Troubleshooting

Quick Fixes

"Input is in lab format — conversion required"

Your data isn't in standard format. The tool can auto-convert if you specify a converter:

python src/main.py --input_json your_file.json --convertor lab

If that doesn't work, check whether your JSON has Version/InputData keys (lab format) vs switch/vlans keys (standard format).

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"Template folder not found"

The tool can't find templates that match your switch's make/firmware.

1. Check you're running from the project root
2. Verify the folder exists: input/jinja2_templates/<make>/<firmware>/
3. Check your JSON has matching values:

   { "switch": { "make": "cisco", "firmware": "nxos" } }
   

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"No configs generated" or empty output

1. Vendor/firmware mismatch — make and firmware must match a template folder name
2. Empty data — if no VLANs in input, no VLAN config is generated
3. Missing templates — check that the folder contains .j2 files

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"Failed to parse JSON"

Common JSON syntax errors:

Missing commas:    {"key1": "v1" "key2": "v2"}     ← needs comma
Trailing commas:   {"key": "value",}                ← remove trailing comma
Single quotes:     {'key': 'value'}                 ← use double quotes
Comments:          {"key": "value" // note}         ← JSON doesn't allow comments

Validate with: python -m json.tool your_file.json

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Permission errors

# Linux — ensure output folder is writable
mkdir -p output/ && chmod 755 output/

# Windows — run from a folder you own, or as Administrator

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Debug Steps

1. Test with the included example

python src/main.py --input_json input/standard_input.json --output_folder test_output/

2. Check generated files

ls -la test_output/
# Should see: generated_*.cfg files

3. Examine the standard JSON

If using a converter, look at the intermediate std_*.json files to verify the conversion.

4. Enable debug logging

python src/main.py --input_json data.json --output_folder out/ --debug

5. Run tests

python -m pytest tests/ -v

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Template Rendering Errors

Undefined variable:

{# Use safe access #}
{{ interface.mtu | default(1500) }}

{% if interface.mtu is defined %}
  mtu {{ interface.mtu }}
{% endif %}

Missing endfor/endif: Every {% for %} needs {% endfor %}, every {% if %} needs {% endif %}.

Debug data in templates:

<!-- DEBUG -->
{{ vlans | pprint }}

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Executable Issues

Linux — "command not found":

chmod +x ./network_config_generator
./network_config_generator --help

Windows — "cannot execute":

1. Right-click → Properties → General → Unblock
2. Run from PowerShell: .\network_config_generator.exe --help

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Getting Help

Before reporting an issue:

1. Check this guide and test with sample data
2. Validate your JSON syntax
3. Verify template folder structure

When reporting, include:

• Command used and full error message
• Input file structure (sanitized)
• OS and Python version
• Expected vs actual behavior