wavetermdev/waveterm · error

adding file %s: %w

Error message

adding file %s: %w

What it means

For each file collected via --file flags, aiRun sends a WaveAIAddContextCommand RPC attaching that file to the AI chat. Failure of any per-file RPC is wrapped with the file name: "adding file %s: %w".

Source

Thrown at cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-ai.go:192

		err := wshclient.WaveAIAddContextCommand(RpcClient, newChatData, &wshrpc.RpcOpts{
			Route:   route,
			Timeout: rpcTimeout,
		})
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("creating new chat: %w", err)
		}
	}

	for _, file := range allFiles {
		contextData := wshrpc.CommandWaveAIAddContextData{
			Files: []wshrpc.AIAttachedFile{file},
		}
		err := wshclient.WaveAIAddContextCommand(RpcClient, contextData, &wshrpc.RpcOpts{
			Route:   route,
			Timeout: rpcTimeout,
		})
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("adding file %s: %w", file.Name, err)
		}
	}

	if aiMessageFlag != "" || aiSubmitFlag {
		finalContextData := wshrpc.CommandWaveAIAddContextData{
			Text:   aiMessageFlag,
			Submit: aiSubmitFlag,
		}
		err := wshclient.WaveAIAddContextCommand(RpcClient, finalContextData, &wshrpc.RpcOpts{
			Route:   route,
			Timeout: rpcTimeout,
		})
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("adding context: %w", err)
		}
	}

	return nil

View on GitHub (pinned to a4447c1563)

Solutions

1. Check the named file exists and is readable (`ls -l <file>`); fix the path and re-run.
2. Verify the AI chat block target still exists (tab wasn't closed).
3. Reduce file size/count if the server rejected the attachment.
4. Read the wrapped cause for the specific RPC-level failure and address it.

Example fix

// before
wsh ai --file ./src/oldname.go
// error: adding file ./src/oldname.go: ...

// after
wsh ai --file ./src/renamed.go

info, err := os.Stat(path)
if err != nil || info.IsDir() {
    // skip or fix the --file path before invoking wsh ai
}

if err != nil {
    var wrappedErr = fmt.Errorf("adding file %s: %w", file.Name, err)
    // log file.Name and retry only the failed file
}

When it happens

Trigger: `wsh ai --file <path>` where the file cannot be attached: path does not exist or is unreadable, file too large, or the WaveAIAddContextCommand RPC fails (bad route, timeout, server rejection).

Common situations: Typo or stale path in --file argument; file deleted after being staged; attaching files from a directory the Wave process cannot read; oversized file exceeding context limits.

Related errors

• source cannot be blank
• nil wshrpc passed to wshclient
• creating new chat: %w
• adding context: %w
• publishing badge event: %v

AI-assisted analysis of wavetermdev/waveterm@a4447c1563 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3024c52dacfb0ea7. Report an issue: GitHub.