[rdiff-backup-users] Error no 22: What may be the cause?

[Juergen Starek]

Hello everyone,

when trying to invoke rdiff-backup in the most simple way (e.g.
rdiff-backup /home/myhomedir /media/myremoteharddrive), I get an error
with a less than obvious cause (at least for me):

=====================================================================

Exception '[Errno 22] Invalid argument: 
'/media/sda1/.java/.userPrefs/_!\'8!cg"n!#4!cw"m!\')!;059;064!z!$g!.g"l!(g!b;064"h!()!;125;064"s!\';064!;125;064!u!&!!;125;064"y!(;064!a;064"0!(;096!cg"&!\';064!a;064"0!\'8!cg;061;061''
 raised of class 'exceptions.OSError':
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 295, in 
error_check_Main
    try: Main(arglist)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 315, in 
Main
    take_action(rps)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 271, in 
take_action
    elif action == "backup": Backup(rps[0], rps[1])
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 337, in 
Backup
    backup.Mirror(rpin, rpout)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 38, in 
Mirror
    DestS.patch(dest_rpath, source_diffiter)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 218, in 
patch
    ITR(diff.index, diff)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/rorpiter.py", line 284, 
in __call__
    branch.start_process(*args)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 601, in 
start_process
    if diff_rorp.isdir(): self.prepare_dir(diff_rorp, self.base_rp)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 629, in 
prepare_dir
    base_rp.mkdir()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/rpath.py", line 863, in 
mkdir
    self.conn.os.mkdir(self.path)

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/rdiff-backup", line 23, in ?
    rdiff_backup.Main.error_check_Main(sys.argv[1:])
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 295, in 
error_check_Main
    try: Main(arglist)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 315, in 
Main
    take_action(rps)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 271, in 
take_action
    elif action == "backup": Backup(rps[0], rps[1])
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/Main.py", line 337, in 
Backup
    backup.Mirror(rpin, rpout)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 38, in 
Mirror
    DestS.patch(dest_rpath, source_diffiter)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 218, in 
patch
    ITR(diff.index, diff)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/rorpiter.py", line 284, 
in __call__
    branch.start_process(*args)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 601, in 
start_process
    if diff_rorp.isdir(): self.prepare_dir(diff_rorp, self.base_rp)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/backup.py", line 629, in 
prepare_dir
    base_rp.mkdir()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/rdiff_backup/rpath.py", line 863, in 
mkdir
    self.conn.os.mkdir(self.path)
OSError: [Errno 22] Invalid argument: 
'/media/sda1/.java/.userPrefs/_!\'8!cg"n!#4!cw"m!\')!;059;064!z!$g!.g"l!(g!b;064"h!()!;125;064"s!\';064!;125;064!u!&!!;125;064"y!(;064!a;064"0!(;096!cg"&!\';064!a;064"0!\'8!cg;061;061'

=====================================================================

I am rather sure that I don't have a file with such a strange name there... 

The source file system is ext3fs, using utf-8 in filenames. The
destination filesystem is vfat.

Many thanks in advance for any hints

  Jürgen