forcedotcom
Hidden directory set as --output-dir causes no metadata to be retrieved when running `sf project retrieve start`
Summary
sf project retrieve start does not retrieve any metadata when --output-dir is set to a path containing a hidden directory (ex. .tmp/force-app/main/default)
Steps To Reproduce
- Run the command
sf project retrieve start --manifest ./manifest/package.xml --output-dir .tmp/force-app/main/default
Expected result
It should retrieve metadata from the org and put it in the directory specified as the output directory
Actual result
It retrieves nothing and prints the warning » Warning: Nothing retrieved
Additional information
The result is the same even if using an absolute path that has a hidden directory somewhere in the path (ex. C:/Users/Me/Documents/MyProject/.tmp.)
System Information
I'm debugging in Windows powershell, but I first noticed the bug in a Github Action running ubuntu-latest
{
"architecture": "win32-x64",
"cliVersion": "@salesforce/cli/2.91.6",
"nodeVersion": "node-v20.10.0",
"osVersion": "Windows_NT 10.0.22631",
"rootPath": "C:\\Users\\Me\\AppData\\Roaming\\nvm\\v20.10.0\\node_modules\\@salesforce\\cli",
"shell": "powershell",
"pluginVersions": [
"@oclif/plugin-autocomplete 3.2.29 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-commands 4.1.25 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-help 6.2.28 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-not-found 3.2.53 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-plugins 5.4.38 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-search 1.2.24 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-update 4.6.41 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-version 2.2.28 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-warn-if-update-available 3.1.40 (core)",
"@oclif/plugin-which 3.2.35 (core)",
"@salesforce/cli 2.91.6 (core)",
"apex 3.6.19 (core)",
"api 1.3.3 (core)",
"auth 3.6.124 (core)",
"code-analyzer 5.0.0 (user) published 36 days ago (Tue Apr 29 2025) (latest is 5.1.0)",
"data 4.0.36 (core)",
"deploy-retrieve 3.22.17 (core)",
"info 3.4.65 (core)",
"limits 3.3.55 (core)",
"marketplace 1.3.8 (core)",
"org 5.7.12 (core)",
"packaging 2.13.6 (core)",
"schema 3.3.64 (core)",
"settings 2.4.29 (core)",
"signups 2.5.23 (user) published 235 days ago (Sun Oct 13 2024) (latest is 2.6.28)",
"sobject 1.4.58 (core)",
"telemetry 3.6.42 (core)",
"templates 56.3.48 (core)",
"trust 3.7.96 (core)",
"user 3.6.24 (core)",
"@salesforce/sfdx-scanner 4.7.0 (user) published 218 days ago (Tue Oct 29 2024) (latest is 4.12.0)"
]
}
Thank you for filing this issue. We appreciate your feedback and will review the issue as soon as possible. Remember, however, that GitHub isn't a mechanism for receiving support under any agreement or SLA. If you require immediate assistance, contact Salesforce Customer Support.
![github-actions[bot] avatar](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/in/15368?v=4 "Published by a pub.dev verified publisher"){kind=small}
Hello @BrandonEnclude :wave: None of the versions of sf you shared match the latest release.
Shared: 2.90.4
Latest: 2.91.6
Update to the latest version of Salesforce CLI (docs) and confirm that you're still seeing your issue.
You can also try the rc and nightly releases! (docs)
After updating, share the full output of sf version --verbose --json
Hello @BrandonEnclude :wave: None of the versions of sf you shared match the latest release.
Shared: 2.90.4, 2.90.4
Latest: 2.91.6
Update to the latest version of Salesforce CLI (docs) and confirm that you're still seeing your issue.
You can also try the rc and nightly releases! (docs)
After updating, share the full output of sf version --verbose --json
I've confirmed the same behavior in the latest CLI
➜ mkdir .hidden
➜ dreamhouse-lwc git:(main) hub:(GLOBAL - DevHub) scratch:([email protected])
➜ ls
bin CONTRIBUTION.md jest-sa11y-setup.js package.json
CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md data jest.config.js README.md
codecov.yml dreamhouse-logo.png LICENSE SECURITY.md
config force-app package-lock.json sfdx-project.json
➜ dreamhouse-lwc git:(main) hub:(GLOBAL - DevHub) scratch:([email protected])
➜ ls -la
total 1216
drwxr-xr-x 2 william.ruemmele staff 64 Jun 5 07:03 .hidden
➜ dreamhouse-lwc git:(main) hub:(GLOBAL - DevHub) scratch:([email protected])
➜ sf project retrieve start -m ApexClass --output-dir .hidden/
────────────── Retrieving Metadata ──────────────
Retrieving v60.0 metadata from [email protected] using the v63.0 SOAP API
✔ Preparing retrieve request 7ms
✔ Sending request to org 3.57s
✔ Waiting for the org to respond 4.16s
✔ Done 0ms
Status: Succeeded
Elapsed Time: 7.73s
› Warning: Nothing retrieved
➜ dreamhouse-lwc git:(main) hub:(GLOBAL - DevHub) scratch:([email protected])
➜ mkdir hidden
➜ dreamhouse-lwc git:(main) hub:(GLOBAL - DevHub) scratch:([email protected])
➜ sf project retrieve start -m ApexClass --output-dir hidden/
────────────── Retrieving Metadata ──────────────
Retrieving v60.0 metadata from [email protected] using the v63.0 SOAP API
✔ Preparing retrieve request 7ms
✔ Sending request to org 832ms
✔ Waiting for the org to respond 378ms
✔ Done 0ms
Status: Succeeded
Elapsed Time: 1.21s
Retrieved Source
┌─────────┬──────────────────────────┬───────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ State │ Name │ Type │ Path │
├─────────┼──────────────────────────┼───────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Created │ FileUtilities │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/FileUtilities.cls │
│ Created │ FileUtilities │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/FileUtilities.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ FileUtilitiesTest │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/FileUtilitiesTest.cls │
│ Created │ FileUtilitiesTest │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/FileUtilitiesTest.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ GeocodingService │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/GeocodingService.cls │
│ Created │ GeocodingService │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/GeocodingService.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ GeocodingServiceTest │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/GeocodingServiceTest.cls │
│ Created │ GeocodingServiceTest │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/GeocodingServiceTest.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ PagedResult │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/PagedResult.cls │
│ Created │ PagedResult │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/PagedResult.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ PropertyController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/PropertyController.cls │
│ Created │ PropertyController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/PropertyController.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ SampleDataController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/SampleDataController.cls │
│ Created │ SampleDataController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/SampleDataController.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ TestPropertyController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/TestPropertyController.cls │
│ Created │ TestPropertyController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/TestPropertyController.cls-meta.xml │
│ Created │ TestSampleDataController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/TestSampleDataController.cls │
│ Created │ TestSampleDataController │ ApexClass │ hidden/classes/TestSampleDataController.cls-meta.xml │
└─────────┴──────────────────────────┴───────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
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quick update:
after investigating the root cause of this bug we found the fix is risky since it will change the default forceignore rules (which includes dirs starting with .). As a workaround you avoid saving retrieves to a hidden dir.
