANIFEST -pd http://pd:2379

// shell pre-check
if [ -z "$DATA_DIR" ]; then echo "--data-dir is required for bad-ssts"; exit 1; fi
# in Rust caller
let data_dir = opt.data_dir.as_deref();
if data_dir.is_none() { eprintln!("pass --data-dir for bad-ssts"); std::process::exit(2); }

match run_bad_ssts(data_dir, manifest, pd) {
    Err(e) => eprintln!("bad-ssts failed: {:?}", e),
    Ok(_) => {}
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `tikv-ctl bad-ssts` without the --data-dir command-line flag.

Common situations: Diagnosing corrupted/missing SSTs after a crash and forgetting --data-dir, scripted invocations where the flag was dropped, or assuming the PD endpoint alone suffices.

Related errors

• must have the region
• unknown log format {}
• invalid auto generated configuration file {}, err {}
• API V3 is not supported by this TiKV build
• only available for local mode

AI-assisted analysis of tikv/tikv@78aedc1c81 (2026-09-03). Data as JSON: /api/errors/c41f13f2df32854d. Report an issue: GitHub.