rtk-ai/rtk

bug(telemetry): salt file not auto-created on macOS — device hash shows '(no salt file)'

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#1656 opened on May 1, 2026

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bugeffort-smallgood first issue

Description

Description

On macOS, rtk telemetry status shows device hash: (no salt file) even after running commands that should trigger generate_device_hash() (e.g. rtk gain).

Root cause

The salt_file_path() function uses dirs::data_local_dir(), which on macOS resolves to ~/Library/Application Support/ — not ~/.local/share/ (Linux convention). However, the auto-creation logic in get_or_create_salt() silently fails, leaving no salt file and no error message.

The telemetry status command reads the salt file path correctly (from ~/Library/Application Support/rtk/.device_salt), but since the file was never created, it falls back to (no salt file).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Fresh install via brew install rtk on macOS
  2. Run rtk gain or any command
  3. Run rtk telemetry status
  4. Observe: device hash: (no salt file)
  5. Check ~/.local/share/rtk/ — directory doesn't exist
  6. Check ~/Library/Application Support/rtk/ — .device_salt not present

Workaround

cp <some-salt> ~/Library/Application\ Support/rtk/.device_salt

After placing the file in the correct macOS path, rtk telemetry status shows the device hash correctly.

Expected behavior

The salt file should be auto-created at ~/Library/Application Support/rtk/.device_salt on first use on macOS.

Environment

  • OS: macOS (Darwin 25.4.0)
  • RTK version: 0.38.0
  • Installed via: Homebrew

Contributor guide

Tech stack
rust
Domain
cli
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Rust basicsFile system operationsCross platform path handlingDirs crate usage
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
60
Research direction
Investigate the `get or create salt()` function in the telemetry module (likely `src/telemetry.rs` or similar). Ensure that the parent directory (`~/Library/Application Support/rtk/`) is created before attempting to write the salt file. Also review the `salt file path()` function to confirm it returns the correct path on macOS. Consider adding error handling to report failure if directory creation fails. Test on macOS to verify the fix.