prefect deploy entrypoint errors with "Conflicting entry found" if create a deployment and then move the directory with the flow and try to create deployment again

[discdiver]

First check

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Bug summary

flows.json file in the root ~./prefect directory has the incorrect absolute value if you move your entrypont file and run prefect deploy again. This was tricky to debug because I didn't know where the old file path was stored.

Rerunning

prefect deploy 104/flows.py:pipe

after changing the file path where you flow code exists results in:

pipe: 
Desktop/prefect/demos/certification_courses/pacc/pacc-june-demos
/104/flows.py:pipe

The indicated directory no longer exists. I'm not sure why it would matter if it did exist. There is no other flow.py file in the directory where I run the command.

Relevant section of the codebase:

Reproduction

`prefect deploy my_file.py:my_flow`

Error

entry found for flow with name 'pipe':
pipe: 
Desktop/prefect/demos/certification_courses/pacc/pacc-june-demos
/104/flows.py:pipe

Versions

Version:             2.10.15
API version:         0.8.4
Python version:      3.10.8
Git commit:          49205e57
Built:               Fri, Jun 16, 2023 1:29 PM
OS/Arch:             darwin/arm64
Profile:             prod
Server type:         cloud

### Additional context

_No response_

[discdiver]

@desertaxle or @serinamarie - probably of interest to you.

[discdiver]

Somewhat related - flows.json also gets created and populated in ~/.prefect directory even if the prefect deploy entrypoint is aborted during the guided creation experience.

[discdiver]

Ideally flows.json would not be created at all. We saw an error resulting from hard-to-find flows.json at PACC London.

[taylor-curran]

I had the same issue but then I deleted /.prefect/flows.json and that fixed it 🎉

[jeremytanjianle]

Ideally flows.json would not be created at all. We saw an error resulting from hard-to-find flows.json at PACC London.

I agree with this comment regarding flows.json... and that actively deleting ~/.prefect/flows.json is quite a troublesome fix.

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 30 days with no activity. To keep this issue open remove stale label or comment.

[johnkangw]

@discdiver @taylor-curran I have an issue where I run prefect deploy --all on my local machine (Windows), which works and populates the flow.json. The problem is that I have a GitHub action that runs the same command but errors out because the pathing is different using a Ubuntu runner. Not having a flows.json would be nice.

[discdiver]

@desertaxle fyi - passing along, @johnkangw