[Bug] Generate compare changes is showing a "Nothing to do" when only a seed file is changed!!

[gunnava]

Is this a new bug in dbt-core?

• I believe this is a new bug in dbt-core
• I have searched the existing issues, and I could not find an existing issue for this bug

Current Behavior

The "Generate compare changes" step (debug logs for the run step attached) is
throwing an error for a PR where only a seed is changed and with the warning config as below:

flags:
  warn_error_options:
    error: 
      - NoNodesForSelectionCriteria
      - NothingToDo

15:03:21 Encountered an error:
Compilation Error
Nothing to do. Try checking your model configs and model specification args

Expected Behavior

The expectation is that the Generate compare changes should show the files changed if any and not throw the warning "Nothing to do"

Steps To Reproduce

1. Create a PR where only a seed file data is changed.
2. trigger a CI run/ a run that would defer to another run and the only change is the above seed file entries.
3. The Generate compare changes does not show the files changed(seed file in this case) and throws the warning "Nothing to do"
   

Relevant log output

No response

Environment

- OS:
- Python:
- dbt:

Which database adapter are you using with dbt?

No response

Additional Context

Slack thread: https://dbt-labs.slack.com/archives/C02SRNY2EQ4/p1726685698514849

[dbeatty10]

Thanks for reporting this @gunnava!

How large is the seed file? If it is larger than 1 MiB, then it won't show up during state comparison.

I wasn't able to reproduce this will a very simple seed file less than 1 MiB. See below for details.

My project files and commands

I tried the files and commands below, and things worked as expected.

Start with these files:

dbt_project.yml

flags:
  warn_error_options:
    error: 
      - NoNodesForSelectionCriteria
      - NothingToDo

seeds/my_seed.csv

id
1

Run this command:

dbt build --target-path artifacts

Then change the seed file to this:

seeds/my_seed.csv

id
2

And run this command:

dbt build --select state:modified+ --state artifacts

It all worked as expected for me.

[gunnava]

Hi , Thanks for looking at the issue. I am still able to replicate the issue (on cloud version: 2024.11.07+01d725b)
My project files and commands
Seed file:

employee_id,email,customer_id,add_column
3425, [email protected], 1 , 1
2354, [email protected], 6, 1
2342, [email protected], 8, 1
1234, [email protected], 9 , 1
1256, [email protected], 9 , 1
1356, [email protected], 3 , 1
789, [email protected], 9 , 1
1189, [email protected], 9 , 1
156, [email protected], 3 , 2

dbt_project.yml

flags:
  warn_error_options:
    error: 
      - NoNodesForSelectionCriteria
      - NothingToDo

run the command:

dbt build

update the seed file to

employee_id,email,customer_id,add_column
3425, [email protected], 1 , 1
2354, [email protected], 6, 1
2342, [email protected], 8, 1
1234, [email protected], 9 , 1
1256, [email protected], 9 , 1
1356, [email protected], 3 , 1
789, [email protected], 9 , 1
1189, [email protected], 9 , 1
156, [email protected], 3 , 2
166, [email protected], 3 , 2

and run the step:
dbt build --select state:modified+ --state artifacts. --> this is successful and builds only the modified seed file

Now as part of the Advance CI in dbt cloud to generate compare changes this command is executed
dbt compare -s state:modified
and it fails with the error
Compilation Error Nothing to do. Try checking your model configs and model specification args

Debug logs for the dbt build --select state:modified+ and Generate compare changes

debug - 2024-11-08T182440.671.log
debug - 2024-11-08T183315.853.log

[dbeatty10]

There doesn't appear to be any issue within dbt-core for this, so closing this issue in favor of fixing within dbt Cloud.