Path and Windows reserved characters

Seafile Server
1

Hi all,

I have many libraries where paths include characters not allowed by windows.

Then, synchronization from client is impossible.

[04/05/17 15:24:17] repo-mgr.c(5114): Path ATELIERS EPCS-TITULAIRE/Suivi fiche demande de modification/FM10 : Salle du Conseil INED/20170329_Compléments/audiovisuel/Sidev_fiche_technique_Samsung_DM65D_fr.pdf is invalid on Windows, skip checkout

Is there any way to prevent users from manually creating files and folders that include theses characters (ie from the web UI) ?

cf. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247(v=vs.85).aspx
The following reserved characters:

< (less than)
> (greater than)
: (colon)
" (quote)
" (double quote)
/ (forward slash)
\ (backslash)
| (vertical bar or pipe)
? (question mark)
* (asterisk)

When importing, could we advise users when these characters are found (and possibly rename them automatically :wink: ?

Regards,

Gautier

1 Like
2

see also: Characters to Avoid in Directories and Filenames

3

Same issue here, with a user base using Linux, Mac and Windows we have a lot of folders and files with this issue. Any solution? Or plan for a solution?

4

I don’t know that there would or could be a solution for that problem. It’s existed for decades. In this particular case, you have to think we are talking about syncing here. Say you sync a file in Linux that Windows doesn’t like… Let’s say Seafile did rename it for the Windows PC… Now, it’s gonna get synced back to Seafile with the new name and you’ve now got a second copy of it… So, the Linux user deletes it, which then gets deleted from the Windows PC.

My suggestion is to have Linux users sync to a Linux library and Windows users sync to a Windows library.

5

Would not be a good idea. Trust me :wink:

2 Likes
6

I’m in agreement, @marcusm. I’ve been working with computers on multiple platforms since the 80’s. It’s an age old dilemma for which few or no solutions have been offered.

7

Please solve this problem by simply letting the admin enable some kind of “Windows Character Compatibilty Mode” in the WebUI.

Then just refuse to create any name including these characters in the WebUI.

The same should of course be checked in the Seafile-Windows-Client Browser.

I think this solution is absolutely vital. We just had days of syncing problems behind us because of this.