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fix #14207: GUI: write proper error messages when project import fails #7941

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Merged
danmar merged 5 commits into from
Nov 5, 2025
Merged

fix #14207: GUI: write proper error messages when project import fails #7941

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322f58b
store ImportProject errors in a vector instead of printing directly
ludviggunne Oct 31, 2025
cbe5010
update tests
ludviggunne Oct 31, 2025
5963560
show import project error message in gui
ludviggunne Nov 2, 2025
aed446b
use CmdLineLogger for import errors in cli
ludviggunne Nov 4, 2025
609e41f
print import errors unconditionally
ludviggunne Nov 5, 2025
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9 changes: 9 additions & 0 deletions cli/cmdlineparser.cpp
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -1163,6 +1163,12 @@ CmdLineParser::Result CmdLineParser::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const a
mSettings.checkAllConfigurations = false; // Can be overridden with --max-configs or --force
std::string projectFile = argv[i]+10;
projectType = project.import(projectFile, &mSettings, &mSuppressions);

auto printImportErrors = [&]() {
for (const auto &error : project.errors)
mLogger.printError(error);
};

if (projectType == ImportProject::Type::CPPCHECK_GUI) {
for (const std::string &lib : project.guiProject.libraries)
mSettings.libraries.emplace_back(lib);
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1191,14 +1197,17 @@ CmdLineParser::Result CmdLineParser::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const a
mSettings.libraries.emplace_back("windows");
}
if (projectType == ImportProject::Type::MISSING) {
printImportErrors();
mLogger.printError("failed to open project '" + projectFile + "'. The file does not exist.");
return Result::Fail;
}
if (projectType == ImportProject::Type::UNKNOWN) {
printImportErrors();
mLogger.printError("failed to load project '" + projectFile + "'. The format is unknown.");
return Result::Fail;
}
if (projectType == ImportProject::Type::FAILURE) {
printImportErrors();
mLogger.printError("failed to load project '" + projectFile + "'. An error occurred.");
return Result::Fail;
}
Expand Down
6 changes: 6 additions & 0 deletions gui/mainwindow.cpp
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -1990,6 +1990,12 @@ void MainWindow::analyzeProject(const ProjectFile *projectFile, const QStringLis
break;
}

if (!p.errors.empty())
errorMessage += ": \n";

for (const auto &error : p.errors)
errorMessage += "\n - " + QString::fromStdString(error);

if (!errorMessage.isEmpty()) {
QMessageBox msg(QMessageBox::Critical,
tr("Cppcheck"),
Expand Down
52 changes: 24 additions & 28 deletions lib/importproject.cpp
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ bool ImportProject::importCompileCommands(std::istream &istr)
picojson::value compileCommands;
istr >> compileCommands;
if (!compileCommands.is<picojson::array>()) {
printError("compilation database is not a JSON array");
errors.emplace_back("compilation database is not a JSON array");
return false;
}

Expand All @@ -345,12 +345,12 @@ bool ImportProject::importCompileCommands(std::istream &istr)
picojson::object obj = fileInfo.get<picojson::object>();

if (obj.count("directory") == 0) {
printError("'directory' field in compilation database entry missing");
errors.emplace_back("'directory' field in compilation database entry missing");
return false;
}

if (!obj["directory"].is<std::string>()) {
printError("'directory' field in compilation database entry is not a string");
errors.emplace_back("'directory' field in compilation database entry is not a string");
return false;
}

Expand All @@ -377,24 +377,24 @@ bool ImportProject::importCompileCommands(std::istream &istr)
}
}
} else {
printError("'arguments' field in compilation database entry is not a JSON array");
errors.emplace_back("'arguments' field in compilation database entry is not a JSON array");
return false;
}
} else if (obj.count("command")) {
doUnescape = true;
if (obj["command"].is<std::string>()) {
command = obj["command"].get<std::string>();
} else {
printError("'command' field in compilation database entry is not a string");
errors.emplace_back("'command' field in compilation database entry is not a string");
return false;
}
} else {
printError("no 'arguments' or 'command' field found in compilation database entry");
errors.emplace_back("no 'arguments' or 'command' field found in compilation database entry");
return false;
}

if (!obj.count("file") || !obj["file"].is<std::string>()) {
printError("skip compilation database entry because it does not have a proper 'file' field");
errors.emplace_back("skip compilation database entry because it does not have a proper 'file' field");
continue;
}

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -434,14 +434,14 @@ bool ImportProject::importSln(std::istream &istr, const std::string &path, const
std::string line;

if (!std::getline(istr,line)) {
printError("Visual Studio solution file is empty");
errors.emplace_back("Visual Studio solution file is empty");
return false;
}

if (!startsWith(line, "Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File")) {
// Skip BOM
if (!std::getline(istr, line) || !startsWith(line, "Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File")) {
printError("Visual Studio solution file header not found");
errors.emplace_back("Visual Studio solution file header not found");
return false;
}
}
Expand All @@ -466,14 +466,14 @@ bool ImportProject::importSln(std::istream &istr, const std::string &path, const
vcxproj = path + vcxproj;
vcxproj = Path::fromNativeSeparators(std::move(vcxproj));
if (!importVcxproj(vcxproj, variables, "", fileFilters, sharedItemsProjects)) {
printError("failed to load '" + vcxproj + "' from Visual Studio solution");
errors.emplace_back("failed to load '" + vcxproj + "' from Visual Studio solution");
return false;
}
found = true;
}

if (!found) {
printError("no projects found in Visual Studio solution file");
errors.emplace_back("no projects found in Visual Studio solution file");
return false;
}

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ bool ImportProject::importVcxproj(const std::string &filename,
tinyxml2::XMLDocument doc;
const tinyxml2::XMLError error = doc.LoadFile(filename.c_str());
if (error != tinyxml2::XML_SUCCESS) {
printError(std::string("Visual Studio project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
errors.emplace_back(std::string("Visual Studio project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
return false;
}
return importVcxproj(filename, doc, variables, additionalIncludeDirectories, fileFilters, cache);
Expand All @@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ bool ImportProject::importVcxproj(const std::string &filename, const tinyxml2::X

const tinyxml2::XMLElement * const rootnode = doc.FirstChildElement();
if (rootnode == nullptr) {
printError("Visual Studio project file has no XML root node");
errors.emplace_back("Visual Studio project file has no XML root node");
return false;
}
for (const tinyxml2::XMLElement *node = rootnode->FirstChildElement(); node; node = node->NextSiblingElement()) {
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -810,13 +810,13 @@ bool ImportProject::importVcxproj(const std::string &filename, const tinyxml2::X
pathToSharedItemsFile = variables["ProjectDir"] + projectAttribute;
}
if (!simplifyPathWithVariables(pathToSharedItemsFile, variables)) {
printError("Could not simplify path to referenced shared items project");
errors.emplace_back("Could not simplify path to referenced shared items project");
return false;
}

SharedItemsProject toAdd = importVcxitems(pathToSharedItemsFile, fileFilters, cache);
if (!toAdd.successful) {
printError("Could not load shared items project \"" + pathToSharedItemsFile + "\" from original path \"" + std::string(projectAttribute) + "\".");
errors.emplace_back("Could not load shared items project \"" + pathToSharedItemsFile + "\" from original path \"" + std::string(projectAttribute) + "\".");
return false;
}
sharedItemsProjects.emplace_back(toAdd);
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -928,12 +928,12 @@ ImportProject::SharedItemsProject ImportProject::importVcxitems(const std::strin
tinyxml2::XMLDocument doc;
const tinyxml2::XMLError error = doc.LoadFile(filename.c_str());
if (error != tinyxml2::XML_SUCCESS) {
printError(std::string("Visual Studio project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
errors.emplace_back(std::string("Visual Studio project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
return result;
}
const tinyxml2::XMLElement * const rootnode = doc.FirstChildElement();
if (rootnode == nullptr) {
printError("Visual Studio project file has no XML root node");
errors.emplace_back("Visual Studio project file has no XML root node");
return result;
}
for (const tinyxml2::XMLElement *node = rootnode->FirstChildElement(); node; node = node->NextSiblingElement()) {
Expand All @@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ ImportProject::SharedItemsProject ImportProject::importVcxitems(const std::strin

result.sourceFiles.emplace_back(file);
} else {
printError("Could not find shared items source file");
errors.emplace_back("Could not find shared items source file");
return result;
}
}
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -979,12 +979,12 @@ bool ImportProject::importBcb6Prj(const std::string &projectFilename)
tinyxml2::XMLDocument doc;
const tinyxml2::XMLError error = doc.LoadFile(projectFilename.c_str());
if (error != tinyxml2::XML_SUCCESS) {
printError(std::string("Borland project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
errors.emplace_back(std::string("Borland project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
return false;
}
const tinyxml2::XMLElement * const rootnode = doc.FirstChildElement();
if (rootnode == nullptr) {
printError("Borland project file has no XML root node");
errors.emplace_back("Borland project file has no XML root node");
return false;
}

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1296,12 +1296,12 @@ bool ImportProject::importCppcheckGuiProject(std::istream &istr, Settings &setti
const std::string xmldata = istream_to_string(istr);
const tinyxml2::XMLError error = doc.Parse(xmldata.data(), xmldata.size());
if (error != tinyxml2::XML_SUCCESS) {
printError(std::string("Cppcheck GUI project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
errors.emplace_back(std::string("Cppcheck GUI project file is not a valid XML - ") + tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorIDToName(error));
return false;
}
const tinyxml2::XMLElement * const rootnode = doc.FirstChildElement();
if (rootnode == nullptr || strcmp(rootnode->Name(), CppcheckXml::ProjectElementName) != 0) {
printError("Cppcheck GUI project file has no XML root node");
errors.emplace_back("Cppcheck GUI project file has no XML root node");
return false;
}

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1420,7 +1420,7 @@ bool ImportProject::importCppcheckGuiProject(std::istream &istr, Settings &setti
else if (strcmp(childname, Settings::SafeChecks::XmlExternalVariables) == 0)
temp.safeChecks.externalVariables = true;
else {
printError("Unknown '" + std::string(Settings::SafeChecks::XmlRootName) + "' element '" + childname + "' in Cppcheck project file");
errors.emplace_back("Unknown '" + std::string(Settings::SafeChecks::XmlRootName) + "' element '" + childname + "' in Cppcheck project file");
return false;
}
}
Expand All @@ -1443,7 +1443,7 @@ bool ImportProject::importCppcheckGuiProject(std::istream &istr, Settings &setti
else if (strcmp(name, CppcheckXml::ProjectNameElementName) == 0)
; // no-op
else {
printError("Unknown element '" + std::string(name) + "' in Cppcheck project file");
errors.emplace_back("Unknown element '" + std::string(name) + "' in Cppcheck project file");
return false;
}
}
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1548,7 +1548,3 @@ void ImportProject::setRelativePaths(const std::string &filename)
}
}

void ImportProject::printError(const std::string &message)
{
std::cout << "cppcheck: error: " << message << std::endl;
}
5 changes: 2 additions & 3 deletions lib/importproject.h
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Expand Up @@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class CPPCHECKLIB WARN_UNUSED ImportProject {
static void fsSetIncludePaths(FileSettings& fs, const std::string &basepath, const std::list<std::string> &in, std::map<std::string, std::string, cppcheck::stricmp> &variables);

std::list<FileSettings> fileSettings;
std::vector<std::string> errors;

ImportProject() = default;
virtual ~ImportProject() = default;
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -112,13 +113,11 @@ class CPPCHECKLIB WARN_UNUSED ImportProject {
};

bool importSln(std::istream &istr, const std::string &path, const std::vector<std::string> &fileFilters);
static SharedItemsProject importVcxitems(const std::string &filename, const std::vector<std::string> &fileFilters, std::vector<SharedItemsProject> &cache);
SharedItemsProject importVcxitems(const std::string &filename, const std::vector<std::string> &fileFilters, std::vector<SharedItemsProject> &cache);
bool importVcxproj(const std::string &filename, std::map<std::string, std::string, cppcheck::stricmp> &variables, const std::string &additionalIncludeDirectories, const std::vector<std::string> &fileFilters, std::vector<SharedItemsProject> &cache);
bool importVcxproj(const std::string &filename, const tinyxml2::XMLDocument &doc, std::map<std::string, std::string, cppcheck::stricmp> &variables, const std::string &additionalIncludeDirectories, const std::vector<std::string> &fileFilters, std::vector<SharedItemsProject> &cache);
bool importBcb6Prj(const std::string &projectFilename);

static void printError(const std::string &message);

void setRelativePaths(const std::string &filename);

std::string mPath;
Expand Down
9 changes: 6 additions & 3 deletions test/testimportproject.cpp
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Expand Up @@ -409,7 +409,8 @@ class TestImportProject : public TestFixture {
TestImporter importer;
ASSERT_EQUALS(false, importer.importCompileCommands(istr));
ASSERT_EQUALS(0, importer.fileSettings.size());
ASSERT_EQUALS("cppcheck: error: no 'arguments' or 'command' field found in compilation database entry\n", GET_REDIRECT_OUTPUT);
ASSERT_EQUALS(1, importer.errors.size());
ASSERT_EQUALS("no 'arguments' or 'command' field found in compilation database entry", importer.errors[0]);
}

void importCompileCommandsDirectoryMissing() const {
Expand All @@ -419,7 +420,8 @@ class TestImportProject : public TestFixture {
TestImporter importer;
ASSERT_EQUALS(false, importer.importCompileCommands(istr));
ASSERT_EQUALS(0, importer.fileSettings.size());
ASSERT_EQUALS("cppcheck: error: 'directory' field in compilation database entry missing\n", GET_REDIRECT_OUTPUT);
ASSERT_EQUALS(1, importer.errors.size());
ASSERT_EQUALS("'directory' field in compilation database entry missing", importer.errors[0]);
}

void importCompileCommandsDirectoryInvalid() const {
Expand All @@ -430,7 +432,8 @@ class TestImportProject : public TestFixture {
TestImporter importer;
ASSERT_EQUALS(false, importer.importCompileCommands(istr));
ASSERT_EQUALS(0, importer.fileSettings.size());
ASSERT_EQUALS("cppcheck: error: 'directory' field in compilation database entry is not a string\n", GET_REDIRECT_OUTPUT);
ASSERT_EQUALS(1, importer.errors.size());
ASSERT_EQUALS("'directory' field in compilation database entry is not a string", importer.errors[0]);
}

void importCppcheckGuiProject() const {
Expand Down