Error: Multiple files resolve to the same underlying canonical file

Symptom

You’re unable to sync your domino project and receive the error message:

You have multiple files in your project that resolve to the same underlying canonical file (see the list below). This is probably because you have a symlink pointing to another file also in your project, or multiple symlinks pointing to the same file.

Cause

Some common things that can cause this error to pop up are:

• Installing a program that uses symlinks (e.g., Juli) into your project directory.
• When using the CLI, running “domino sync” from within the wrong directory (e.g., from your home directory, instead of the Domino project directory).

 Solution

Installing programs inside a project directory is not recommended in favor of installing them in your compute environment. By taking advantage of Domino’s compute environments, you can install your programs at the system-level, use the program in other projects, and reduce project bloat.

If you're running “domino sync” from the CLI, ensure you’re running it from the correct directory - depending on the structure of your project, that will either take the form of [projectname] or [username]/[projectname].

Additional Resources

Feel free to reach out at support@dominodatalab.com for more help on this error, or if you think you’re getting it for another reason.

For more info on how Domino handles Symlink files in our Reproducibility Engine and additional resources regarding Custom Compute Environments, check out the links below:

• FAQ on Symlinks and Syncing
• Compute Environment Management
• Technology Preview: V2 Compute Environments