INPUT.json Automatically Deleted on Each Run (Python SDK Local Storage Issue)

[salimuddin07]

Hi Apify Team,

I’m encountering a persistent problem with my local Python Apify scraper project — the INPUT.json file under:

C:\MyPersonelProjects\youtube-scraper\storage\key_value_stores\default\

gets automatically deleted every time I run the scraper.

Error
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, stat 'C:\MyPersonelProjects\youtube-scraper\storage\key_value_stores\default\INPUT.json'

Even if I manually restore the file, it disappears after the next run, preventing successive executions without manual restoration.

Setup

Language: Python

Framework: Playwright + Apify SDK

Commands used:

.\run-actor.ps1

apify run

apify run -p

apify run --input-file=./input.json

apify run -i ./input.json

apify run -i @'
{
  "start_urls": [{ "url": "https://www.youtube.com/" }],
  "max_depth": 1
}
'@

All result in the same deletion or ENOENT error.

Steps Tried

Restored INPUT.json manually each time.

Added a restore script: python .\scripts\restore_input.py.

Set environment variable:

$env:APIFY_DISABLE_STORAGE_LOCAL_CLEANUP=1

Also set globally:

setx APIFY_DISABLE_STORAGE_LOCAL_CLEANUP "1"

Tried running via PowerShell and CMD.

Request

Please investigate whether there’s a regression or configuration conflict in the local storage cleanup process for the Python SDK.
Even with cleanup disabled, the process still removes INPUT.json after each run.

If I’m doing anything wrong in my setup or workflow, please let me know and share any suggestions or documentation links that could guide me to fix this issue.

Any workaround or official fix to persist this file between runs would be very helpful.

Thank you for your time and support.

Best regards,
Salimuddin07

[Pijukatel]

Hello, thanks for reporting the issue. I think it is related to the issue on the CLI

[salimuddin07]

Hello, thanks for reporting the issue. I think it is related to the issue on the CLI

okk

[Pijukatel]

Btw. I am not sure what exactly your use case is, but in some cases, it can help to set an environment variable: export APIFY_PURGE_ON_START=false. This way, you should be able to achieve persistence without that error. On the other hand, the crawler will behave like it had just stopped and will continue from the previous run (using the same request queue, state, and other storages...)

[salimuddin07]

Btw. I am not sure what exactly your use case is, but in some cases, it can help to set an environment variable: export APIFY_PURGE_ON_START=false. This way, you should be able to achieve persistence without that error. On the other hand, the crawler will behave like it had just stopped and will continue from the previous run (using the same request queue, state, and other storages...)

Hi,

I have tried what you suggested, but I am still getting the same error. The INPUT.json file is being deleted automatically.

PS C:\MyPersonelProjects\youtube-scraper> .\run-actor.ps1
Preparing input for Apify run...
Restored template -> C:\MyPersonelProjects\youtube-scraper\storage\key_value_stores\default\INPUT.json    
Set APIFY_DISABLE_STORAGE_LOCAL_CLEANUP=1
Starting Apify run...
Run: C:\Users\salim\AppData\Local\Python\bin\python3.EXE -m src
[apify] INFO  Initializing Actor ({"apify_sdk_version": "3.0.3", "apify_client_version": "2.2.1", "crawlee_version": "1.0.4", "python_version": "3.14.0", "os": "win32"})
[apify] INFO  Enqueuing https://www.youtube.com/
[apify] INFO  Launching Playwright...
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, stat 'C:\MyPersonelProjects\youtube-scraper\storage\key_value_stores\default\INPUT.json'

[Pijukatel]

Seems like you are setting APIFY_DISABLE_STORAGE_LOCAL_CLEANUP and not APIFY_PURGE_ON_START

I tried with simple actor and I also needed to add some temp uggly cleanup of the ...storage/key_value_stores/default/INPUT.json.__metadata__.json, but then it worked.

Actor:

async def main() -> None:
    async with Actor:
        Actor.log.info(await Actor.get_input())

Called twice with custom input and without error

(apify) pijukatel@kouzelna-krabicka:~/repos/apify-sdk-python/aaa$ export APIFY_PURGE_ON_START=false
(apify) pijukatel@kouzelna-krabicka:~/repos/apify-sdk-python/aaa$ npx apify run --input-file=/home/pijukatel/repos/apify-sdk-python/aaa/custom_input.json && rm /home/pijukatel/repos/apify-sdk-python/aaa/storage/key_value_stores/default/INPUT.json.__metadata__.json
Run: /home/pijukatel/repos/apify-sdk-python/.venv/bin/python3 -m aaa
[apify] INFO  Initializing Actor ({"apify_sdk_version": "3.0.4", "apify_client_version": "2.2.1", "crawlee_version": "1.0.4", "python_version": "3.11.12", "os": "linux"})
[apify] INFO  {'start_urls': [{'url': 'MY CUSTOM INPUT'}], 'max_depth': 1}
[apify] INFO  Exiting Actor ({"exit_code": 0})
(apify) pijukatel@kouzelna-krabicka:~/repos/apify-sdk-python/aaa$ npx apify run --input-file=/home/pijukatel/repos/apify-sdk-python/aaa/custom_input.json && rm /home/pijukatel/repos/apify-sdk-python/aaa/storage/key_value_stores/default/INPUT.json.__metadata__.json
Run: /home/pijukatel/repos/apify-sdk-python/.venv/bin/python3 -m aaa
[apify] INFO  Initializing Actor ({"apify_sdk_version": "3.0.4", "apify_client_version": "2.2.1", "crawlee_version": "1.0.4", "python_version": "3.11.12", "os": "linux"})
[apify] INFO  {'start_urls': [{'url': 'MY CUSTOM INPUT'}], 'max_depth': 1}
[apify] INFO  Exiting Actor ({"exit_code": 0})

[salimuddin07]

Thank you very much for your help! Your solution worked perfectly and solved the issue. I really appreciate your support.