Write gen DIR's manifest to DIR/index.mf (closes #178)

Without --output, gen given one directory now writes index.mf in it,
and given one file writes index.mf beside it; with no path or several,
it still writes index.mf in the current directory. An --output given
with an empty value is refused. What gen lists depends only on its
arguments and the tree, never on where the manifest is written, so gen
DIR followed by check DIR passes.

Scanner.EnumeratePaths lists a file argument by its name, as
EnumerateFile does. Before, it listed the file under an empty path and
gen stopped with "path cannot be empty".

The --output help text and the README's Tool Examples state the default.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ downloading, streaming, and mirroring. It was first published in 2022. The
 manifest files' data is serialized with Google's
 [protobuf serialization format](https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers).
 The structure of these files can be found
-[in the format specification](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/mfer/src/branch/main/mfer/mf.proto)
-which is included in the [project repository](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/mfer).
+[in the format specification](docs/FORMAT.md), which refers to the protobuf
+schema `mfer/mf.proto` for exact field numbers and types. Both are included in
+the [project repository](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/mfer).
 
 The current version is pre-1.0 and while the repo was published in 2022, there
 has not yet been any versioned release. [SemVer](https://semver.org) will be
@@ -268,13 +269,33 @@ are now tracked only in the [issues](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/mfer/issues).
     - recurses under current directory and writes out an `index.mf`
     - records every file's mode as `0000` unless given `--include-permissions`,
       which records each file's permission bits (`0777` at most)
+- `mfer gen /media/drive`
+    - writes `/media/drive/index.mf`, listing each file by its path under
+      `/media/drive`, so `mfer check /media/drive` verifies it. Given a file,
+      gen writes `index.mf` beside it and lists the file by its name; given
+      several paths, it writes `index.mf` in the current directory
+    - `--output` names another file to write instead. What gen lists depends
+      only on the paths it is given and the files under them, so with the same
+      `--seed` and an unchanged tree it writes the same bytes wherever the
+      manifest goes. The file it writes to is never listed
 - `mfer check` / `mfer check .`
     - verifies checksums of all files in manifest, displaying error and exiting
       nonzero if any files are missing or corrupted, or have permission bits
       other than the mode the manifest records, unless that is `0000`
+    - looks for those files under the base directory: the one `--base` names, or
+      else the directory holding the manifest, or the current directory for a
+      manifest given by URL. So `mfer check /media/drive` checks a drive against
+      the `index.mf` at its root, from any directory
     - warns about each file under the base directory that the manifest does not
       list, hidden files included; with `--no-extra-files` each one is a failure
       instead
+- `mfer freshen` / `mfer freshen .`
+    - rewrites `index.mf` to list the files now under the directory holding it,
+      or under the one `--base` names, hashing only the files that are new or
+      changed
+    - leaves out hidden files unless given `--include-dotfiles`, and symlinks
+      unless given `--follow-symlinks`, which lists each symlink to a file under
+      its own name with the contents of the file it points to
 - `mfer fetch https://example.com/stuff/`
     - fetches `/stuff/index.mf` and downloads all files listed in manifest into
       the current directory, or the one given with `--dest`, and assures

internal/cli/check.go

@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) fetchManifestToTemp(
 	if tmpErr != nil {
 		_ = rc.Close()
 
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp file: %w", tmpErr)
+		return "", tmpErr
 	}
 
 	tmpPath := tmpFile.Name()
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) fetchManifestToTemp(
 	if cpErr != nil {
 		_ = mfa.Fs.Remove(tmpPath)
 
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to download manifest: %w", cpErr)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("download manifest: %w", cpErr)
 	}
 
 	return tmpPath, nil
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func verifyRequiredSigner(chk *mfer.Checker, requiredSigner string) error {
 
 	_, err := hex.DecodeString(requiredSigner)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid fingerprint: must be valid hex: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid fingerprint: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if !chk.IsSigned() {
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ func findExtraFiles(
 
 	err := chk.FindExtraFiles(ctx, extraResults)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to check for extra files: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("find extra files: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	<-extraDone
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ func runCheck(
 	progressWg.Wait()
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("check failed: %w", err)
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("check files: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Wait for results processing to complete
@@ -296,14 +296,18 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) checkManifestOperation(
 
 	manifestPath, err := mfa.resolveManifestArg(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("check: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
+	// Done before a URL is swapped for the temp file it is downloaded to,
+	// whose directory is not the base.
+	basePath := resolveBasePath(cmd, manifestPath)
+
 	// URL manifests need to be downloaded to a temp file for the checker
 	if isHTTPURL(manifestPath) {
 		tmpPath, tmpErr := mfa.fetchManifestToTemp(ctx, manifestPath)
 		if tmpErr != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("check: %w", tmpErr)
+			return tmpErr
 		}
 
 		defer func() { _ = mfa.Fs.Remove(tmpPath) }()
@@ -311,7 +315,6 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) checkManifestOperation(
 		manifestPath = tmpPath
 	}
 
-	basePath := cmd.String("base")
 	showProgress := cmd.Bool("progress")
 
 	log.Infof("checking manifest %s with base %s", manifestPath, basePath)
@@ -324,7 +327,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) checkManifestOperation(
 		Fs:           mfa.Fs,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to load manifest: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("load manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Check signature requirement

internal/cli/entry_test.go

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"math/rand"
+	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"slices"
@@ -382,7 +383,7 @@ func TestGenerateRefusesTwoFilesAtOnePath(t *testing.T) {
 			}, fs)
 			assert.Equal(t, 1, runCLI(opts))
 			assert.Contains(t, testStderr(t, opts),
-				`generate: failed to enumerate paths: duplicate path "a.txt": `+
+				`enumerate files: duplicate path "a.txt": `+
 					tc.first+"/a.txt and "+tc.second+"/a.txt")
 
 			exists, err := afero.Exists(fs, testOutput)
@@ -674,7 +675,7 @@ func TestCheckRequireSignatureRefusesOtherSigningKey(t *testing.T) {
 	}, fs)
 	assert.Equal(t, 1, runCLI(opts))
 	assert.Contains(t, testStderr(t, opts),
-		"failed to load manifest: signature verification failed: "+
+		"load manifest: "+
 			"embedded public key block must hold exactly one key, found 2")
 }
 
@@ -979,6 +980,90 @@ func TestCheckNeverReportsManifest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// The directory setupManifestInSubdir makes and the manifest it writes there,
+// relative to the working directory it sets.
+const (
+	testSubdir         = "sub"
+	testSubdirManifest = testSubdir + "/" + defaultManifestName
+)
+
+// setupManifestInSubdir makes a temp dir holding file.txt and sub/b.txt,
+// where sub/index.mf is the manifest gen writes for sub, and makes it the
+// working directory, so a test calling it cannot run in parallel. It returns
+// the temp dir.
+func setupManifestInSubdir(t *testing.T) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	sub := filepath.Join(root, testSubdir)
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(sub, 0o750))
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, filepath.Join(root, testFileTxt), "not in the manifest")
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, filepath.Join(sub, "b.txt"), "in the manifest")
+
+	opts := testOpts([]string{
+		testApp, cmdGenerate, "-q", "-o", filepath.Join(sub, defaultManifestName), sub,
+	}, fs)
+	require.Equal(t, 0, runCLI(opts), "stderr: %s", testStderr(t, opts))
+
+	t.Chdir(root)
+
+	return root
+}
+
+// TestCheckResolvesEntriesAgainstManifestDirectory runs check from the
+// directory above sub, on the manifest in sub. Without --base, the
+// manifest's entries are looked for in sub, whether check is given the
+// manifest or sub, and the files above sub are not reported. --base names
+// the directory to look in instead, the current one included.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // changes the process-global working directory
+func TestCheckResolvesEntriesAgainstManifestDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	root := setupManifestInSubdir(t)
+
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		args     []string
+		exitCode int
+		failure  string // a line check must print, if any
+	}{
+		{[]string{testSubdir}, 0, ""},
+		{[]string{testSubdirManifest}, 0, ""},
+		{[]string{filepath.Join(root, testSubdir)}, 0, ""},
+		{[]string{testFlagBase, testSubdir, testSubdirManifest}, 0, ""},
+		{[]string{testFlagBase, ".", testSubdirManifest}, 1, "MISSING: b.txt"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(strings.Join(tc.args, " "), func(t *testing.T) {
+			opts := testOpts(slices.Concat(
+				[]string{testApp, cmdCheck, testFlagNoExtra}, tc.args,
+			), afero.NewOsFs())
+			assert.Equal(t, tc.exitCode, runCLI(opts), "stderr: %s", testStderr(t, opts))
+			assert.Contains(t, testStderr(t, opts), tc.failure)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestCheckURLManifestResolvesEntriesAgainstCurrentDirectory runs check on
+// a manifest given by URL, from a directory holding the file it lists: the
+// file is looked for there.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // changes the process-global working directory
+func TestCheckURLManifestResolvesEntriesAgainstCurrentDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	files := map[string][]byte{testFileTxt: []byte("hello")}
+
+	server := httptest.NewServer(fetchTestHandler(manifestOf(t, files), files))
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	cwd := chdirTemp(t)
+	require.NoError(t,
+		os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(cwd, testFileTxt), files[testFileTxt], 0o600))
+
+	opts := testOpts([]string{
+		testApp, cmdCheck, testFlagNoExtra, server.URL + "/" + defaultManifestName,
+	}, afero.NewOsFs())
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, runCLI(opts), "stderr: %s", testStderr(t, opts))
+}
+
 // unlistableDirFs is a filesystem on which one directory cannot be listed.
 type unlistableDirFs struct {
 	afero.Fs
@@ -1204,6 +1289,180 @@ func TestGenerateLeavesLeftoverTempFileOutOfListing(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, []string{testFileTxt}, manifestPaths(t, fs, output))
 }
 
+// writeTestTree writes file.txt and sub/nested.txt under dir.
+func writeTestTree(t *testing.T, fs afero.Fs, dir string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, testSubdir), 0o750))
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, filepath.Join(dir, testFileTxt), "hello")
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, filepath.Join(dir, testSubdir, "nested.txt"), "in sub")
+}
+
+// TestGenerateDefaultOutput runs gen without --output on one directory or
+// one file: it writes index.mf in that directory, or beside that file,
+// listing each file by its path under the directory index.mf is in, and
+// check given that directory passes.
+func TestGenerateDefaultOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// Paths are relative to a temp dir holding file.txt and sub/nested.txt.
+	for name, tc := range map[string]struct {
+		input, output string
+		listed        []string
+	}{
+		"directory": {
+			".", defaultManifestName, []string{testFileTxt, "sub/nested.txt"},
+		},
+		"subdirectory": {testSubdir, testSubdirManifest, []string{"nested.txt"}},
+		"file":         {testFileTxt, defaultManifestName, []string{testFileTxt}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			root := t.TempDir()
+			fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+			writeTestTree(t, fs, root)
+
+			opts := testOpts([]string{
+				testApp, cmdGenerate, "-q", filepath.Join(root, tc.input),
+			}, fs)
+			require.Equal(t, 0, runCLI(opts), "stderr: %s", testStderr(t, opts))
+
+			output := filepath.Join(root, tc.output)
+			assert.ElementsMatch(t, tc.listed, manifestPaths(t, fs, output))
+
+			opts = testOpts([]string{
+				testApp, cmdCheck, "-q", filepath.Dir(output),
+			}, fs)
+			assert.Equal(t, 0, runCLI(opts), "stderr: %s", testStderr(t, opts))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestGenerateSeveralPathsDefaultOutput runs gen without --output on two
+// directories: it writes index.mf in the current directory, listing both
+// directories' files, and writes no index.mf in either directory.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // changes the process-global working directory
+func TestGenerateSeveralPathsDefaultOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	dirs := []string{"first", "second"}
+
+	for _, dir := range dirs {
+		require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(root, dir), 0o750))
+		writeTestFile(t, fs, filepath.Join(root, dir, dir+".txt"), dir)
+	}
+
+	t.Chdir(root)
+
+	opts := testOpts(append([]string{testApp, cmdGenerate, "-q"}, dirs...), fs)
+	require.Equal(t, 0, runCLI(opts), "stderr: %s", testStderr(t, opts))
+
+	assert.ElementsMatch(t, []string{"first.txt", "second.txt"},
+		manifestPaths(t, fs, filepath.Join(root, defaultManifestName)))
+
+	for _, dir := range dirs {
+		exists, err := afero.Exists(fs, filepath.Join(root, dir, defaultManifestName))
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.False(t, exists, "index.mf written in %s", dir)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestGenerateBytesDoNotDependOnOutput runs gen --seed on one tree, each
+// time writing to another file, over a file already there and beside an
+// earlier run's temp file: neither is listed, and what is listed depends
+// only on the tree, so every manifest has the same bytes.
+func TestGenerateBytesDoNotDependOnOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	tree := filepath.Join(root, "tree")
+	defaultOutput := filepath.Join(tree, defaultManifestName)
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	writeTestTree(t, fs, tree)
+
+	var first []byte
+
+	for _, output := range []string{
+		defaultOutput,
+		filepath.Join(tree, "listing.mf"),
+		filepath.Join(tree, testSubdir, "listing.mf"),
+		filepath.Join(root, "outside.mf"),
+	} {
+		writeTestFile(t, fs, output, "previous manifest")
+		writeTestFile(t, fs, manifestTempPath(output), "part of a manifest")
+
+		args := []string{testApp, cmdGenerate, "-q", "-f", "--seed", "mfer"}
+		if output != defaultOutput {
+			args = append(args, "-o", output)
+		}
+
+		args = append(args, tree)
+
+		opts := testOpts(args, fs)
+		require.Equal(t, 0, runCLI(opts),
+			"output %s, stderr: %s", output, testStderr(t, opts))
+
+		got, err := afero.ReadFile(fs, output)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.NoError(t, fs.Remove(output))
+
+		if first == nil {
+			first = got
+		}
+
+		assert.Equal(t, first, got, "output %s", output)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestGenerateRefusesExistingDefaultOutput runs gen without --output or
+// --force on a directory already holding index.mf: gen fails, naming that
+// file, and leaves it as it was.
+func TestGenerateRefusesExistingDefaultOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	output := filepath.Join(testDir, defaultManifestName)
+
+	fs := afero.NewMemMapFs()
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(testDir, 0o755))
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, testFile1, "hello")
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, output, "previous manifest")
+
+	opts := testOpts([]string{testApp, cmdGenerate, "-q", testDir}, fs)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, runCLI(opts))
+	assert.Contains(t, testStderr(t, opts),
+		"output file "+output+" already exists (use --force to overwrite)")
+
+	content, err := afero.ReadFile(fs, output)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "previous manifest", string(content))
+}
+
+// TestGenerateRefusesEmptyOutput runs gen with --force and an --output
+// given an empty value, as an unset shell variable gives it, on a
+// directory already holding index.mf: gen fails and leaves that file as it
+// was.
+func TestGenerateRefusesEmptyOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	output := filepath.Join(testDir, defaultManifestName)
+
+	fs := afero.NewMemMapFs()
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(testDir, 0o755))
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, testFile1, "hello")
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, output, "previous manifest")
+
+	opts := testOpts([]string{testApp, cmdGenerate, "-q", "-f", "-o", "", testDir}, fs)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, runCLI(opts))
+	assert.Contains(t, testStderr(t, opts), errEmptyOutput.Error())
+
+	content, err := afero.ReadFile(fs, output)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "previous manifest", string(content))
+}
+
 func TestGenerateAtomicWriteUsesTemp(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 

internal/cli/errmsg_test.go

@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ func TestManifestLoaderHTTPStatusMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := mfa.openManifestReader(context.Background(), server.URL+"/foo.mf")
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errHTTPStatus)
 	assert.EqualError(t, err,
-		"failed to fetch "+server.URL+"/foo.mf: HTTP 404")
+		"download manifest "+server.URL+"/foo.mf: unexpected HTTP status 404")
 }
 
 func TestFetchManifestHTTPStatusMessage(t *testing.T) {
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ func TestFetchManifestHTTPStatusMessage(t *testing.T) {
 		return cmd.Run(context.Background(), []string{cmdFetch, server.URL})
 	})
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errHTTPStatus)
-	assert.EqualError(t, err, "failed to fetch manifest: HTTP 404")
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "download manifest: unexpected HTTP status 404")
 }
 
 func TestFetchFileHTTPStatusMessage(t *testing.T) {
@@ -343,7 +343,108 @@ func TestFetchFileHTTPStatusMessage(t *testing.T) {
 			&mfer.MFFilePath{}, nil)
 	})
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errHTTPStatus)
-	assert.EqualError(t, err, "HTTP 500")
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "unexpected HTTP status 500")
+}
+
+// TestCheckCorruptManifestMessage runs check on a file that is not a
+// manifest.
+func TestCheckCorruptManifestMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	fs := afero.NewMemMapFs()
+	require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs, "/bad.mf", []byte("not a manifest"), 0o644))
+
+	mfa := &CLIApp{Fs: fs}
+	cmd := mfa.checkCommand()
+	cmd.Action = mfa.checkManifestOperation
+
+	// checkManifestOperation logs to the process-global logger.
+	err := runLocked(func() error {
+		return cmd.Run(context.Background(), []string{cmdCheck, "/bad.mf"})
+	})
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "load manifest: invalid file format")
+}
+
+// TestListMissingManifestMessage runs list on a manifest file that does not
+// exist.
+func TestListMissingManifestMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	mfa := &CLIApp{Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs()}
+	cmd := mfa.listCommand()
+
+	// listManifestOperation sets the process-global log level.
+	err := runLocked(func() error {
+		return cmd.Run(context.Background(), []string{cmdList, "/nope.mf"})
+	})
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, os.ErrNotExist)
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "open /nope.mf: file does not exist")
+}
+
+// TestFetchHashMismatchMessage runs fetch against a server that sends a
+// listed file with other content of the same size.
+func TestFetchHashMismatchMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	manifest := builtManifest(t, map[string][]byte{testFileTxt: []byte("listed")})
+
+	server := httptest.NewServer(fetchTestHandler(manifest,
+		map[string][]byte{testFileTxt: []byte("served")}))
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	mfa := &CLIApp{Fs: afero.NewMemMapFs(), maxManifestSize: mfer.MaxManifestSize}
+	cmd := mfa.fetchCommand()
+	cmd.Action = mfa.fetchManifestOperation
+
+	// fetchManifestOperation logs to the process-global logger.
+	err := runLocked(func() error {
+		return cmd.Run(context.Background(),
+			[]string{cmdFetch, "--" + flagDest, t.TempDir(), server.URL})
+	})
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errHashMismatch)
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "download "+testFileTxt+": hash mismatch")
+}
+
+// TestFreshenBackslashPathMessage runs freshen on a tree that has gained a
+// file whose name holds a backslash, which a manifest path may not contain.
+func TestFreshenBackslashPathMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+	root, manifestPath := setupFreshenDir(t, fs,
+		map[string]string{testFileTxt: "content"})
+	writeTestFile(t, fs, filepath.Join(root, `a\b.txt`), "new")
+
+	mfa := &CLIApp{Fs: fs}
+	cmd := mfa.freshenCommand()
+	cmd.Action = mfa.freshenManifestOperation
+
+	// freshenManifestOperation logs to the process-global logger.
+	err := runLocked(func() error {
+		return cmd.Run(context.Background(),
+			[]string{cmdFreshen, testFlagBase, root, manifestPath})
+	})
+	assert.EqualError(t, err,
+		`path "a\\b.txt" contains backslash; use forward slashes only`)
+}
+
+// TestFreshenReadErrorMessage has freshen hash a directory as though it
+// were a file, so reading it fails.
+func TestFreshenReadErrorMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	require.NoError(t, os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(root, "sub"), 0o750))
+
+	hasher := &freshenHasher{
+		fs:      afero.NewOsFs(),
+		absBase: root,
+		builder: mfer.NewBuilder(),
+	}
+
+	err := hasher.processEntry(&freshenEntry{path: "sub", needsHash: true})
+	assert.EqualError(t, err,
+		"read "+filepath.Join(root, "sub")+": is a directory")
 }
 
 func TestURLRequiredMessage(t *testing.T) {

internal/cli/export.go

@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) exportManifestOperation(
 ) error {
 	pathOrURL, err := mfa.resolveManifestArg(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("export: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	rc, err := mfa.openManifestReader(ctx, pathOrURL)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("export: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = rc.Close() }()
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) exportManifestOperation(
 	//nolint:contextcheck // mfer loads a manifest without a context
 	manifest, err := mfer.NewManifestFromReader(rc)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("export: failed to parse manifest: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("parse manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	files := manifest.Files()
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) exportManifestOperation(
 
 	err = enc.Encode(entries)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("export: failed to encode JSON: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("encode JSON: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return nil

internal/cli/fetch.go

@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func reportDownloadProgress(progress <-chan DownloadProgress, done chan<- struct
 func manifestBaseURL(manifestURL string) (*url.URL, error) {
 	parsed, err := url.Parse(manifestURL)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("fetch: invalid manifest URL: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid manifest URL: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// JoinPath cleans the path it builds, so ".." drops the manifest's
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ func downloadManifestFiles(
 		// Sanitize the path to prevent path traversal attacks
 		localPath, err := sanitizePath(f.GetPath())
 		if err != nil {
-			return 0, 0, fmt.Errorf("invalid path in manifest: %w", err)
+			return 0, 0, fmt.Errorf("invalid file entry: %w", err)
 		}
 
 		if alreadyPresent(dest, localPath, f) {
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ func downloadManifestFiles(
 
 		err = downloadFile(ctx, client, fileURL, dest, localPath, f, progress)
 		if err != nil {
-			return 0, 0, fmt.Errorf("failed to download %s: %w", f.GetPath(), err)
+			return 0, 0, fmt.Errorf("download %s: %w", f.GetPath(), err)
 		}
 
 		downloaded++
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) fetchManifestOperation(
 
 	err = os.MkdirAll(dest, dirPerms)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create destination directory %s: %w", dest, err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Create progress channel and start progress reporter goroutine
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) fetchManifestOperation(
 	// "mfer check" can verify the tree later.
 	err = saveManifest(dest, manifestData)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save manifest: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("save manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Print summary
@@ -446,11 +446,11 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) fetchManifest(
 		return readErr
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch manifest: %w", err)
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("download manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if int64(len(manifestData)) > mfa.maxManifestSize {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch manifest: %w of %d bytes",
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("download manifest: %w of %d bytes",
 			errManifestTooLarge, mfa.maxManifestSize)
 	}
 
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) fetchManifest(
 	//nolint:contextcheck // mfer loads a manifest without a context
 	manifest, err := mfer.NewManifestFromReader(bytes.NewReader(manifestData))
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse manifest: %w", err)
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("parse manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	requiredSigner := cmd.String(flagRequireSignature)
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ func verifyFetchedSigner(manifestData []byte, requiredSigner string) error {
 		Fs:           memFs,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to load manifest: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("load manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return verifyRequiredSigner(chk, requiredSigner)
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ func checkNoSymlinks(dest, p string) error {
 		}
 
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to check %s for a symlink: %w", current, err)
+			return err
 		}
 
 		if info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink != 0 {
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ func tempPathFor(localPath string) string {
 func verifyDownloadedHash(digest []byte, entry *mfer.MFFilePath) error {
 	computed, err := multihash.Encode(digest, multihash.SHA2_256)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to encode hash: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("encode hash: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	for _, hash := range entry.GetHashes() {
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ func downloadFile(
 	// so every entry point to downloadFile gets the same treatment.
 	localPath, err := sanitizePath(localPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid path: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid file entry: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Create parent directories if needed
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ func downloadFile(
 
 		err = os.MkdirAll(dir, dirPerms)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create directory %s: %w", dir, err)
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ func createTempFile(dest, tmpPath string) (*os.File, error) {
 	out, err := os.OpenFile( //nolint:gosec // G304: see comment above
 		path, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL, filePerms)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp file: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	return out, nil
@@ -859,12 +859,7 @@ func moveIntoPlace(dest, tmpPath, localPath string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err = os.Rename(filepath.Join(dest, tmpPath), filepath.Join(dest, localPath))
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rename temp file: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
+	return os.Rename(filepath.Join(dest, tmpPath), filepath.Join(dest, localPath))
 }
 
 // saveResponse writes resp's body to tmpPath, verifies it against entry,
@@ -899,7 +894,7 @@ func saveResponse(
 			_ = out.Close()
 			_ = os.Remove(filepath.Join(dest, tmpPath))
 
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to set mode: %w", err)
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 

internal/cli/fetch_test.go

@@ -502,8 +502,9 @@ func TestManifestDownloadStopsAtLimit(t *testing.T) {
 				[]string{cmd.Name, server.URL + "/index.mf"})
 		})
 		require.ErrorIs(t, err, errManifestTooLarge, cmd.Name)
-		require.ErrorContains(t, err,
-			"maximum allowed size of 65536 bytes", cmd.Name)
+		require.EqualError(t, err,
+			"download manifest: file exceeds maximum allowed size of 65536 bytes",
+			cmd.Name)
 	}
 
 	leftover, err := os.ReadDir(tmpDir)
@@ -605,27 +606,27 @@ func TestFetchRefusesSymlinks(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		{
 			"parent directory", "sub/deeper/file.txt", "sub", ".",
-			"failed to download sub/deeper/file.txt",
+			"download sub/deeper/file.txt",
 		},
 		{
 			"directory inside a plain directory", "docs/data/passwd", "docs/data", ".",
-			"failed to download docs/data/passwd",
+			"download docs/data/passwd",
 		},
 		{
 			"temp file", testFileTxt, ".file.txt.tmp", newFile,
-			"failed to download " + testFileTxt,
+			"download " + testFileTxt,
 		},
 		{
 			"file", testFileTxt, testFileTxt, newFile,
-			"failed to download " + testFileTxt,
+			"download " + testFileTxt,
 		},
 		{
 			"manifest temp file", testFileTxt, tempPathFor(defaultManifestName), newFile,
-			"failed to save manifest",
+			"save manifest",
 		},
 		{
 			"manifest", testFileTxt, defaultManifestName, newFile,
-			"failed to save manifest",
+			"save manifest",
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -692,7 +693,7 @@ func TestFetchDoesNotSkipThroughSymlink(t *testing.T) {
 	}, afero.NewOsFs())
 	assert.Equal(t, 1, runCLI(opts))
 	assert.Contains(t, testStderr(t, opts),
-		"failed to download sub/"+testFileTxt+": symlink in path not allowed: "+link)
+		"download sub/"+testFileTxt+": symlink in path not allowed: "+link)
 	assert.Equal(t, map[string][]byte{testFileTxt: content}, filesUnder(t, outside))
 }
 
@@ -762,7 +763,8 @@ func TestGetRetriesTransientStatusesOnly(t *testing.T) {
 
 			err := getNothing(testClient(), server.URL, 10*time.Second)
 			require.ErrorIs(t, err, errHTTPStatus)
-			require.EqualError(t, err, fmt.Sprintf("HTTP %d", tt.status))
+			require.EqualError(t, err,
+				fmt.Sprintf("unexpected HTTP status %d", tt.status))
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.requests, requests.Load())
 		})
 	}
@@ -1228,7 +1230,7 @@ func TestFetchRequireSignature(t *testing.T) {
 		manifest, required := manifestSignedByAnotherKey(t, files)
 
 		assertFetchRefused(t, manifest, files,
-			"failed to parse manifest: signature verification failed: "+
+			"parse manifest: "+
 				"embedded public key block must hold exactly one key, found 2",
 			"--"+flagRequireSignature, required)
 	})

internal/cli/freshen.go

@@ -165,8 +165,7 @@ func (s *freshenScanner) walk(path string, info fs.FileInfo, walkErr error) erro
 	// Get relative path
 	relPath, err := filepath.Rel(s.absBase, path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf(
-			"freshen: failed to compute relative path for %s: %w", path, err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Handle dotfiles
@@ -280,13 +279,8 @@ func (h *freshenHasher) reportProgress(n int64) {
 // processEntry hashes the entry if needed and adds it to the builder.
 func (h *freshenHasher) processEntry(e *freshenEntry) error {
 	if !e.needsHash {
-		// Use existing entry
-		err := addExistingToBuilder(h.builder, e.existing)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to add %s: %w", e.path, err)
-		}
-
-		return nil
+		// Use existing entry; the error names the entry
+		return addExistingToBuilder(h.builder, e.existing)
 	}
 
 	// Need to read and hash the file
@@ -294,26 +288,21 @@ func (h *freshenHasher) processEntry(e *freshenEntry) error {
 
 	f, err := h.fs.Open(absPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to open %s: %w", e.path, err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	hash, bytesRead, err := hashFile(f, h.reportProgress)
 	_ = f.Close()
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to hash %s: %w", e.path, err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	h.hashedBytes += bytesRead
 	h.hashedFiles++
 
-	// Add to builder with computed hash
-	err = addFileToBuilder(h.builder, e.path, e.size, e.mtime, e.mode, hash)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to add %s: %w", e.path, err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
+	// Add to builder with computed hash; a refused path is named in the error
+	return addFileToBuilder(h.builder, e.path, e.size, e.mtime, e.mode, hash)
 }
 
 // writeFreshenedManifest writes the manifest atomically (write to a
@@ -325,7 +314,7 @@ func writeFreshenedManifest(
 
 	outFile, err := afs.Create(tmpPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp file: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	err = builder.Build(ctx, outFile)
@@ -334,7 +323,7 @@ func writeFreshenedManifest(
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = afs.Remove(tmpPath)
 
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write manifest: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("build manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Rename temp to final
@@ -342,7 +331,7 @@ func writeFreshenedManifest(
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = afs.Remove(tmpPath)
 
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rename manifest: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -408,7 +397,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) freshenScan(
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, 0, fmt.Errorf("failed to scan filesystem: %w", err)
+		return nil, 0, fmt.Errorf("scan filesystem: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Remaining entries in existingByPath are removed files
@@ -477,7 +466,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) loadExistingEntries(
 		Fs:   mfa.Fs,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load manifest: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("load manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	existingFiles := manifest.Files()
@@ -497,13 +486,12 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) freshenManifestOperation(
 ) error {
 	log.Debug("freshenManifestOperation()")
 
-	basePath := cmd.String("base")
 	showProgress := cmd.Bool("progress")
 
 	// Find manifest file
 	manifestPath, err := mfa.resolveFreshenManifestPath(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("freshen: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	//nolint:contextcheck // mfer loads a manifest without a context
@@ -512,9 +500,9 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) freshenManifestOperation(
 		return err
 	}
 
-	absBase, err := filepath.Abs(basePath)
+	absBase, err := filepath.Abs(resolveBasePath(cmd, manifestPath))
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("freshen: invalid base path: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid base path: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Phase 1: Scan filesystem
@@ -606,9 +594,7 @@ func hashFile(r io.Reader, progress func(int64)) ([]byte, int64, error) {
 			break
 		}
 
-		// Returned unwrapped: the caller renders this as
-		// "failed to hash <path>: <err>" and adding a second layer here
-		// would change that message.
+		// Returned unwrapped: a read error already names the file.
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, total, err
 		}

internal/cli/freshen_test.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"slices"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -300,6 +301,41 @@ func TestFreshenLeavesLeftoverTempFileOutOfListing(t *testing.T) {
 		manifestPaths(t, fs, manifestPath))
 }
 
+// TestFreshenResolvesEntriesAgainstManifestDirectory adds sub/c.txt, then
+// runs freshen from the directory above sub, on the manifest in sub.
+// Without --base, the manifest then lists the files in sub, whether freshen
+// is given the manifest or sub. --base names the directory to list instead,
+// the current one included.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // changes the process-global working directory
+func TestFreshenResolvesEntriesAgainstManifestDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		args []string
+		want []string // the paths the manifest lists afterwards
+	}{
+		{[]string{testSubdir}, []string{"b.txt", "c.txt"}},
+		{[]string{testSubdirManifest}, []string{"b.txt", "c.txt"}},
+		{
+			[]string{testFlagBase, ".", testSubdirManifest},
+			[]string{testFileTxt, "sub/b.txt", "sub/c.txt"},
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(strings.Join(tc.args, " "), func(t *testing.T) {
+			fs := afero.NewOsFs()
+			root := setupManifestInSubdir(t)
+			writeTestFile(t, fs, filepath.Join(root, testSubdir, "c.txt"), "added")
+
+			opts := testOpts(slices.Concat(
+				[]string{testApp, cmdFreshen, "-q"}, tc.args,
+			), fs)
+			require.Equal(t, 0, runCLI(opts), "stderr: %s", testStderr(t, opts))
+
+			assert.ElementsMatch(t, tc.want, manifestPaths(t, fs,
+				filepath.Join(root, testSubdirManifest)))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // TestFreshenRecordEntryMtimePresence pins the behavior of recordEntry
 // with respect to MFFilePath.Mtime, which is a message pointer with
 // proto3 field presence and may legitimately be absent.

internal/cli/gen.go

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -26,6 +27,8 @@ var (
 	// rendered message stays exactly as mfer has always printed it.
 	errOutputExists = errors.New(
 		"already exists (use --force to overwrite)")
+	// errEmptyOutput indicates --output given with an empty value.
+	errEmptyOutput = errors.New("--output must not be empty")
 )
 
 // reportEnumProgress renders enumeration progress until the channel
@@ -74,7 +77,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) collectInputPaths(args cli.Args) ([]string, error) {
 
 		ap, err := filepath.Abs(inputPath)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("generate: invalid path %q: %w", inputPath, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid path %q: %w", inputPath, err)
 		}
 		// Validate path exists before adding to list
 		if exists, _ := afero.Exists(mfa.Fs, ap); !exists {
@@ -88,9 +91,40 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) collectInputPaths(args cli.Args) ([]string, error) {
 	return paths, nil
 }
 
-// buildScannerOptions constructs scanner options from the CLI flags.
-func (mfa *CLIApp) buildScannerOptions(cmd *cli.Command) *mfer.ScannerOptions {
-	output := cmd.String("output")
+// outputPath returns the file gen writes the manifest to: the one --output
+// names, or else index.mf in the directory the only argument names, or
+// beside the file it names, or else in the current directory. An --output
+// given with an empty value is refused.
+func (mfa *CLIApp) outputPath(cmd *cli.Command) (string, error) {
+	if cmd.IsSet("output") {
+		output := cmd.String("output")
+		if output == "" {
+			return "", errEmptyOutput
+		}
+
+		return output, nil
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Args().Len() != 1 {
+		return defaultManifestName, nil
+	}
+
+	arg := cmd.Args().First()
+
+	// A path that does not exist is refused when it is enumerated.
+	info, err := mfa.Fs.Stat(arg)
+	if err == nil && !info.IsDir() {
+		return filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(arg), defaultManifestName), nil
+	}
+
+	return filepath.Join(arg, defaultManifestName), nil
+}
+
+// buildScannerOptions constructs scanner options from the CLI flags and
+// the path the manifest is written to.
+func (mfa *CLIApp) buildScannerOptions(
+	cmd *cli.Command, output string,
+) *mfer.ScannerOptions {
 	opts := &mfer.ScannerOptions{
 		IncludeDotfiles:    cmd.Bool("include-dotfiles"),
 		FollowSymLinks:     cmd.Bool("follow-symlinks"),
@@ -129,8 +163,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) enumerateInputs(
 		// Default to current directory
 		err := s.EnumeratePath(".", enumProgress)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf(
-				"generate: failed to enumerate current directory: %w", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("enumerate current directory: %w", err)
 		}
 
 		return nil
@@ -144,7 +177,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) enumerateInputs(
 
 	err = s.EnumeratePaths(enumProgress, paths...)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("generate: failed to enumerate paths: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("enumerate files: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -203,23 +236,54 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) runEnumeratePhase(cmd *cli.Command, s *mfer.Scanner) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// runScanPhase reads the enumerated files and writes the manifest to out,
+// with optional progress reporting.
+func (mfa *CLIApp) runScanPhase(
+	ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command, s *mfer.Scanner, out io.Writer,
+) error {
+	var (
+		scanProgress chan mfer.ScanStatus
+		scanWg       sync.WaitGroup
+	)
+
+	if cmd.Bool("progress") {
+		scanProgress = make(chan mfer.ScanStatus, 1)
+
+		scanWg.Add(1)
+
+		go reportScanProgress(scanProgress, &scanWg)
+	}
+
+	err := s.ToManifest(ctx, out, scanProgress)
+
+	scanWg.Wait()
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("generate manifest: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (mfa *CLIApp) generateManifestOperation(
 	ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command,
 ) error {
 	log.Debug("generateManifestOperation()")
 
-	s := mfer.NewScannerWithOptions(mfa.buildScannerOptions(cmd))
-
-	// Phase 1: Enumeration - collect paths and stat files
-	err := mfa.runEnumeratePhase(cmd, s)
+	outputPath, err := mfa.outputPath(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	showProgress := cmd.Bool("progress")
+	s := mfer.NewScannerWithOptions(mfa.buildScannerOptions(cmd, outputPath))
+
+	// Phase 1: Enumeration - collect paths and stat files
+	err = mfa.runEnumeratePhase(cmd, s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// Check if output file exists
-	outputPath := cmd.String("output")
 	if exists, _ := afero.Exists(mfa.Fs, outputPath); exists && !cmd.Bool("force") {
 		return fmt.Errorf("output file %s %w", outputPath, errOutputExists)
 	}
@@ -229,7 +293,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) generateManifestOperation(
 
 	outFile, err := mfa.Fs.Create(tmpPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp file: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Set up signal handler to clean up temp file on Ctrl-C
@@ -250,37 +314,21 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) generateManifestOperation(
 	}()
 
 	// Phase 2: Scan - read file contents and generate manifest
-	var (
-		scanProgress chan mfer.ScanStatus
-		scanWg       sync.WaitGroup
-	)
-
-	if showProgress {
-		scanProgress = make(chan mfer.ScanStatus, 1)
-
-		scanWg.Add(1)
-
-		go reportScanProgress(scanProgress, &scanWg)
-	}
-
-	err = s.ToManifest(ctx, outFile, scanProgress)
-
-	scanWg.Wait()
-
+	err = mfa.runScanPhase(ctx, cmd, s, outFile)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to generate manifest: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Close file before rename to ensure all data is flushed
 	err = outFile.Close()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to close temp file: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Atomic rename
 	err = mfa.Fs.Rename(tmpPath, outputPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rename temp file: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	success = true

internal/cli/list.go

@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) listManifestOperation(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command)
 
 	pathOrURL, err := mfa.resolveManifestArg(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("list: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	rc, err := mfa.openManifestReader(ctx, pathOrURL)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("list: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = rc.Close() }()
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) listManifestOperation(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command)
 	//nolint:contextcheck // mfer loads a manifest without a context
 	manifest, err := mfer.NewManifestFromReader(rc)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("list: failed to parse manifest: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("parse manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	files := manifest.Files()

internal/cli/manifest_loader.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -15,17 +16,13 @@ import (
 // manifestFetchTimeout bounds HTTP requests made to fetch a manifest.
 const manifestFetchTimeout = 30 * time.Second
 
-// errHTTPStatus indicates an HTTP response with a non-OK status code.
-//
-// Its text is the literal "HTTP" prefix of the rendered "HTTP <code>"
-// message that mfer has always printed, so that wrapping it does not
-// change any user-visible output. Match it with errors.Is; do not read
-// its message.
-var errHTTPStatus = errors.New("HTTP")
+// errHTTPStatus indicates an HTTP response with a non-OK status code. It is
+// followed by the code, as in "unexpected HTTP status 404".
+var errHTTPStatus = errors.New("unexpected HTTP status")
 
 // errManifestTooLarge indicates a manifest download that passed
 // CLIApp.maxManifestSize.
-var errManifestTooLarge = errors.New("manifest exceeds maximum allowed size")
+var errManifestTooLarge = errors.New("file exceeds maximum allowed size")
 
 // isHTTPURL returns true if the string starts with http:// or https://.
 func isHTTPURL(s string) bool {
@@ -40,20 +37,22 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) openManifestReader(
 	if isHTTPURL(pathOrURL) {
 		client := &http.Client{Timeout: manifestFetchTimeout}
 
+		// The *url.Error that NewRequestWithContext and Do return names
+		// the URL.
 		req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodGet, pathOrURL, nil)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch %s: %w", pathOrURL, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("download manifest: %w", err)
 		}
 
 		resp, err := client.Do(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch %s: %w", pathOrURL, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("download manifest: %w", err)
 		}
 
 		if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 			_ = resp.Body.Close()
 
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch %s: %w %d",
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("download manifest %s: %w %d",
 				pathOrURL, errHTTPStatus, resp.StatusCode)
 		}
 
@@ -88,3 +87,17 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) resolveManifestArg(cmd *cli.Command) (string, error) {
 
 	return findManifest(mfa.Fs, ".")
 }
+
+// resolveBasePath returns the directory a manifest's paths are resolved
+// against: the one --base names, or else the directory holding the manifest,
+// or the current directory for a manifest URL.
+func resolveBasePath(cmd *cli.Command, manifestPath string) string {
+	switch {
+	case cmd.IsSet(flagBase):
+		return cmd.String(flagBase)
+	case isHTTPURL(manifestPath):
+		return "."
+	default:
+		return filepath.Dir(manifestPath)
+	}
+}

internal/cli/mfer.go

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ const (
 	cmdList     = "list"
 	cmdVersion  = "version"
 
+	flagBase               = "base"
 	flagProgress           = "progress"
 	flagTimeout            = "timeout"
 	flagDest               = "dest"
@@ -210,9 +211,10 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) generateCommand() *cli.Command {
 			},
 			&cli.StringFlag{
 				Name:    "output",
-				Value:   defaultManifestName,
 				Aliases: []string{"o"},
-				Usage:   "Specify output filename",
+				Usage: "File to write the manifest to (default: index.mf in " +
+					"the directory given, or beside the file given; with no " +
+					"path or several, index.mf in the current directory)",
 			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
 				Name:    "force",
@@ -259,10 +261,11 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) checkCommand() *cli.Command {
 		},
 		Flags: append(commonFlags(),
 			&cli.StringFlag{
-				Name:    "base",
+				Name:    flagBase,
 				Aliases: []string{"b"},
-				Value:   ".",
-				Usage:   "Base directory for resolving relative paths from manifest",
+				Usage: "Base directory for resolving relative paths from manifest " +
+					"(by default the directory holding the manifest, or the " +
+					"current directory for a manifest URL)",
 			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
 				Name:    flagProgress,
@@ -292,10 +295,10 @@ func (mfa *CLIApp) freshenCommand() *cli.Command {
 		},
 		Flags: append(commonFlags(),
 			&cli.StringFlag{
-				Name:    "base",
+				Name:    flagBase,
 				Aliases: []string{"b"},
-				Value:   ".",
-				Usage:   "Base directory for resolving relative paths",
+				Usage: "Base directory for resolving relative paths " +
+					"(by default the directory holding the manifest)",
 			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
 				Name:    "follow-symlinks",

mfer/builder.go

@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ func (b *Builder) AddFileWithHash(
 ) error {
 	err := ValidatePath(string(path))
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("add file: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if size < 0 {
@@ -329,22 +329,19 @@ func (b *Builder) Build(ctx context.Context, w io.Writer) error {
 	// Generate outer wrapper
 	err := m.generateOuter(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("build: generate outer: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Generate final output
 	err = m.generate(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("build: generate: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Write to output
 	_, err = w.Write(m.output.Bytes())
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("build: write output: %w", err)
-	}
 
-	return nil
+	return err
 }
 
 // addEntry adds entry to the manifest unless an entry with its path is

mfer/deserialize.go

@@ -24,13 +24,12 @@ var (
 	errCompressedHashWrong  = errors.New("compressed data hash mismatch")
 	errSignatureNoPubKey    = errors.New("signature present but no public key")
 	errDecompressedTooLarge = errors.New("decompressed data exceeds maximum allowed size")
-	errManifestTooLarge     = errors.New("manifest exceeds maximum allowed size")
+	errManifestTooLarge     = errors.New("file exceeds maximum allowed size")
 	errUUIDMismatch         = errors.New("outer and inner UUID mismatch")
 	errInvalidFileFormat    = errors.New("invalid file format")
-	errInvalidManifestPath  = errors.New("manifest contains invalid path")
-	errDecodedTooLarge      = errors.New(
-		"manifest would take too much memory to decode")
-	errSignerNotSigningKey = errors.New(
+	errInvalidManifestPath  = errors.New("invalid file entry")
+	errDecodedTooLarge      = errors.New("too much memory needed")
+	errSignerNotSigningKey  = errors.New(
 		"signer is not the fingerprint of the key that made the signature")
 )
 
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ func (m *manifest) validateOuterHeader() error {
 	// Validate outer UUID before any decompression
 	err := validateUUID(m.pbOuter.GetUuid())
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("outer UUID invalid: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("outer message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ func (m *manifest) verifyOuterIntegrity() error {
 
 	_, err := h.Write(m.pbOuter.GetInnerMessage())
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("deserialize: hash write: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("hash inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	sha256Hash := h.Sum(nil)
@@ -91,9 +90,7 @@ func (m *manifest) verifyOuterIntegrity() error {
 
 	sigString, err := m.signatureString()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf(
-			"failed to generate signature string for verification: %w", err,
-		)
+		return fmt.Errorf("build signature string: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Loading a manifest takes no context; gpgTimeout still bounds gpg.
@@ -104,7 +101,7 @@ func (m *manifest) verifyOuterIntegrity() error {
 		m.pbOuter.GetSigningPubKey(),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("signature verification failed: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if !strings.EqualFold(string(m.pbOuter.GetSigner()), signingKey) {
@@ -135,7 +132,7 @@ func (m *manifest) decompressInner() ([]byte, error) {
 		zstd.WithDecodeBuffersBelow(0),
 		zstd.WithDecoderMaxWindow(zstdWindowSize))
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("deserialize: zstd reader: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("create decompressor: %w", err)
 	}
 	defer zr.Close()
 
@@ -150,7 +147,7 @@ func (m *manifest) decompressInner() ([]byte, error) {
 
 	dat, err := io.ReadAll(limitedReader)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("deserialize: decompress: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("decompress inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if int64(len(dat)) >= MaxDecompressedSize {
@@ -266,7 +263,7 @@ func (m *manifest) deserializeInner() error {
 
 	err = checkDecodedSize(dat)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("deserialize: unmarshal inner: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("unmarshal inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Deserialize inner message
@@ -275,7 +272,7 @@ func (m *manifest) deserializeInner() error {
 	// Unknown fields would cost memory; mfer never writes a loaded manifest out.
 	err = proto.UnmarshalOptions{DiscardUnknown: true}.Unmarshal(dat, m.pbInner)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("deserialize: unmarshal inner: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("unmarshal inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if m.pbInner.GetVersion() != MFFile_VERSION_ONE {
@@ -285,7 +282,7 @@ func (m *manifest) deserializeInner() error {
 	// Validate inner UUID
 	err = validateUUID(m.pbInner.GetUuid())
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("inner UUID invalid: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Verify UUIDs match

mfer/deserialize_test.go

@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@ func TestReadAtMost(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err = readAtMost(input, maxSize)
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errManifestTooLarge)
 	require.EqualError(t, err,
-		"manifest exceeds maximum allowed size of 65536 bytes")
+		"file exceeds maximum allowed size of 65536 bytes")
 	assert.Equal(t, maxSize-1, input.Len(), "bytes left unread")
 }

mfer/errmsg_test.go

@@ -74,14 +74,18 @@ func TestValidatePathMessagesVerbatim(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestSerializeInternalErrorMessagesVerbatim pins the two distinct
-// "internal error" messages, which differ between generate and
-// generateOuter and have always done so.
-func TestSerializeInternalErrorMessagesVerbatim(t *testing.T) {
+// TestSerializeInnerNotSetMessagesVerbatim pins the messages generate and
+// generateOuter return when the inner message is missing.
+func TestSerializeInnerNotSetMessagesVerbatim(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	m := &manifest{}
-	require.EqualError(t, m.generate(context.Background()),
-		"internal error: pbInner not set")
-	require.EqualError(t, m.generateOuter(context.Background()), "internal error")
+
+	err := m.generate(context.Background())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errInnerNotSet)
+	require.EqualError(t, err, "inner message not set")
+
+	err = m.generateOuter(context.Background())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errInternal)
+	require.EqualError(t, err, "inner message not set")
 }

mfer/gpg.go

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 var (
-	errGPGKeyNotFound      = errors.New("gpg key not found")
+	errGPGKeyNotFound      = errors.New("GPG key not found")
 	errFingerprintNotFound = errors.New("fingerprint not found for key")
 	errSigningKeyCount     = errors.New(
 		"embedded public key block must hold exactly one key")
@@ -88,8 +88,9 @@ func gpgArgs(opts []string, positional ...string) []string {
 }
 
 // runGPG runs the gpg binary in batch mode with the given arguments and
-// optional stdin, returning captured stdout and stderr. gpg is killed when
-// ctx ends or gpgTimeout passes, whichever comes first.
+// optional stdin, returning captured stdout and stderr. If gpg fails, the
+// error ends with what gpg wrote to stderr. gpg is killed when ctx ends or
+// gpgTimeout passes, whichever comes first.
 func runGPG(
 	ctx context.Context, stdin io.Reader, args ...string,
 ) (*bytes.Buffer, *bytes.Buffer, error) {
@@ -125,13 +126,28 @@ func runGPG(
 		// "signal: killed"; return the reason instead.
 		err = ctx.Err()
 		if errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) {
-			err = fmt.Errorf("gpg timed out: %w", err)
+			err = fmt.Errorf("timed out: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if err != nil {
+		err = withStderr(err, &stderr)
+	}
+
 	return &stdout, &stderr, err
 }
 
+// withStderr returns err followed by what gpg wrote to stderr, or err alone
+// when gpg wrote nothing.
+func withStderr(err error, stderr *bytes.Buffer) error {
+	messages := strings.TrimSpace(stderr.String())
+	if messages == "" {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", err, messages)
+}
+
 // parseFingerprint extracts the first fingerprint from gpg --with-colons
 // output, or returns ok=false if none is present.
 func parseFingerprint(colonOutput string) (string, bool) {
@@ -174,7 +190,7 @@ func gpgSign(
 ) ([]byte, string, error) {
 	tmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "mfer-gpg-sign-*")
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp dir: %w", err)
+		return nil, "", err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = os.RemoveAll(tmpDir) }()
@@ -191,19 +207,19 @@ func gpgSign(
 		"--local-user", string(keyID),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("gpg sign failed: %w: %s", err, stderr.String())
+		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("gpg sign: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// The last argument of SIG_CREATED is the fingerprint of the key that
 	// made the signature.
 	created, ok := parseStatusLine(stdout.String(), "SIG_CREATED")
 	if !ok {
-		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", errSigningKeyNotReported, stderr.String())
+		return nil, "", withStderr(errSigningKeyNotReported, stderr)
 	}
 
 	sig, err := os.ReadFile(sigFile) //nolint:gosec // G304: inside tmpDir, made above
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("failed to read signature: %w", err)
+		return nil, "", err
 	}
 
 	return sig, created[len(created)-1], nil
@@ -212,11 +228,11 @@ func gpgSign(
 // gpgExportPublicKey exports the public key for the specified key ID.
 // Returns the armored public key.
 func gpgExportPublicKey(ctx context.Context, keyID GPGKeyID) ([]byte, error) {
-	stdout, stderr, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
+	stdout, _, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
 		gpgArgs([]string{"--export", gpgOptArmor}, string(keyID))...,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("gpg export failed: %w: %s", err, stderr.String())
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("gpg export: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if stdout.Len() == 0 {
@@ -228,13 +244,11 @@ func gpgExportPublicKey(ctx context.Context, keyID GPGKeyID) ([]byte, error) {
 
 // gpgGetKeyFingerprint gets the full fingerprint for a key ID.
 func gpgGetKeyFingerprint(ctx context.Context, keyID GPGKeyID) ([]byte, error) {
-	stdout, stderr, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
+	stdout, _, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
 		gpgArgs([]string{"--with-colons", "--fingerprint"}, string(keyID))...,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf(
-			"gpg fingerprint lookup failed: %w: %s", err, stderr.String(),
-		)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("gpg fingerprint lookup: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	fpr, ok := parseFingerprint(stdout.String())
@@ -250,14 +264,12 @@ func gpgGetKeyFingerprint(ctx context.Context, keyID GPGKeyID) ([]byte, error) {
 func gpgImportOneKey(ctx context.Context, gpgHome, pubKeyFile string) error {
 	// --status-fd 1 sends gpg's status lines to stdout, which importing
 	// otherwise leaves empty; its messages go to stderr.
-	importStdout, importStderr, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
+	importStdout, _, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
 		gpgArgs([]string{gpgOptHomedir, gpgHome, gpgOptStatusFD, "1", "--import"},
 			pubKeyFile)...,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf(
-			"failed to import public key: %w: %s", err, importStderr.String(),
-		)
+		return fmt.Errorf("gpg import: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// The first argument of IMPORT_RES counts the primary keys gpg read
@@ -284,7 +296,7 @@ func gpgVerify(ctx context.Context, data, signature, pubKey []byte) (string, err
 	// Create temporary directory for GPG operations
 	tmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "mfer-gpg-verify-*")
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp dir: %w", err)
+		return "", err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = os.RemoveAll(tmpDir) }()
@@ -292,7 +304,7 @@ func gpgVerify(ctx context.Context, data, signature, pubKey []byte) (string, err
 	// Set restrictive permissions
 	err = os.Chmod(tmpDir, privateDirPerms)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to set temp dir permissions: %w", err)
+		return "", err
 	}
 
 	// Write public key to temp file
@@ -300,7 +312,7 @@ func gpgVerify(ctx context.Context, data, signature, pubKey []byte) (string, err
 
 	err = os.WriteFile(pubKeyFile, pubKey, privateFilePerms)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to write public key: %w", err)
+		return "", err
 	}
 
 	// Write signature to temp file
@@ -308,7 +320,7 @@ func gpgVerify(ctx context.Context, data, signature, pubKey []byte) (string, err
 
 	err = os.WriteFile(sigFile, signature, privateFilePerms)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to write signature: %w", err)
+		return "", err
 	}
 
 	// Write data to temp file
@@ -316,7 +328,7 @@ func gpgVerify(ctx context.Context, data, signature, pubKey []byte) (string, err
 
 	err = os.WriteFile(dataFile, data, privateFilePerms)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to write data: %w", err)
+		return "", err
 	}
 
 	err = gpgImportOneKey(ctx, tmpDir, pubKeyFile)
@@ -326,14 +338,12 @@ func gpgVerify(ctx context.Context, data, signature, pubKey []byte) (string, err
 
 	// --status-fd 1 sends gpg's status lines to stdout, which verifying a
 	// detached signature otherwise leaves empty; its messages go to stderr.
-	verifyStdout, verifyStderr, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
+	verifyStdout, _, err := runGPG(ctx, nil,
 		gpgArgs([]string{gpgOptHomedir, tmpDir, gpgOptStatusFD, "1", gpgOptVerify},
 			sigFile, dataFile)...,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf(
-			"signature verification failed: %w: %s", err, verifyStderr.String(),
-		)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("gpg verify: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// gpg writes a VALIDSIG line for each good signature. Its first

mfer/gpg_test.go

@@ -603,7 +603,8 @@ func fakeGPGPath(t *testing.T, script string) string {
 
 // TestGPGTimeoutKillsGPG puts a fake gpg that never finishes first on
 // PATH and checks that a run past its deadline is killed and reported as
-// a timeout of the named operation, instead of hanging.
+// a timeout of the named operation, instead of hanging. The fake gpg writes
+// nothing to stderr, so the message ends with the timeout.
 func TestGPGTimeoutKillsGPG(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv("PATH", fakeGPGPath(t, "#!/bin/sh\nexec sleep 10\n"))
 
@@ -612,7 +613,32 @@ func TestGPGTimeoutKillsGPG(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_, _, err := gpgSign(ctx, []byte("data"), GPGKeyID("any"))
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, context.DeadlineExceeded)
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "gpg sign failed: gpg timed out")
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "gpg sign: timed out: context deadline exceeded")
+}
+
+// TestGPGSignKeyNotReportedKeepsStderr puts a fake gpg first on PATH that
+// exits cleanly without reporting the key that signed, and checks that what
+// it wrote to stderr is in the message.
+func TestGPGSignKeyNotReportedKeepsStderr(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("PATH", fakeGPGPath(t,
+		"#!/bin/sh\necho 'gpg: note from the fake gpg' >&2\n"))
+
+	_, _, err := gpgSign(context.Background(), []byte("data"), GPGKeyID("any"))
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, errSigningKeyNotReported)
+	assert.EqualError(t, err,
+		"gpg did not report the key that made the signature: "+
+			"gpg: note from the fake gpg")
+}
+
+// TestGPGFailureKeepsStderr puts a fake gpg first on PATH that writes to
+// stderr and exits non-zero, and checks that what it wrote ends the message.
+func TestGPGFailureKeepsStderr(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("PATH", fakeGPGPath(t,
+		"#!/bin/sh\necho 'gpg: signing failed: No secret key' >&2\nexit 2\n"))
+
+	_, _, err := gpgSign(context.Background(), []byte("data"), GPGKeyID("any"))
+	assert.EqualError(t, err,
+		"gpg sign: exit status 2: gpg: signing failed: No secret key")
 }
 
 // TestGPGCancelWhenChildHoldsOutput uses a fake gpg that runs sleep as a

mfer/manifest.go

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	errOuterNotSet  = errors.New("pbOuter not set")
+	errOuterNotSet  = errors.New("outer message not set")
 	errUUIDNotSet   = errors.New("UUID not set")
 	errSHA256NotSet = errors.New("SHA256 hash not set")
 )
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (m *manifest) signatureString() (string, error) {
 
 	mh, err := multihash.Encode(m.pbOuter.GetSha256(), multihash.SHA2_256)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to encode multihash: %w", err)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("encode multihash: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	uuidStr := hex.EncodeToString(m.pbOuter.GetUuid())

mfer/scanner.go

@@ -160,7 +160,9 @@ func (s *Scanner) EnumeratePath(
 	return s.enumerateFS(afs, abs, progress)
 }
 
-// EnumeratePaths walks multiple directory paths and adds all files to the scanner.
+// EnumeratePaths adds to the scanner the files under each directory path,
+// listed by their paths under it, and each file path, listed by its name
+// as EnumerateFile lists it.
 // If progress is non-nil, status updates are sent as files are discovered.
 // The progress channel is closed when the method returns.
 func (s *Scanner) EnumeratePaths(
@@ -177,9 +179,19 @@ func (s *Scanner) EnumeratePaths(
 			return err
 		}
 
-		afs := afero.NewReadOnlyFs(afero.NewBasePathFs(s.fs, abs))
+		info, err := s.fs.Stat(abs)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if info.IsDir() {
+			afs := afero.NewReadOnlyFs(afero.NewBasePathFs(s.fs, abs))
+			err = s.enumerateFS(afs, abs, progress)
+		} else {
+			err = s.enumerateFileWithInfo(
+				filepath.Base(abs), filepath.Dir(abs), info, progress)
+		}
 
-		err = s.enumerateFS(afs, abs, progress)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}

mfer/scanner_test.go

@@ -134,6 +134,28 @@ func TestScannerEnumeratePaths(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, FileCount(2), s.FileCount())
 }
 
+// TestScannerEnumeratePathsFile gives EnumeratePaths a directory and a
+// file: the file is listed by its name, as EnumerateFile lists it.
+func TestScannerEnumeratePathsFile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	fs := afero.NewMemMapFs()
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll("/dir/sub", 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll("/other", 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs, "/dir/sub/one.txt", []byte("1"), 0o644))
+	require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs, "/other/two.txt", []byte("2"), 0o644))
+
+	s := NewScannerWithOptions(&ScannerOptions{Fs: fs})
+	require.NoError(t, s.EnumeratePaths(nil, "/dir", "/other/two.txt"))
+
+	paths := make([]RelFilePath, 0, s.FileCount())
+	for _, f := range s.Files() {
+		paths = append(paths, f.Path)
+	}
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []RelFilePath{"sub/one.txt", "two.txt"}, paths)
+}
+
 func TestScannerExcludeDotfiles(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 

mfer/serialize.go

@@ -20,11 +20,9 @@ const MAGIC string = "ZNAVSRFG"
 var (
 	// errInnerNotSet is returned by generate when the inner manifest is
 	// missing.
-	errInnerNotSet = errors.New("internal error: pbInner not set")
+	errInnerNotSet = errors.New("inner message not set")
 	// errInternal is returned by generateOuter for the same condition.
-	// The two messages differ, and both are load-bearing for callers that
-	// match on text, so they are kept distinct.
-	errInternal = errors.New("internal error")
+	errInternal = errors.New("inner message not set")
 )
 
 // nanosecondsInt32 converts t's nanosecond component to int32.
@@ -65,14 +63,14 @@ func (m *manifest) generate(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	dat, err := proto.MarshalOptions{Deterministic: true}.Marshal(m.pbOuter)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("serialize: marshal outer: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("marshal outer message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	m.output = bytes.NewBufferString(MAGIC)
 
 	_, err = m.output.Write(dat)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("serialize: write output: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("write outer message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -95,7 +93,7 @@ func (m *manifest) generateOuter(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	innerData, err := proto.MarshalOptions{Deterministic: true}.Marshal(m.pbInner)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("serialize: marshal inner: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("marshal inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Compress the inner data
@@ -103,12 +101,12 @@ func (m *manifest) generateOuter(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	zw, err := zstd.NewWriter(idc, zstd.WithEncoderLevel(zstd.SpeedBestCompression))
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("serialize: create compressor: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("create compressor: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	_, err = zw.Write(innerData)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("serialize: compress: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("compress inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	_ = zw.Close()
@@ -120,7 +118,7 @@ func (m *manifest) generateOuter(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	_, err = h.Write(compressedData)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("serialize: hash write: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("hash inner message: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	sha256Hash := h.Sum(nil)
@@ -149,12 +147,12 @@ func (m *manifest) generateOuter(ctx context.Context) error {
 func (m *manifest) signOuter(ctx context.Context) error {
 	sigString, err := m.signatureString()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to generate signature string: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("build signature string: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	sig, signingKey, err := gpgSign(ctx, []byte(sigString), m.signingOptions.KeyID)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to sign manifest: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	m.pbOuter.Signature = sig
@@ -163,14 +161,14 @@ func (m *manifest) signOuter(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// fingerprint first.
 	fingerprint, err := gpgGetKeyFingerprint(ctx, GPGKeyID(signingKey))
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get key fingerprint: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	m.pbOuter.Signer = fingerprint
 
 	pubKey, err := gpgExportPublicKey(ctx, GPGKeyID(fingerprint))
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to export public key: %w", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	m.pbOuter.SigningPubKey = pubKey