Homebrew-cask: One cask with faulty syntax shouldn't cause commands to fail

[ralphrmartin]

General troubleshooting steps

• [x] I understand that if I ignore these instructions, my issue may be closed without review.
• [ ] I have retried my command with --force.
  No longer possible as I have since removed the source of the error.
• [ ] I ran brew update-reset && brew update and retried my command.
  No longer possible as I have since removed the source of the error.
• [X] I ran brew doctor, fixed as many issues as possible and retried my command.
• [X I have checked the instructions for reporting bugs.
• [X] I made doubly sure this is not a checksum does not match error.

Description of issue

See #83163.

brew cask outdated --greedy
resulted in error due to internal changes in homebrew rendering previously correct formulae invalid.

Instead of getting a list of outdated packages, the fact that one had a syntax error caused the command to error and stop.

Instead, a cask with a syntax error should cause a report of the syntax error, and continue the command

Command that failed

brew cask outdated --greedy

Output of command with --force --verbose --debug

Unable to do that as offending casks have already been removed from my system

Output of brew cask doctor

Expand

==> Homebrew Version
2.2.17-98-ge6dda52
==> macOS
10.15.4
==> SIP
Enabled
==> Java
14.0.1, 1.8.0_251
==> xattr issues
<NONE>
==> Gatekeeper support
Enabled
==> Homebrew Cask Install Location
<NONE>
==> Homebrew Cask Staging Location
/usr/local/Caskroom
==> Homebrew Cask Taps:
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Taps/homebrew/homebrew-cask (3551 casks)
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Taps/apenngrace/homebrew-vulkan (1 cask)
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Taps/homebrew/homebrew-cask-versions (152 casks)
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Taps/homebrew/homebrew-cask-fonts (924 casks)
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Taps/homebrew/homebrew-cask-drivers (149 casks)
==> Contents of $LOAD_PATH
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/ruby-macho-2.2.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rubocop-rspec-1.39.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rubocop-performance-1.6.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/unicode-display_width-1.7.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/ruby-progressbar-1.10.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-wait-0.0.9/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-retry-0.6.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-its-1.3.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-3.9.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-mocks-3.9.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-expectations-3.9.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-core-3.9.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rspec-support-3.9.3/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/ronn-0.7.3/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rexml-3.2.4/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rdiscount-2.2.0.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-19/2.6.0/rdiscount-2.2.0.1
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/rainbow-3.0.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/plist-3.5.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/parser-2.7.1.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/parallel_tests-2.32.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/parallel-1.19.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/mustache-1.1.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/mechanize-2.7.6/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/webrobots-0.1.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/ntlm-http-0.1.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/nokogiri-1.10.9/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-19/2.6.0/nokogiri-1.10.9
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/mini_portile2-2.4.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/net-http-persistent-4.0.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/net-http-digest_auth-1.4.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/mime-types-3.3.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/mime-types-data-3.2020.0512/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/http-cookie-1.0.3/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/hpricot-0.8.6/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-19/2.6.0/hpricot-0.8.6
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/domain_name-0.5.20190701/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/unf-0.1.4/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/unf_ext-0.0.7.7/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-19/2.6.0/unf_ext-0.0.7.7
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/diff-lcs-1.3/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/coveralls-0.8.23/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/thor-1.0.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/term-ansicolor-1.7.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/tins-1.25.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/simplecov-0.16.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/simplecov-html-0.10.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/docile-1.3.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/json-2.3.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-19/2.6.0/json-2.3.0
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/connection_pool-2.2.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/byebug-11.1.3/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-19/2.6.0/byebug-11.1.3
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/ast-2.4.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/activesupport-6.0.3.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/zeitwerk-2.3.0/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/tzinfo-1.2.7/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/thread_safe-0.3.6/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/minitest-5.14.1/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/i18n-1.8.2/lib
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/bundler/../ruby/2.6.0/gems/concurrent-ruby-1.1.6/lib/concurrent-ruby
/Library/Ruby/Site/2.6.0
/Library/Ruby/Site/2.6.0/universal-darwin19
/Library/Ruby/Site
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/2.6.0
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/2.6.0/universal-darwin19
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/universal-darwin19
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew
==> Environment Variables
LC_ALL="en_US.UTF-8"
PATH="/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/shims/scm:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin"
SHELL="/usr/local/bin/zsh"

Output of brew tap

apenngrace/vulkan
armmbed/formulae
dart-lang/dart
guitorri/tap
homebrew/cask
homebrew/cask-drivers
homebrew/cask-eid
homebrew/cask-fonts
homebrew/cask-versions
homebrew/core
homebrew/livecheck
homebrew/services
jlhonora/lsusb
martido/graph
osgeo/osgeo4mac
osx-cross/avr
vitorgalvao/tiny-scripts

[ulab]

I have similar issues with an installed vmware-remote-console cask, that breaks brew cask upgrade with the error message Error: Cask 'vmware-remote-console' is unreadable: undefined method ``hyphens_to_slashes' for "10.0.3-9300449":Cask::DSL::Version

And I can't uninstall or zap it either.

➜  ~ brew cask doctor
==> Homebrew Version
2.2.17-115-gd9dc809
==> macOS
10.14.6
[...]

[miccal]

@ulab vmware-remote-console was removed, so if you run:

brew uninstall --force vmware-remote-console

and then

rm -r "$(brew --prefix)/Caskroom/vmware-remote-console"

it may fix your issue.

[ulab]

Thanks. I was sure I had tried uninstall --force. Guess I had to try again. ;-)

[joshka]

As a dev I appreciate the difficulty managing backwards compatibility and error handling.

I've faced this for a number of casks, While not a fix for the issue, a workaround is to move the folder out of the Caskroom temporarily. This works in cases where uninstalling the cask is not applicable (e.g. old software that you need to keep around that has broken casks).

Example:

mkdir ~/Caskroom-backup
mv /usr/local/Caskroom/broken-cask ~/Caskroom-backup
brew outdated

[geerlingguy]

I've been getting this issue with an outdated fing install, and many operations with brew cask seem to fail, even with --force. I basically can't do anything with any casks unless I manually move the bad casks around on disk (e.g. rm -rf /usr/local/Caskroom/fing).

$ brew cask upgrade
==> Casks with `auto_updates` or `version :latest` will not be upgraded
==> Upgrading 10 outdated packages:
Error: Cask 'fing' is unreadable: undefined method `hyphens_to_slashes' for "2016-09":Cask::DSL::Version

(Feel free to mark off-topic like the other comments—but note that this was the only Google/DDG result when I searched for the hyphens_to_slashes keyword.)

[MikeMcQuaid]

Duplicate of https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask/issues/62223