Error messages¶
This page lists common errors and their likely fixes.
Start with the first line of the error message, then match it against the table below.
| Error starts with | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
input file does not exist |
The input path is wrong. | Check the path and run again. |
input path is a directory |
The input is a directory, not a file. | Pass a Markdown file. |
output path would overwrite the input file |
--output points to the Markdown input. |
Choose a separate PDF output path. |
HTML debug path conflicts with the PDF output |
--keep-html was used with an output path ending in .html. |
Use a PDF output path, such as report.pdf. |
invalid value '...' for '--page-size <PAGE_SIZE>' |
The page size contains characters that are not valid in a CSS page size. | Use a value such as A4, Letter, A4 landscape, or 210mm 297mm. |
could not find Chrome, Chromium, or Edge |
Browser discovery failed. | Pass --browser /path/to/chrome or set MD_TO_PDF_BROWSER. |
failed to read Mermaid script |
--mermaid-js points to a missing file. |
Check the bundle path. |
Mermaid failed to load after 5 attempts |
The Mermaid runtime could not be downloaded, even after retrying for about 19 seconds. | Check network access to the Mermaid URL, or use a local Mermaid bundle with --mermaid-js. |
Mermaid render failed |
Mermaid syntax or runtime loading failed. | Fix the diagram or use a local Mermaid bundle. |
timed out waiting for Mermaid rendering |
Rendering took longer than the budget. | Increase --virtual-time-budget. |
| Local image or asset is missing from the PDF | Browser local file access is disabled or the relative path is wrong. | Use a path relative to the Markdown file and pass --allow-local-files for trusted documents. |