Vague error message on config import: Config x depends on x that will not exist after import

Question

I don't understand what is missing. It's just a simple blogpost content type that I created before I reset the db and tried to re-import it. All the modules requires are enabled and I did try to clear the cache. Run updb Tried drush cim --partial. nothing has worked. This is the error:

Import the listed configuration changes? (y/n): y
Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigImporterException: There were errors validating the config synchronization.                                                         [error]
Configuration <em class="placeholder">field.field.node.blog_post.field_post_category</em> depends on the <em
class="placeholder">field.storage.node.field_post_category</em> configuration that will not exist after import.
Configuration <em class="placeholder">field.field.node.blog_post.field_post_featured_images</em> depends on the <em
class="placeholder">field.storage.node.field_post_featured_images</em> configuration that will not exist after import.
Configuration <em class="placeholder">field.field.node.blog_post.field_post_video</em> depends on the <em
class="placeholder">field.storage.node.field_post_video</em> configuration that will not exist after import. in Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigImporter->validate()
(line 737 of /var/www/localvolumes/html/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigImporter.php).
The import failed due for the following reasons:                                                                                                             [error]
Configuration <em class="placeholder">field.field.node.blog_post.field_post_category</em> depends on the <em
class="placeholder">field.storage.node.field_post_category</em> configuration that will not exist after import.
Configuration <em class="placeholder">field.field.node.blog_post.field_post_featured_images</em> depends on the <em
class="placeholder">field.storage.node.field_post_featured_images</em> configuration that will not exist after import.
Configuration <em class="placeholder">field.field.node.blog_post.field_post_video</em> depends on the <em
class="placeholder">field.storage.node.field_post_video</em> configuration that will not exist after import.

Answer 1

The simple answer for this issue is, with your idea search for the missed configuration.

for example in

Configuration core.entity_form_display.node.tool.default depends on the field.field.node.tool.field_sha256sum configuration that will not exist after import.

search for field.field.node.tool.field_sha256sum on your idea and remove them from the dependencies of other file. Before

dependencies:
  config:
    - field.field.node.tool.body
    - field.field.node.tool.field_file
    - field.field.node.tool.field_tags
    - field.field.node.tool.field_sha256sum
    - node.type.tool

After:

dependencies:
  config:
    - field.field.node.tool.body
    - field.field.node.tool.field_file
    - field.field.node.tool.field_tags

then try to drush cim again.

just bear in mind you should remove all the missed configuration dependencies.

Answer 2

Answering my own question, hoping it may help others. The error message above, in my case, indicates a missing configuration file.

My workflow usually involves switching between branches and re-setting the database to its pristine state. Then I try to import the configuration before finishing a piece of work.

It turns out I did not commit some field.storage.* configuration files before I switched branches and re-set the database. Then the import failed and complained about missing configuration. Re-reading the error messages more carefully allowed me to understand the underlying issue.

I used my IDE (phpstorm) local history feature to search for the missing files and restore them. This fixed the issue.

Answer 3

I was getting this error when attempting to create a field without the "field_" prepend on machine name. I went about the process by creating field as normal. Then I did a config export for the field and removed the field_ from all the files modified/added.

What I missed that brought me to this error was simply that I forgot to rename the field and storage files. i.e. renaming those 2 files such as field.field.commerce_order.default. field_ syncdb_id.yml to field.field.commerce_order.default.syncdb_id.yml was all that was left to successfully import.