---
title: Troubleshooting
description: What each warning and surprise means, and what to do about it.
---

## Every function shows `N/A` coverage and a high score

No report matched. Check stderr: `warning: no coverage report found` means
none was found, so pass `--coverage`; `coverage scope mismatch` means one was
found but its paths do not line up with the source. Compare a path in the
report with the path poly-crap prints, and see
[Merging and matching paths](/coverage/matching-paths). For TypeScript, make
sure the report names `.ts` files, not compiled `.js`.

## The scores look wrong after a refactor

The report is stale. Poly-crap scores today's source against whatever report
it finds, and warns `is older than the source it covers` when the file dates
say so. Regenerate the report.

## `none of the N candidate source files parsed successfully`

Every file of a language failed to parse, which usually means the files are
not what their extension says, or use syntax the grammar does not know. A
single unparseable file only warns.

## `invalid Git diff base 'main'`

The revision does not exist locally. In CI, check out with full history and
name the remote branch, as in
[GitHub Actions](/gating/ci-recipes#github-actions). Locally,
`git fetch origin main` and use `origin/main`.

## `--diff-base` reports functions I did not touch

Their line range meets a changed line, which includes a comment or a blank
line inside the function. The score is for the whole function, so the report
is telling you what you now own.

## `jq` fails on the JSON

Warnings went to the same stream. Do not merge stderr into stdout, or write
the report with `--output`.

## A function I allowed still fails the gate

Java symbols carry parameter types and Rust symbols use `::`, so
`--allow 'D.risky'` matches nothing where `--allow 'D.risky(*'` does. Symbol
patterns are case sensitive.

## The table is empty but the summary says functions exceed the threshold

`--top` or `--min` hid the rows; the summary counts every function. Drop the
limit, or pass `--min 0`.