Debian Bug report logs - #473137
scp: misleading error message when copying to a non-existent target directory

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Message #5 received at submit@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Mair A-W <mair+debian@maircrosoft.com>

To: To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>

Subject: scp: misleading error message when copying to a non-existent target directory

Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:07:28 +0000

Package: openssh-client
Version: 1:4.3p2-9
Severity: wishlist

When copying a file to a remote directory which does not exist, the 
error message "Is a directory" is misleading and can be confusing to 
users. For example, 

(no /www/tmp/ directory on maircrosoft.com)
$ scp interesting/story maircrosoft.com:/www/tmp/
 scp: /www/tmp/: Is a directory

really means "Is *not* a directory" ... 

A better message might be along the lines of "[Directory] does not
exist and cannot rename a file to [Directory] as [Directory] may only
be the name of a directory"


-- System Information:
Debian Release: 4.0
  APT prefers stable
  APT policy: (500, 'stable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Shell:  /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.18-6-686
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)

Versions of packages openssh-client depends on:
ii  add 3.102                                Add and remove users and
groups ii  deb 1.5.11etch1                          Debian
configuration management sy ii  dpk
1.13.25                              package maintenance system for Deb
ii  lib 2.3.6.ds1-13etch5                    GNU C Library: Shared
libraries ii  lib 1.39+1.40-WIP-2006.11.14+dfsg-2etch1 common error
description library ii  lib 2.9.cvs.20050518-2.2                 BSD
editline and history libraries ii  lib
1.4.4-7etch4                         MIT Kerberos runtime libraries ii
lib 5.5-5                                Shared libraries for terminal
hand ii  lib 0.9.8c-4etch1                        SSL shared libraries
ii  pas 1:4.0.18.1-7                         change and administer
password and
ii  zli 1:1.2.3-13                           compression library -
runtime

openssh-client recommends no packages.

-- no debconf information


-- 
I am a happy person

Message #10 received at 473137@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: "Raoul Bhatia [IPAX]" <r.bhatia@ipax.at>

To: 473137@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Bug#473137: misleading scp error "scp: /doesnotexist/: Is a directory"

Date: Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:36:57 +0100

Package: openssh-client
Version: 1:5.1p1-3
Severity: wishlist

confirming that this bug still exists on the current package for
debian testing/lenny.


> root@s1 /etc/snmp # sh s2 "ls /etc/snmp/"
> sh: s2: No such file or directory

ok - this is expected.

> root@s1 /etc/snmp # scp *local* s2:/etc/snmp/
> scp: /etc/snmp/: Is a directory

misleading error message

cheers,
raoul

Message #15 received at 473137@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Stephane Ascoet <Stephane.Ascoet@ac-orleans-tours.fr>

To: 473137@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Duplicate

Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 13:20:58 +0200

Hi, 527288 is a duplicate of this one.

-- 
Sincerely, Stephane Ascoet

Message #20 received at 473137@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Colin Watson <cjwatson@debian.org>

To: Stephane Ascoet <Stephane.Ascoet@ac-orleans-tours.fr>, 473137@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#473137: Duplicate

Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 13:01:19 +0100

Control: severity -1 minor
Control: forcemerge -1 527288

On Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 01:20:58PM +0200, Stephane Ascoet wrote:
> Hi, 527288 is a duplicate of this one.

Merging, thanks.

-- 
Colin Watson                                       [cjwatson@debian.org]

Message #31 received at 473137@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Stephane Ascoet <Stephane.Ascoet@ac-orleans-tours.fr>

To: 473137@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Cause of the bug

Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 15:33:57 +0200

Hi, I got same error when doing a "test -d" on a path that didn't exist so I wonder if it can be related to the fact that test would 
be the one sending this message?

-- 
Bien cordialement, Stephane Ascoet

Message #40 received at 473137@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Karl Schmidt <karl@xtronics.com>

To: 473137@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Still alive in 1:7.4p1-10+deb9u1

Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2017 00:35:01 -0500

Getting close to a decade.

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1142223

The correct text would be "target directory does not exist."

More sad tails at https://www.google.com/search?q=scp+directory+error


-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Karl Schmidt                                  EMail Karl@xtronics.com
3209 West 9th Street                             Ph (785) 841-3089
Lawrence, KS 66049

A penny saved is a tax-free penny earned. -kps
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