BUG+FIX: Optional field output_file not optional

[Maralai]

The optional field, output_file, does not behave like an optional field, and the field_validator throws an exception because it does not handle the condition when the output_file is None.

The following error occurs:

\crewai\task.py", line 121, in output_file_validattion
    if value.startswith("/"):
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'startswith'

Example task initialization:

           Task(
                description=self.description,
                expected_output=self.expected_output,
                agent=self.agent_id._build_agent() if self.agent_id else None,
                tools=[tool.build_tool() for tool in self.tool_ids],
                async_execution=self.async_execution,
                callback=self._callback,
                output_pydantic=output_pydantic,
                output_json=output_json,
                output_file=self.output_file if self.output_file else None,
            )

Related Field:

output_file: Optional[str] = Field(
        description="A file path to be used to create a file output.",
        default=None,
    )

Related Method:

    @field_validator("output_file")
    @classmethod
    def output_file_validattion(cls, value: str) -> str:
        """Validate the output file path by removing the / from the beginning of the path."""
        if value.startswith("/"):
            return value[1:]
        return value

---

Solution:

    @field_validator("output_file")
    @classmethod
    def output_file_validattion(cls, value: str) -> str:
        """Validate the output file path by removing the / from the beginning of the path."""
        if value and value.startswith("/"):
            return value[1:]
        return value

[Maralai]

@joaomdmoura I don't think I will get around to forking the repo and submitting a pull request with the solution stated in this issue at this time. I have, however, rebuilt the distribution and installed it, and the solution resolved the issue.