From fb40b903ca554b20c977037e2ad77c03a6e25553 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Abdessamad Derraz <3028866+Abdess@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:08:17 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] fix: refuse an unknown --system before the refresh

The platform's systems are known once its config is loaded. The filter ran inside the build, after the output lock and a refresh of every data directory, and ended on a WARNING with exit 1. It is now a usage error before any work.
---
 scripts/generate_pack.py        | 36 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 tests/test_audit_regressions.py | 28 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 64 insertions(+)

diff --git a/scripts/generate_pack.py b/scripts/generate_pack.py
index dbd70406..da01c68d 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_pack.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_pack.py
@@ -2314,6 +2314,39 @@ def generate_target_manifests(targets_dir: str, output_dir: str) -> None:
     print(f"Generated {count} target manifest(s) in {output_dir}")
 
 
+def _refuse_unknown_systems(
+    system_filter: list[str],
+    platforms: list[str],
+    platforms_dir: str,
+    parser: argparse.ArgumentParser,
+) -> None:
+    """Refuse a --system no selected platform declares, before any work.
+
+    The name is known once the config is loaded. Checked inside the build, a
+    typo cost the lock and a refresh of every data directory first, then
+    ended on a WARNING and exit 1.
+    """
+    from common import _norm_system_id
+
+    wanted = {_norm_system_id(s) for s in system_filter}
+    declared: set[str] = set()
+    for name in platforms:
+        systems = load_platform_config(name, platforms_dir).get("systems", {})
+        if any(sid in system_filter or _norm_system_id(sid) in wanted for sid in systems):
+            return
+        declared.update(systems)
+    where = f"--platform {platforms[0]}" if len(platforms) == 1 else "--all"
+    hint = suggest_names(
+        system_filter,
+        sorted(declared),
+        f"--platform {platforms[0]} --list-systems" if len(platforms) == 1
+        else "--platform <name> --list-systems",
+    )
+    parser.error(
+        f"--system {','.join(system_filter)} matches no system of {where}. {hint}"
+    )
+
+
 def _refuse_for_verify_packs(args: argparse.Namespace, parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
     """What --verify-packs cannot be combined with, refused before any lock.
 
@@ -3332,6 +3365,9 @@ def _main(held: contextlib.ExitStack) -> None:
         parser.error("Specify --platform or --all")
         return
 
+    if system_filter:
+        _refuse_unknown_systems(system_filter, platforms, args.platforms_dir, parser)
+
     data_registry = load_data_dir_registry(args.platforms_dir)
     # The output directory is claimed before the data directory refresh: a
     # refresh waits for every run that holds a cache, so a second build
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index 54291e50..bc680448 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -6296,6 +6296,34 @@ class ATargetTypoIsAnErrorInEveryTool(unittest.TestCase):
                 self.assertIn("verify.py --platform retroarch --list-targets", output)
 
 
+class AnUnknownSystemIsRefusedBeforeAnyWork(unittest.TestCase):
+    """generate_pack checked --system inside the build: a typo took the
+    output lock and refreshed every data directory, then ended on a WARNING."""
+
+    def test_refused_before_the_lock_and_the_refresh(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=ROOT / "tmp") as tmp:
+            out = Path(tmp) / "never"
+            with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {"RETROBIOS_OFFLINE": ""}):
+                proc = subprocess.run(
+                    [sys.executable, "scripts/generate_pack.py", "--platform", "batocera",
+                     "--system", "playstaton-nothing", "--output-dir", str(out)],
+                    cwd=ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120,
+                )
+            self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, 2, proc.stdout + proc.stderr)
+            self.assertIn("error: --system playstaton-nothing matches no system", proc.stderr)
+            self.assertFalse(out.exists())
+
+    def test_a_known_system_passes_the_early_check(self):
+        import argparse
+
+        import generate_pack
+
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+        generate_pack._refuse_unknown_systems(
+            ["sony-playstation"], ["retroarch"], str(ROOT / "platforms"), parser
+        )
+
+
 class NoArchiveRepeatsAMemberName(unittest.TestCase):
     """s8k_cpu.zip held three member names twice (MAME reuses them across
     two ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS of one device). Every pack build printed raw zipfile