Errors and exit codes - Syntheo

Without --json, the CLI writes its errors to standard error, as readable text starting with error:. With --json, it writes to standard error an object containing schema_version and error, which is made up of code, message and exit_code.

{
  "schema_version": "1",
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "meeting 'abc' not found",
    "exit_code": 2
  }
}

Exit codes

Exit code	JSON `code`	Meaning	What to do
`0`	—	Success	Read standard output.
`1`	`operation_failed`	Database opening, validation or operation failure; or a `doctor` report with `ready` set to `false`; or an import that ended as `failed`	Read the message. For `doctor`, inspect the JSON report and check that the app and the CLI have compatible versions.
`2`	`not_found`	Meeting, note, proposal or other data not found	Run a list again and use a returned ID.
`3`	`database_not_found`	Database file not found	Open Syntheo once to create the database, or set the right path with `--db-path` or `--base`.
`4`	`output_exists`	The export file already exists	Choose another path, or explicitly pass `--force` to replace it.

Two special cases reuse code 2:

Invalid arguments: the JSON code is invalid_arguments, with Clap’s exit code (usually 2).
meetings import --wait: if the wait times out before the end, the CLI returns 2 without an error object. The job continues; track it with meetings import-status.

Common messages

Message	Cause	What to do
`base Syntheo introuvable à … ; lancez Syntheo une fois ou passez --db-path`	No database at the selected location	Open the app, or pass `--db-path`.
`Open the updated Syntheo desktop app before importing recordings`	Import requested while the app is not open	Open the app on the same database, then run the import again with the same `--request-key`.
`Unsupported recording format`	Unsupported extension	Use WAV, MP3, OGG, MP4, M4A, FLAC, WebM or AAC.
`Folder does not exist; use meetings folders to choose an existing folder`	Unknown folder	Choose a path returned by `meetings folders`.

MCP errors

The MCP server reports a meeting, proposal or import that can’t be found as “invalid params”. Validation failures and conflicts (empty proposal content, several summaries without target_id, declining a proposal that is no longer pending) are reported as internal errors, as are database and serialization failures.

Never try to repair by creating tables, running migrations or executing SQL. The app alone handles schema initialization and migrations; a manual change can corrupt the database.