vectordotdev/vector · error

Failed to get metadata for

Error message

Failed to get metadata for: {:?}

What it means

check_paths validates the input path of the config-conversion CLI before converting. It calls fs::metadata on the input path and, if the filesystem call fails (path missing or inaccessible), it panics with 'Failed to get metadata for: <path>' instead of returning a friendly error.

Solutions

1. Verify the input path exists: run `ls <input_path>` and correct typos
2. Use an absolute path or run the command from the correct working directory
3. Check read permissions on the path (and parent directories)
4. Optionally patch the tool to return Err instead of panicking so users get a clean message

Example fix

// before
let in_metadata = fs::metadata(&opts.input_path)
    .unwrap_or_else(|_| panic!("Failed to get metadata for: {:?}", &opts.input_path));
// after
let in_metadata = fs::metadata(&opts.input_path)
    .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to get metadata for {:?}: {}", &opts.input_path, e))?;

use std::fs;
if let Err(e) = fs::metadata(&opts.input_path) {
    eprintln!("input path {:?} unusable: {}", opts.input_path, e);
    std::process::exit(2);
}

fn path_exists(p: &std::path::Path) -> bool { fs::metadata(p).is_ok() }

When it happens

Trigger: Running the convert-config command with --input-path pointing to a nonexistent file/directory, or a path the current user lacks permission to stat.

Common situations: Typo in the input path, running from the wrong working directory with a relative path, or the path was deleted/moved before the tool ran.

Understand the failure class

Background: "File not found" and ENOENT errors: why libraries can't find a file that should exist — this error's family across 50 libraries.

Related errors

• Failed to bind to listener socket at path
• Failed to create output dir
• Failed to create output dir(s)
• Failed to get entry for dir
• Failed to get extension for

AI-assisted analysis of vectordotdev/vector@bdb87aeaa4 (2026-09-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/948f5548f05b48a8. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/convert_config.rs:29

#[derive(Parser, Debug)]
#[command(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
pub struct Opts {
    /// The input path. It can be a single file or a directory. If this points to a directory,
    /// all files with a "toml", "yaml" or "json" extension will be converted.
    pub(crate) input_path: PathBuf,

    /// The output file or directory to be created. This command will fail if the output directory exists.
    pub(crate) output_path: PathBuf,

    /// The target format to which existing config files will be converted to.
    #[arg(long, default_value = "yaml")]
    pub(crate) output_format: Format,
}

fn check_paths(opts: &Opts) -> Result<(), String> {
    let in_metadata = fs::metadata(&opts.input_path)
        .unwrap_or_else(|_| panic!("Failed to get metadata for: {:?}", &opts.input_path));

    if opts.output_path.exists() {
        return Err(format!(
            "Output path {:?} already exists. Please provide a non-existing output path.",
            opts.output_path
        ));
    }

    if opts.output_path.extension().is_none() {
        if in_metadata.is_file() {
            return Err(format!(
                "{:?} points to a file but {:?} points to a directory.",
                opts.input_path, opts.output_path
            ));
        }
    } else if in_metadata.is_dir() {
        return Err(format!(
            "{:?} points to a directory but {:?} points to a file.",

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