usebruno/bruno · error · Error

Target directory: does not exist

Error message

Target directory: ${targetDirname} does not exist

What it means

Thrown by 'renderer:save-transient-request' when the target directory (targetDirname) does not exist. After confirming the source file exists, the handler ensures the destination directory is present before computing the final filename inside it.

Solutions

1. Re-read the collection tree to confirm the target folder still exists; recreate it if appropriate before saving.
2. If the folder was renamed/moved, resolve its current pathname and pass that as targetDirname.
3. Use 'renderer:create-folder' first if the intent is to save into a new folder.

const dirExists = await window.ipcRenderer.invoke('renderer:file-exists', targetDirname);
if (!dirExists) {
  // recreate the folder via renderer:create-folder, or pick a different target
}

try {
  await window.ipcRenderer.invoke('renderer:save-transient-request', payload);
} catch (e) {
  if (/Target directory:.+does not exist/.test(e.message)) {
    await window.ipcRenderer.invoke('renderer:create-folder', payload.targetDirname);
    await window.ipcRenderer.invoke('renderer:save-transient-request', payload);
  } else throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Saving a transient request into a folder that was deleted, not yet created, or supplied as a wrong path (e.g. a folder whose parent was renamed). Passing a targetDirname that points outside the collection tree.

Common situations: The target folder was removed between the UI render and the save. Drag-and-drop save into a folder that was just deleted by another tab. Wrong collection root selected in the move dialog.

Related errors

• A file with the name
• path: does not exist
• is not a valid filename
• Source path: does not exist
• Could not determine collection for target directory

AI-assisted analysis of usebruno/bruno@9bdd81c7bd (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/b41e2d8035ad45fc. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/collection.js:591

      // Sync example UIDs cache to maintain consistency when examples are added/deleted/reordered
      syncExampleUidsCache(pathname, request.examples);

      const content = await stringifyRequestViaWorker(request, { format });
      await writeFile(pathname, content);
    } catch (error) {
      return Promise.reject(error);
    }
  });

  ipcMain.handle('renderer:save-transient-request', async (event, { sourcePathname, targetDirname, targetFilename, request, format, sourceFormat }) => {
    try {
      if (!fs.existsSync(sourcePathname)) {
        throw new Error(`Source path: ${sourcePathname} does not exist`);
      }

      if (!fs.existsSync(targetDirname)) {
        throw new Error(`Target directory: ${targetDirname} does not exist`);
      }

      validatePathIsInsideCollection(targetDirname);

      const collectionPath = findCollectionPathByItemPath(targetDirname);
      if (!collectionPath) {
        throw new Error('Could not determine collection for target directory');
      }
      const targetFormat = getCollectionFormat(collectionPath);

      const filename = targetFilename || path.basename(sourcePathname);
      const filenameWithoutExt = filename.replace(/\.(bru|yml)$/, '');
      const finalFilename = `${filenameWithoutExt}.${targetFormat}`;
      const targetPathname = path.join(targetDirname, finalFilename);

      if (fs.existsSync(targetPathname)) {
        throw new Error(`A file with the name "${finalFilename}" already exists in the target location`);
      }

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