sourceSandboxName in developer-sandbox-def.json ignored in sandbox clone

[stafik]

Summary

Cloning developer sandboxes using SF CLI and the --definition-file flag still creates a sandbox from production org.

Steps To Reproduce

Prerequisite: having a developer sandbox (sandbox name: dev1)

1. Create a config/developer-sandbox-def.json file as described at the very bottom of https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.250.0.sfdx_dev.meta/sfdx_dev/sfdx_dev_sandbox_definition.htm. It should look as follows:

{
    "sandboxName": "dev1clone",
    "sourceSandboxName": "dev1"
}

3. Run sf org create sandbox --definition-file config/developer-sandbox-def.json --alias dev1clone --target-org productionAlias --no-prompt

I generated a new project using sf project generate and committed here - link. There's actually only the developer-sandbox-def.json file committed and relevant.

Expected result

A new sandbox (name: dev1clone) is being created and it's a copy of dev1 existing sandbox.

Actual result

A new sandbox (name: dev1clone) is being created and it's a copy of production.

Additional information

I fiddled around with different combinations of developer-sandbox-def.json settings and sf org create sandbox flags. The sourceSandboxName json setting seemed to be always ignored, no matter what.
On the other hand, when I run
sf org create sandbox --definition-file config/developer-sandbox-def.json --alias dev1clone --target-org productionAlias --no-prompt --clone dev1 (I added the -clone dev1 flag), it resulted in creating a cloned sandbox correctly. No matter if the sourceSandboxName was present in developer-sandbox-def.json or not.

To sum up, I got to the conclusion that --clone flag has always worked well but sourceSandboxName setting in developer-sandbox-def.json file has had totally no effect.

Here are two more SF CLI output examples. In both cases developer-sandbox-def.json looks like described in the Steps To Reproduce section above (it includes "sourceSandboxName": "dev1").
The only difference between them is that there's a SourceId 0GQ1i000000TQESGA4 line when I used the --clone dev1 flag.

$ sf org create sandbox --definition-file config/developer-sandbox-def.json --alias dev1clone --target-org productionAlias --no-prompt
Sandbox Create... 00:30:00 until timeout. 0%
 Field         Value                        
 ───────────── ──────────────────────────── 
 Id            0GRW60000000F3tOAE           
 SandboxName   dev1clone                    
 Status        Pending                      
 LicenseType   DEVELOPER                    
 SandboxInfoId 0GQW600000006i9OAA           
 Created Date  2024-09-27T11:30:18.000+0000 
 CopyProgress  0%                           
---------------------
Sandbox Create Stages
… - Pending
… - Processing
… - Activating
… - Authenticating

$ sf org create sandbox --definition-file config/developer-sandbox-def.json --alias dev1clone --target-org productionAlias --no-prompt --clone dev1
Sandbox Create... 00:30:00 until timeout. 0%
 Field         Value                        
 ───────────── ──────────────────────────── 
 Id            0GRW60000000F5VOAU           
 SandboxName   dev1clone                    
 Status        Pending Remote Creation      
 LicenseType   DEVELOPER                    
 SandboxInfoId 0GQW600000006lNOAQ           
 Created Date  2024-09-27T11:33:40.000+0000 
 CopyProgress  0%                           
 SourceId      0GQ1i000000TQESGA4           
---------------------
Sandbox Create Stages
… - Pending
… - Processing
… - Activating
… - Authenticating

System Information

I've noticed the issue using Windows 10 & Powershell 7, as well as in cloud GitLab pipelines using Bash.

{
  "architecture": "linux-x64",
  "cliVersion": "@salesforce/cli/2.59.6",
  "nodeVersion": "node-v20.17.0",
  "osVersion": "Linux 5.15.0-1045-aws",
  "rootPath": "/usr/app/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/@salesforce/cli",
  "shell": "bash",
  "pluginVersions": [
    "@oclif/plugin-autocomplete 3.2.3 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-commands 4.0.14 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-help 6.2.11 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-not-found 3.2.20 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-plugins 5.4.7 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-search 1.2.8 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-update 4.5.6 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-version 2.2.12 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-warn-if-update-available 3.1.15 (core)",
    "@oclif/plugin-which 3.2.13 (core)",
    "@salesforce/cli 2.59.6 (core)",
    "apex 3.4.9 (core)",
    "api 1.2.1 (core)",
    "auth 3.6.56 (core)",
    "data 3.6.5 (core)",
    "deploy-retrieve 3.12.7 (core)",
    "info 3.4.6 (core)",
    "limits 3.3.30 (core)",
    "marketplace 1.2.25 (core)",
    "org 4.5.8 (core)",
    "packaging 2.8.4 (core)",
    "schema 3.3.29 (core)",
    "settings 2.3.19 (core)",
    "sobject 1.4.[35](https://[EDITED]/-/jobs/3434331#L35) (core)",
    "source 3.5.19 (core)",
    "telemetry 3.6.12 (core)",
    "templates 56.3.18 (core)",
    "trust 3.7.27 (core)",
    "user 3.5.29 (core)",
    "sfdx-git-delta 5.45.0 (user) published 7 days ago (Fri Sep 20 2024)"
  ]
}

Thank you very much for your help!

[github-actions]

Thank you for filing this issue. We appreciate your feedback and will review the issue as soon as possible. Remember, however, that GitHub isn't a mechanism for receiving support under any agreement or SLA. If you require immediate assistance, contact Salesforce Customer Support.

[WillieRuemmele]

Hi @stafik - thanks for reporting this. We're looking into it, and agree that it's a little weird. We're looking at how to make it work more like org create scratch where the flags can override what's in the file, or updating how the --clone flag works, but this could also be a breaking change.

[WillieRuemmele]

W-16883274

[cristiand391]

this was fixed (and added 2 new source flags) in RC if you want to give it a try:
https://github.com/forcedotcom/cli/tree/main/releasenotes/#2667-november-13-2024-stable-rc

will be promoted to stable next Wednesday.