Troubleshooting Tip: Resolving 'Configuration File Error' When Uploading CLI Scripts on FortiGate

[ksivadas]

Description	This article addresses the 'Configuration File Error' that can occur when uploading CLI scripts to FortiGate devices. The error may present even if the same script executes successfully in the CLI.
Scope	FortiGate.
Solution	When a 'Configuration File Error' appears on the FortiGate GUI during script upload, but the same script executes successfully via the CLI, the issue is often caused by incorrect file encoding or the presence of a Byte Order Mark (BOM). Below is a list of the supported and unsupported encodings of the file. Supported and Unsupported Encodings: Encoding Type Supported Notes UTF-8 (no BOM) Yes Recommended ANSI Yes Supported UTF-8 with BOM No Not supported UTF-16 BE BOM No Not supported UTF-16 LE BOM No Not supported Error To avoid running into this issue: Save script files as UTF-8 (without BOM) or ANSI. Avoid UTF-8 with BOM, UTF-16 BE BOM, and UTF-16 LE BOM formats. Notepad++: Open the script file. Navigate to the Encoding menu. Select UTF-8 (not 'UTF-8 BOM'). Save the file. Windows Notepad: Open the script file.  Select File -> Save As. In the Encoding dropdown, select UTF-8 or ANSI. Save the file. macOS TextEdit: Open the script file in TextEdit. Go to Format > Make Plain Text (if not already plain text). Select File -> Save As. In the Plain Text Encoding dropdown (at the bottom), select Unicode (UTF-8).  Save the file. Ensure the option "If no extension is provided, use '.txt is checked as needed. Save the file. After saving the file with the correct encoding, upload the script again to the FortiGate. Success Note: Remove any hidden or special characters introduced during editing. If issues persist, paste the script directly into the FortiGate CLI to verify for syntax or formatting errors. Correct encoding selection ensures successful script uploads and prevents configuration file errors on FortiGate systems. Related article: Technical Tip: Automated script execution