sqlmesh 0.209.1.dev36__py3-none-any.whl → 0.209.1.dev38__py3-none-any.whl

sqlmesh/_version.py

@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ __version__: str
 __version_tuple__: VERSION_TUPLE
 version_tuple: VERSION_TUPLE
 
-__version__ = version = '0.209.1.dev36'
-__version_tuple__ = version_tuple = (0, 209, 1, 'dev36')
+__version__ = version = '0.209.1.dev38'
+__version_tuple__ = version_tuple = (0, 209, 1, 'dev38')

sqlmesh/cli/project_init.py

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from sqlmesh.integrations.dlt import generate_dlt_models_and_settings
 from sqlmesh.utils.date import yesterday_ds
 from sqlmesh.utils.errors import SQLMeshError
 
+from sqlmesh.core.config.common import DBT_PROJECT_FILENAME
 from sqlmesh.core.config.connection import (
     CONNECTION_CONFIG_TO_TYPE,
     DIALECT_TO_TYPE,
@@ -113,11 +114,10 @@ linter:
     - ambiguousorinvalidcolumn
     - invalidselectstarexpansion
 """,
-        ProjectTemplate.DBT: """from pathlib import Path
-
-from sqlmesh.dbt.loader import sqlmesh_config
-
-config = sqlmesh_config(Path(__file__).parent)
+        ProjectTemplate.DBT: f"""# --- Model Defaults ---
+# https://sqlmesh.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/model_configuration/#model-defaults
+model_defaults:
+  start: {start or yesterday_ds()}
 """,
     }
 
@@ -285,8 +285,13 @@ def init_example_project(
     cli_mode: InitCliMode = InitCliMode.DEFAULT,
 ) -> Path:
     root_path = Path(path)
-    config_extension = "py" if template == ProjectTemplate.DBT else "yaml"
-    config_path = root_path / f"config.{config_extension}"
+
+    config_path = root_path / "config.yaml"
+    if template == ProjectTemplate.DBT:
+        # name the config file `sqlmesh.yaml` to make it clear that within the context of all
+        # the existing yaml files DBT project, this one specifically relates to configuring the sqlmesh engine
+        config_path = root_path / "sqlmesh.yaml"
+
     audits_path = root_path / "audits"
     macros_path = root_path / "macros"
     models_path = root_path / "models"
@@ -298,7 +303,7 @@ def init_example_project(
             f"Found an existing config file '{config_path}'.\n\nPlease change to another directory or remove the existing file."
         )
 
-    if template == ProjectTemplate.DBT and not Path(root_path, "dbt_project.yml").exists():
+    if template == ProjectTemplate.DBT and not Path(root_path, DBT_PROJECT_FILENAME).exists():
         raise SQLMeshError(
             "Required dbt project file 'dbt_project.yml' not found in the current directory.\n\nPlease add it or change directories before running `sqlmesh init` to set up your project."
         )

sqlmesh/core/config/common.py

@@ -8,6 +8,16 @@ from sqlmesh.utils import classproperty
 from sqlmesh.utils.errors import ConfigError
 from sqlmesh.utils.pydantic import field_validator
 
+# Config files that can be present in the project dir
+ALL_CONFIG_FILENAMES = ("config.py", "config.yml", "config.yaml", "sqlmesh.yml", "sqlmesh.yaml")
+
+# For personal paths (~/.sqlmesh/) where python config is not supported
+YAML_CONFIG_FILENAMES = tuple(n for n in ALL_CONFIG_FILENAMES if not n.endswith(".py"))
+
+# Note: is here to prevent having to import from sqlmesh.dbt.loader which introduces a dependency
+# on dbt-core in a native project
+DBT_PROJECT_FILENAME = "dbt_project.yml"
+
 
 class EnvironmentSuffixTarget(str, Enum):
     # Intended to create virtual environments in their own schemas, with names like "<model_schema_name>__<env name>". The view name is untouched.

sqlmesh/core/config/loader.py

@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from sqlglot.helper import ensure_list
 
 from sqlmesh.core import constants as c
+from sqlmesh.core.config.common import (
+    ALL_CONFIG_FILENAMES,
+    YAML_CONFIG_FILENAMES,
+    DBT_PROJECT_FILENAME,
+)
 from sqlmesh.core.config.model import ModelDefaultsConfig
 from sqlmesh.core.config.root import Config
 from sqlmesh.utils import env_vars, merge_dicts, sys_path
@@ -51,10 +56,7 @@ def load_configs(
         return {path: config for path in absolute_paths}
 
     config_env_vars = None
-    personal_paths = [
-        sqlmesh_path / "config.yml",
-        sqlmesh_path / "config.yaml",
-    ]
+    personal_paths = [sqlmesh_path / name for name in YAML_CONFIG_FILENAMES]
     for path in personal_paths:
         if path.exists():
             config_env_vars = load_config_from_yaml(path).get("env_vars")
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ def load_configs(
         return {
             path: load_config_from_paths(
                 config_type,
-                project_paths=[path / "config.py", path / "config.yml", path / "config.yaml"],
+                project_paths=[path / name for name in ALL_CONFIG_FILENAMES],
                 personal_paths=personal_paths,
                 config_name=config,
             )
@@ -156,6 +158,22 @@ def load_config_from_paths(
         )
 
     no_dialect_err_msg = "Default model SQL dialect is a required configuration parameter. Set it in the `model_defaults` `dialect` key in your config file."
+
+    # if "dbt_project.yml" is present *and there was no python config already defined*,
+    # create a basic one to ensure we are using the DBT loader.
+    # any config within yaml files will get overlayed on top of it.
+    if not python_config:
+        potential_project_files = [f / DBT_PROJECT_FILENAME for f in visited_folders]
+        dbt_project_file = next((f for f in potential_project_files if f.exists()), None)
+        if dbt_project_file:
+            from sqlmesh.dbt.loader import sqlmesh_config
+
+            dbt_python_config = sqlmesh_config(project_root=dbt_project_file.parent)
+            if type(dbt_python_config) != config_type:
+                dbt_python_config = convert_config_type(dbt_python_config, config_type)
+
+            python_config = dbt_python_config
+
     if python_config:
         model_defaults = python_config.model_defaults
         if model_defaults.dialect is None:
@@ -165,6 +183,7 @@ def load_config_from_paths(
     model_defaults = non_python_config.model_defaults
     if model_defaults.dialect is None:
         raise ConfigError(no_dialect_err_msg)
+
     return non_python_config
 
 

sqlmesh/dbt/common.py

@@ -14,10 +14,11 @@ from sqlmesh.utils.errors import ConfigError
 from sqlmesh.utils.jinja import MacroReference
 from sqlmesh.utils.pydantic import PydanticModel, field_validator
 from sqlmesh.utils.yaml import load
+from sqlmesh.core.config.common import DBT_PROJECT_FILENAME
 
 T = t.TypeVar("T", bound="GeneralConfig")
 
-PROJECT_FILENAME = "dbt_project.yml"
+PROJECT_FILENAME = DBT_PROJECT_FILENAME
 
 JINJA_ONLY = {
     "adapter",

sqlmesh/dbt/manifest.py

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ except ImportError:
 from dbt.tracking import do_not_track
 
 from sqlmesh.core import constants as c
+from sqlmesh.core.config import ModelDefaultsConfig
 from sqlmesh.dbt.basemodel import Dependencies
 from sqlmesh.dbt.builtin import BUILTIN_FILTERS, BUILTIN_GLOBALS, OVERRIDDEN_MACROS
 from sqlmesh.dbt.model import ModelConfig
@@ -78,12 +79,14 @@ class ManifestHelper:
         target: TargetConfig,
         variable_overrides: t.Optional[t.Dict[str, t.Any]] = None,
         cache_dir: t.Optional[str] = None,
+        model_defaults: t.Optional[ModelDefaultsConfig] = None,
     ):
         self.project_path = project_path
         self.profiles_path = profiles_path
         self.profile_name = profile_name
         self.target = target
         self.variable_overrides = variable_overrides or {}
+        self.model_defaults = model_defaults or ModelDefaultsConfig()
 
         self.__manifest: t.Optional[Manifest] = None
         self._project_name: str = ""
@@ -380,9 +383,12 @@ class ManifestHelper:
         profile = self._load_profile()
         project = self._load_project(profile)
 
-        if not any(k in project.models for k in ("start", "+start")):
+        if (
+            not any(k in project.models for k in ("start", "+start"))
+            and not self.model_defaults.start
+        ):
             raise ConfigError(
-                "SQLMesh's requires a start date in order to have a finite range of backfilling data. Add start to the 'models:' block in dbt_project.yml. https://sqlmesh.readthedocs.io/en/stable/integrations/dbt/#setting-model-backfill-start-dates"
+                "SQLMesh requires a start date in order to have a finite range of backfilling data. Add start to the 'models:' block in dbt_project.yml. https://sqlmesh.readthedocs.io/en/stable/integrations/dbt/#setting-model-backfill-start-dates"
             )
 
         runtime_config = RuntimeConfig.from_parts(project, profile, args)

sqlmesh/dbt/model.py

@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ class ModelConfig(BaseModelConfig):
             query,
             dialect=model_dialect,
             kind=kind,
-            start=self.start,
+            start=self.start or context.sqlmesh_config.model_defaults.start,
             audit_definitions=audit_definitions,
             path=model_kwargs.pop("path", self.path),
             # This ensures that we bypass query rendering that would otherwise be required to extract additional

sqlmesh/dbt/project.py

@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ class Project:
             target=profile.target,
             variable_overrides=variable_overrides,
             cache_dir=context.sqlmesh_config.cache_dir,
+            model_defaults=context.sqlmesh_config.model_defaults,
         )
 
         extra_fields = profile.target.extra

{sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info → sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info}/METADATA

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Metadata-Version: 2.4
 Name: sqlmesh
-Version: 0.209.1.dev36
+Version: 0.209.1.dev38
 Summary: Next-generation data transformation framework
 Author-email: "TobikoData Inc." <engineering@tobikodata.com>
 License:                                  Apache License

{sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info → sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info}/RECORD

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 sqlmesh/__init__.py,sha256=QjwaamJIdW7voXoS880yAx7tHm-Im4_mqGA-XJgafos,7631
-sqlmesh/_version.py,sha256=naVObbCL61RZL0IHMc_iqfpFzjLQrDtVY-Vul76FNhg,530
+sqlmesh/_version.py,sha256=7ULrBV5pTtSKKUtK5YiPgFIuJjDOvqy8h83VzNJ6XJc,530
 sqlmesh/magics.py,sha256=xLh3u4eqpVrKRVN5KF3X84RPRqjygAB9AJP1TXwH8hg,42086
 sqlmesh/py.typed,sha256=47DEQpj8HBSa-_TImW-5JCeuQeRkm5NMpJWZG3hSuFU,0
 sqlmesh/cicd/__init__.py,sha256=47DEQpj8HBSa-_TImW-5JCeuQeRkm5NMpJWZG3hSuFU,0
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ sqlmesh/cicd/config.py,sha256=mpgkisSBBovlNrNZir2unT8Wes6b38RW2UsU_o4e8vY,109
 sqlmesh/cli/__init__.py,sha256=MAXAyO7isbyM-PaSdFjkJNcjn32WjOl0XzxT5gvp_vo,1690
 sqlmesh/cli/main.py,sha256=xRpcd3A5aO3mX3texhvdEA2wZFYyCitWceSeUc3vo_U,36668
 sqlmesh/cli/options.py,sha256=8qEGWivk4urGikpEmaU9T8WsyaZtjCpmW4Ed25iQ73I,2543
-sqlmesh/cli/project_init.py,sha256=5JmDmUK0WJs39hM-p76uzHYdo1Hnx6fKuJg_pR3Hn5A,16419
+sqlmesh/cli/project_init.py,sha256=arYGuPl8UKBl-SiaLidLyLDCQJYLjJVcspe7WrjCUss,16734
 sqlmesh/core/__init__.py,sha256=47DEQpj8HBSa-_TImW-5JCeuQeRkm5NMpJWZG3hSuFU,0
 sqlmesh/core/_typing.py,sha256=e1f7xO2aZCy38M_3VoDy-XI3shyd99-IFctgIFSgXWM,497
 sqlmesh/core/console.py,sha256=KbIXoxt5hpDENEolY-DpBlPmcWtJ9vzEgF52mjG2jPE,165710
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ sqlmesh/core/audit/definition.py,sha256=iPpGEOwFIXFHQFQGMyapCm7jnlotwMa-gNaCgTwz
 sqlmesh/core/config/__init__.py,sha256=5zxTXjUMuxBj4XlX6bmpIWTp4GsZY5rIdKSCTYbxRBM,2070
 sqlmesh/core/config/base.py,sha256=t8NQmsgQoZSc-k0dlDiCb8t1jj0AMYdGZ-6se9q_Pks,4898
 sqlmesh/core/config/categorizer.py,sha256=6vzUoNLjR6GOEb_2mYVz2TwmMv2BfldgHX2u-Le5HZs,1975
-sqlmesh/core/config/common.py,sha256=Zg0f3-iEfSE4FcJOlSQzbG8gL6CpKpFLCe8dJJgBmJs,5931
+sqlmesh/core/config/common.py,sha256=9V6PltBAjYeWLOU5dAbqL55BSFfpg8z8t2Op1x_PLhU,6418
 sqlmesh/core/config/connection.py,sha256=X1MkT4hp0XOJ9EwHZ9e_sFOgN3cmNVva4Uibykx7NlQ,88271
 sqlmesh/core/config/feature_flag.py,sha256=JRcD31OG_t2cYc24meKbHDGB0iVID0P07V2oOeB_mgA,203
 sqlmesh/core/config/format.py,sha256=6CXFbvnor56xbldKE-Vrm9k_ABRoY4v6vgIb3mCihiQ,1355
 sqlmesh/core/config/gateway.py,sha256=tYngyqwd_4Qr9lhcv2hlvLvb_2pgYYtKu6hdGsTr-4I,1931
 sqlmesh/core/config/janitor.py,sha256=NP0i51V8XwMrHw8uuwQknivuudIleNiFBtBnMuXmfIY,362
 sqlmesh/core/config/linter.py,sha256=4Fh6UgY5FrRD9tk_R41Y-M_r91Wh7EQW3Pc1IdRN9Cg,1287
-sqlmesh/core/config/loader.py,sha256=Cml5ei1Y1SVeXu4Q47Yu3JWeV7vy6Pu8_5i7DeU0scs,8560
+sqlmesh/core/config/loader.py,sha256=KgqWW8elF7SSp0eLsQYK_iSOI8QqSUIvnO4Sx7zG5Ko,9426
 sqlmesh/core/config/migration.py,sha256=3lZIlmIcQH3_hIEm3Y3jFtvpw0YXzRzAnk4OdiklO6M,408
 sqlmesh/core/config/model.py,sha256=xDKIHD8WIzsPu7DfpybPM3bLobppttCZjvD3TTVnwps,4182
 sqlmesh/core/config/naming.py,sha256=KVGaxUgswoQajXR_cHFJvgkmEFcU1V182GkOH1SJxuE,326
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ sqlmesh/dbt/adapter.py,sha256=WPR8EQimP4Yrra_lQmqGKUTUcA8zTYDtK6oH_i_kGI8,18006
 sqlmesh/dbt/basemodel.py,sha256=YmrgE53nrRdo4kCFkuivOPRnqhmAnQ1_XVqxYjGmNRI,12731
 sqlmesh/dbt/builtin.py,sha256=p4E1rmSLM0B5PHcFWA9J7FwScR90pIPqiMN8G4M3sBM,15173
 sqlmesh/dbt/column.py,sha256=Kvj_N3D_QegcoNQG7VqRiqy-FRfupud-6ilhlykBOgE,1873
-sqlmesh/dbt/common.py,sha256=g4PAL-sEdlnfb_zT-WW3xh-oamyCUoK8dUiDEMVwDWI,7804
+sqlmesh/dbt/common.py,sha256=cU5u3_dYXyN2U--YEb1ev7WLfKTJMt_oGQRvsHFu1HE,7867
 sqlmesh/dbt/context.py,sha256=dxClM-G1IeMbP0v5yxC_va8QNU-uKghW2dBlSZHJOk0,10331
 sqlmesh/dbt/loader.py,sha256=Loc-yNHop-Gop80tDhziTPJwOQ01jlW6CcAV1vFsS_Q,15702
-sqlmesh/dbt/manifest.py,sha256=jlafUYdoG7gS2pzvJrt9JfC2afbAMORhBbBUaLl-ZTM,24894
-sqlmesh/dbt/model.py,sha256=eAkTnj0nh7huBFXGAO8ckr5chvdAFrqbw-gOs6uZ_NE,26015
+sqlmesh/dbt/manifest.py,sha256=olX7nLmT0S6DB18cNSbo8Sr1L4n0LYgq6NLclNt5A9E,25148
+sqlmesh/dbt/model.py,sha256=j5DPey2z1J8YL5Hzmt_2OMGnjfDK6YXuUQcLQ07ls_Y,26062
 sqlmesh/dbt/package.py,sha256=IBBQueVB4_4C9tIk0-GUL-O2uibNxXu6W2a4AeHHcOU,4322
 sqlmesh/dbt/profile.py,sha256=Fz2c0dJNN0xBgYEogCIKBTByjNvlA2BVBzOLQCfdEfM,3788
-sqlmesh/dbt/project.py,sha256=a21czHhdcm2J80Zllj2q6VvH-W_rDtlXHa8wmvHaLTo,4036
+sqlmesh/dbt/project.py,sha256=bXW2VL0023mhOr0GRAcYsomIcR3qTpflWgZO3oMwtOE,4102
 sqlmesh/dbt/relation.py,sha256=rgDJQUuENjqq7kpMJJ6AdlgwYmcYjA1oFj6LCYCS-Hg,227
 sqlmesh/dbt/seed.py,sha256=UuPUTXpj3nL3JxX1fAReS263zPo31Hmj8dfOctF1oh8,4484
 sqlmesh/dbt/source.py,sha256=IZK-aOV-KdWIOPuXqRjJZAZ7phW1HUXoHtE-3clgkx4,4125
@@ -292,11 +292,11 @@ sqlmesh/utils/pydantic.py,sha256=o_NsXbIpDqNpUA1Uc5xF0ZzoXQYYB0DfHwdRxBwXPNk,120
 sqlmesh/utils/rich.py,sha256=cwQ5nJ6sgz64xHtoh6_ec7ReV5YpsOGhMtUJnwoRfEI,3549
 sqlmesh/utils/windows.py,sha256=r7Yin4WEwbvH7sKA3hOJtRsclmscNuBeCklCfVPvtQs,611
 sqlmesh/utils/yaml.py,sha256=hvo5lmybYLcIx4p6CQwufS8X4MbwS60lEBnCmYJCXmU,2336
-sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info/licenses/LICENSE,sha256=OlMefUjgWJdULtf84BLW0AZZcY8DwdgQqb_1j2862j8,11346
+sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info/licenses/LICENSE,sha256=OlMefUjgWJdULtf84BLW0AZZcY8DwdgQqb_1j2862j8,11346
 sqlmesh_dbt/__init__.py,sha256=awYS5y5mz-1NUmx6i5h5NSTJ7tidRl9NC0FAnFWSF6U,350
 sqlmesh_dbt/cli.py,sha256=Ekn77WLMmyyr31aoDoWrZp5DS0rfiddy7pNohBK8G0s,2115
 sqlmesh_dbt/console.py,sha256=1B0B5_R1DlrEkyWVDl8G78-B6_K-ZtLPsQEhqPCfLEU,188
-sqlmesh_dbt/operations.py,sha256=u8O5mrbX942y6lGBHMg1GPIJLTWVOUiVw35uG3okjKg,5461
+sqlmesh_dbt/operations.py,sha256=84SKp9irWLR-xYJhy7ldxixTcokdjk2WPxdQA6FDcSU,4418
 web/__init__.py,sha256=47DEQpj8HBSa-_TImW-5JCeuQeRkm5NMpJWZG3hSuFU,0
 web/client/dist/index.html,sha256=SXykdSRNgrT1k6I2dPZPEfpxPjIsi8-yVFijt-naSA4,5472
 web/client/dist/assets/Audits-Jm353fhk.js,sha256=ry6b5IKT3hLAfD5C3T2BqxulfauEV0n0YZ2vsP4eQ_U,1041
@@ -414,8 +414,8 @@ web/server/api/endpoints/models.py,sha256=kwj0s7uve3iZSMfmjkoPVMFMeY1sD0peTeyrWf
 web/server/api/endpoints/modules.py,sha256=8hqqgonGay_mJmpCw0IdbjsPhWlQH2VLdKAqha-myac,468
 web/server/api/endpoints/plan.py,sha256=bbbY50W_2MsZSTxOHWMKz0tbIm75nsRSlPy8GI2fg9Q,9306
 web/server/api/endpoints/table_diff.py,sha256=SCy3-pr5x6bEEiOaZGCDbiHQhpgxwmnz3Acqa2Ie6jI,2090
-sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info/METADATA,sha256=GlXpToVp1WAKXGlo1666Yn7gufp-V9RpIIlEK22cLfM,26686
-sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info/WHEEL,sha256=_zCd3N1l69ArxyTb8rzEoP9TpbYXkqRFSNOD5OuxnTs,91
-sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info/entry_points.txt,sha256=sHAf6tQczIM8xZoduN4qaUjV7QEPVUUW_LCT8EDUMv4,155
-sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info/top_level.txt,sha256=RQ-33FPe2IgL0rgossAfJkCRtqslz9b7wFARqiWLC5Q,24
-sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev36.dist-info/RECORD,,
+sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info/METADATA,sha256=bWpl9zD3sw-8m8Dc56ANd9Ygvz343rNUrMIeDIsgv60,26686
+sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info/WHEEL,sha256=_zCd3N1l69ArxyTb8rzEoP9TpbYXkqRFSNOD5OuxnTs,91
+sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info/entry_points.txt,sha256=sHAf6tQczIM8xZoduN4qaUjV7QEPVUUW_LCT8EDUMv4,155
+sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info/top_level.txt,sha256=RQ-33FPe2IgL0rgossAfJkCRtqslz9b7wFARqiWLC5Q,24
+sqlmesh-0.209.1.dev38.dist-info/RECORD,,

sqlmesh_dbt/operations.py

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def create(
 
         from sqlmesh import configure_logging
         from sqlmesh.core.context import Context
-        from sqlmesh.dbt.loader import sqlmesh_config, DbtLoader
+        from sqlmesh.dbt.loader import DbtLoader
         from sqlmesh.core.console import set_console
         from sqlmesh_dbt.console import DbtCliConsole
         from sqlmesh.utils.errors import SQLMeshError
@@ -71,34 +71,14 @@ def create(
 
         progress.update(load_task_id, description="Loading project", total=None)
 
-        # inject default start date if one is not specified to prevent the user from having to do anything
-        _inject_default_start_date(project_dir)
-
-        config = sqlmesh_config(
-            project_root=project_dir,
-            # do we want to use a local duckdb for state?
-            # warehouse state has a bunch of overhead to initialize, is slow for ongoing operations and will create tables that perhaps the user was not expecting
-            # on the other hand, local state is not portable
-            state_connection=None,
-        )
+        project_dir = project_dir or Path.cwd()
+        init_project_if_required(project_dir)
 
         sqlmesh_context = Context(
-            config=config,
+            paths=[project_dir],
             load=True,
         )
 
-        # this helps things which want a default project-level start date, like the "effective from date" for forward-only plans
-        if not sqlmesh_context.config.model_defaults.start:
-            min_start_date = min(
-                (
-                    model.start
-                    for model in sqlmesh_context.models.values()
-                    if model.start is not None
-                ),
-                default=None,
-            )
-            sqlmesh_context.config.model_defaults.start = min_start_date
-
         dbt_loader = sqlmesh_context._loaders[0]
         if not isinstance(dbt_loader, DbtLoader):
             raise SQLMeshError(f"Unexpected loader type: {type(dbt_loader)}")
@@ -109,25 +89,20 @@ def create(
         return DbtOperations(sqlmesh_context, dbt_project)
 
 
-def _inject_default_start_date(project_dir: t.Optional[Path] = None) -> None:
+def init_project_if_required(project_dir: Path) -> None:
     """
-    SQLMesh needs a start date to as the starting point for calculating intervals on incremental models
+    SQLMesh needs a start date to as the starting point for calculating intervals on incremental models, amongst other things
 
     Rather than forcing the user to update their config manually or having a default that is not saved between runs,
-    we can inject it automatically to the dbt_project.yml file
+    we can generate a basic SQLMesh config if it doesnt exist.
+
+    This is preferable to trying to inject config into `dbt_project.yml` because it means we have full control over the file
+    and dont need to worry about accidentally reformatting it or accidentally clobbering other config
     """
-    from sqlmesh.dbt.project import PROJECT_FILENAME, load_yaml
-    from sqlmesh.utils.yaml import dump
-    from sqlmesh.utils.date import yesterday_ds
-
-    project_yaml_path = (project_dir or Path.cwd()) / PROJECT_FILENAME
-    if project_yaml_path.exists():
-        loaded_project_file = load_yaml(project_yaml_path)
-        start_date_keys = ("start", "+start")
-        if "models" in loaded_project_file and all(
-            k not in loaded_project_file["models"] for k in start_date_keys
-        ):
-            loaded_project_file["models"]["+start"] = yesterday_ds()
-            # todo: this may format the file differently, is that acceptable?
-            with project_yaml_path.open("w") as f:
-                dump(loaded_project_file, f)
+    from sqlmesh.cli.project_init import init_example_project, ProjectTemplate
+    from sqlmesh.core.config.common import ALL_CONFIG_FILENAMES
+    from sqlmesh.core.console import get_console
+
+    if not any(f.exists() for f in [project_dir / file for file in ALL_CONFIG_FILENAMES]):
+        get_console().log_warning("No existing SQLMesh config detected; creating one")
+        init_example_project(path=project_dir, engine_type=None, template=ProjectTemplate.DBT)