AttributeError when parsing configuration file with "yes" option

[RenFraser]

Issue

When attempting to start aider version v0.41.0, an AttributeError is raised if the .aider.conf.yml configuration file in the user's home directory contains a boolean value (e.g., true or false) or a string representation of a boolean value (e.g., 'true' or 'false'). The error occurs because the configargparse library is trying to call the strip() method on a boolean or string object, which is not supported.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Create or modify the .aider.conf.yml file in the user's home directory.
2. Add any of the following content to the file:

   yes: true
   

   or

   yes: false
   

   or

   yes: 'true'
   

   or

   yes: 'false'
   

3. Invoke aider by running the command aider in the terminal.

Expected Behavior:
Aider should start up normally without any errors, regardless of whether the configuration file contains boolean values or string representations of boolean values.

Actual Behavior:
An AttributeError is raised with the following stack trace:

~ via ⬢ v20.5.1 
➜ aider -V
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/opt/homebrew/bin/aider", line 8, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
             ^^^^^^
  File "/opt/homebrew/lib/python3.11/site-packages/aider/main.py", line 285, in main
    args, unknown = parser.parse_known_args(argv)
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/opt/homebrew/lib/python3.11/site-packages/configargparse.py", line 938, in parse_known_args
    [self.get_command_line_key_for_unknown_config_file_setting(key)],
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/opt/homebrew/lib/python3.11/site-packages/configargparse.py", line 1047, in get_command_line_key_for_unknown_config_file_setting
    key_without_prefix_chars = key.strip(self.prefix_chars)
                               ^^^^^^^^^
AttributeError: 'bool' object has no attribute 'strip'

The error occurs regardless of whether the value is true, false, 'true', or 'false'.

Version and model info

Aider version: v0.41.0
Python version: 3.11
Operating System: macOS

[paul-gauthier]

Thanks for trying aider and filing this issue.

Per the configargparse docs it looks like booleans should be set like:

https://github.com/bw2/ConfigArgParse

# how to set a flag arg (eg. arg which has action="store_true")
--name
name
name = True    # "True" and "true" are the same

I will update the sample .aider.conf.yml file docs.

[paul-gauthier]

Sorry, this looks like it indeed a bug. Configargparse docs claim that YAMLConfigFileParser format files should accept yes: true. But if you specify config_file_parser_class=configargparse.YAMLConfigFileParser it throws the error you report.

Removing the config_file_parser_class=configargparse.YAMLConfigFileParser it parses yes: true correctly. That seems to use the more flexible DefaultConfigFileParser.

The change is available in the main branch. You can get it by installing the latest version from github:

python -m pip install --upgrade git+https://github.com/paul-gauthier/aider.git

If you have a chance to try it, let me know if it works better for you.

[RenFraser]

Thanks! Tested locally, looks good on my end.

Tested:

• Startup works with the config for string 'true' and 'false'
• Startup works with the config for string true and false
• Writing commits with aider to a local git repo works as expected.

.aider.conf.yml for reference:

dark-mode: true
dirty-commits: false
attribute-author: false
attribute-committer: false
auto-lint: false
lint: false
yes: true

[paul-gauthier]

I'm going to close this issue for now, but feel free to add a comment here and I will re-open or file a new issue any time.

[paul-gauthier]

Just went down a rabbit hole to find out why configargparse wouldn't parse a proper yaml config file. Yaml treats yes: whatever as the boolean key True with value whatever. And aider has a --yes parameter, so putting yes: true in your yaml causes a bug when True: True bubbles up from the yaml parser.

Solutions aren't great:

1. Force everyone to quote the yes arg in their yaml: "yes": true. Possibly scan all yaml for yes: and warn the user to fix it.
2. Change --yes to --always-yes.

[paul-gauthier]

Relevant: yaml/pyyaml#376

I renamed --yes to --yes-always.

[paul-gauthier]

Now aider can read proper yaml files, including bulleted lists:

foo:
  - bar
  - baz
  - fob