[SalesForce] SFDX CLI “Expected file at path:” error on push to a new scratch org

This is by no means great, but you can force your way around this by editing the local file used to track changes.

1. create a new field in the org
2. sfdx force:source:pull -> field gets pulled into force-app/main/default
3. move the field to a separate directory (at this point sfdx thinks i've deleted the field)
4. open .sfdx/orgs/<your_scratch_org_username>/sourcePathInfos.json
5. delete any entries related to the original path
6. remind yourself that benioff is free from original sin, so all bugs are features, but you aren't so try and write some decent code

Big picture, SFDX had grand dreams of letting you organize stuff into multiple folders. But there are major bugs with the implementation, and it's been multiple years at this point and none of them are fixed. If you can just stick to one folder. If you do multiple folders, prepare to pay for it in pain.

Issues I'm aware of

• refreshing a file outside of the default folder ends up with an extra copy of the file in the default package folder and no updates to the one you intended to refresh
• if you move metadata from one package directory to another scratch org commands think you're deleting stuff
• when you pull metadata you've got no good way to control where it goes

The command sfdx force:source:push should work fine today.

Adding CLI support for metadata types that have a decomposed (or source) format for the force:source:deploy, force:source:retrieve, force:source:delete commands is Work in progress.

You can get early access to it by checking here

Note that since it is in DEV preview there won't be any support via support cases, however, you can raise any issues in the git repo and will be addressed.

There are some caveats you will need to remember with this feature

• force:source:push follow deployment order indicated in the sfdx-project.json in package directories. If the dependencies are not maintained in that order force source push fails.

  • An example for this lets say if you move a field to the a new directory and the old directory still has a reference to the previous field in profile or permissionset or layout metadata the force:source:push will fail.

• Weird state encountered if the metadata is reorganized into multiple folders and not started with fresh scratch orgs. Reorganize and then always test force:source:push with a new scratch org before source is versioned.

  • If you have existing scratch org and in the local project directory if one reorganizes metadata, one can get into weird state.