From 7b9c8ae663873fb0b28314603eb7224c92a031c9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Abdessamad Derraz <3028866+Abdess@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:47 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] fix: refuse a mistyped --target in cross_reference

load_target_config raised out of cross_reference.py as a traceback. The hint now names the full verify.py command, since cross_reference and slots have no --list-targets.
---
 scripts/common.py               |  5 ++++-
 scripts/cross_reference.py      | 15 ++++++++++-----
 tests/test_audit_regressions.py | 19 +++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 33 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scripts/common.py b/scripts/common.py
index 35b53465..a70fdbdf 100644
--- a/scripts/common.py
+++ b/scripts/common.py
@@ -658,8 +658,11 @@ def load_target_config(
         # through, where a platform or emulator name gets the closest ones.
         raise ValueError(
             f"Unknown target '{target}' for platform '{platform_name}'.\n"
+            # Named as a full command: cross_reference.py and slots.py take
+            # --target but have no --list-targets of their own.
             + suggest_names(
-                [target], sorted(alias_index), "--list-targets", len(targets)
+                [target], sorted(alias_index),
+                f"verify.py --platform {platform_name} --list-targets", len(targets),
             )
         )
 
diff --git a/scripts/cross_reference.py b/scripts/cross_reference.py
index f82966b5..5899a973 100644
--- a/scripts/cross_reference.py
+++ b/scripts/cross_reference.py
@@ -979,11 +979,16 @@ def main() -> None:
     if args.platform:
         from common import load_target_config, resolve_platform_cores
 
-        target_cores = (
-            load_target_config(args.platform, args.target, args.platforms_dir)
-            if args.target
-            else None
-        )
+        try:
+            target_cores = (
+                load_target_config(args.platform, args.target, args.platforms_dir)
+                if args.target
+                else None
+            )
+        except (FileNotFoundError, ValueError) as exc:
+            # A typo ended in a traceback where verify and slots name the
+            # closest target.
+            parser.error(str(exc))
         config = load_platform_config(args.platform, args.platforms_dir)
         relevant = resolve_platform_cores(config, profiles, target_cores=target_cores)
         run_anywhere = (
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index a50cd08c..fa129b18 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -6277,5 +6277,24 @@ class ExternalDownloadsFollowTheRunPolicy(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertIn("dir=", call)
 
 
+class ATargetTypoIsAnErrorInEveryTool(unittest.TestCase):
+    """cross_reference.py ended a mistyped --target in a traceback, and the
+    hint sent cross_reference and slots users to a flag they do not have."""
+
+    def test_each_tool_names_the_closest_target(self):
+        for script in ("cross_reference.py", "slots.py", "verify.py"):
+            with self.subTest(script=script):
+                proc = subprocess.run(
+                    [sys.executable, f"scripts/{script}", "--platform", "retroarch",
+                     "--target", "swich"],
+                    cwd=ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=300,
+                )
+                output = proc.stdout + proc.stderr
+                self.assertNotEqual(proc.returncode, 0)
+                self.assertNotIn("Traceback", output)
+                self.assertIn("Did you mean: switch?", output)
+                self.assertIn("verify.py --platform retroarch --list-targets", output)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()