Diagnosis
What this notice means
The value in childFieldName cannot be found in the referenced file and field named by the report.
Operational effect
Why it matters
An app may reject or omit the affected stop, trip, route, or other record.
Scope
Files to check and report fields
Use the file or input resource identified in the report. Check the message and available context fields; runtime failures may not identify a GTFS row.
| Report field | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
childFieldName | string | The name of the field that makes reference. |
childFilename | string | The name of the file from which reference is made. |
csvRowNumber | integer | The row of the faulty record. |
fieldValue | string | The faulty record's value. |
parentFieldName | string | The name of the field that is referred to. |
parentFilename | string | The name of the file that is referred to. |
Repair
How to fix it
- 1
Open
childFilenameatcsvRowNumber, then search for the exactfieldValueinparentFilenameandparentFieldName. - 2
Correct a mistyped reference, restore the real missing record, or remove an obsolete record and its dependencies. Check case and whitespace. For service IDs, consider both calendar files; never invent a placeholder stop or service.
- 3Check the result
After a repair, rebuild the archive and validate it again. Confirm that the affected records are correct and that no new related notices appeared. A reviewed warning or informational notice may remain when it describes intentional, supported data.
Re-check your feed in the browserFree, no upload for a file you pick.
Worked example
Example correction
Assume the source timetable confirms that this trip serves STOP_41. These are field-level excerpts, not a complete feed.
Before
stops.stop_id: STOP_41
stop_times.stop_id: STOP_42After
stops.stop_id: STOP_41
stop_times.stop_id: STOP_41Illustrative excerpt, not a complete GTFS feed. Keep all other required records and fields.
Sources