apache/hadoop · error · DirectoryListingStartAfterNotFoundException

Can't find startAfter {}

Error message

Can't find startAfter {}

What it means

Error "Can't find startAfter {}" thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSDirStatAndListingOp.java:71

class FSDirStatAndListingOp {
  static DirectoryListing getListingInt(FSDirectory fsd, FSPermissionChecker pc,
      final String srcArg, byte[] startAfter, boolean needLocation)
      throws IOException {
    final INodesInPath iip = fsd.resolvePath(pc, srcArg, DirOp.READ);

    // Get file name when startAfter is an INodePath.  This is not the
    // common case so avoid any unnecessary processing unless required.
    if (startAfter.length > 0 && startAfter[0] == Path.SEPARATOR_CHAR) {
      final String startAfterString = DFSUtil.bytes2String(startAfter);
      if (FSDirectory.isReservedName(startAfterString)) {
        try {
          byte[][] components = INode.getPathComponents(startAfterString);
          components = FSDirectory.resolveComponents(components, fsd);
          startAfter = components[components.length - 1];
        } catch (IOException e) {
          // Possibly the inode is deleted
          throw new DirectoryListingStartAfterNotFoundException(
              "Can't find startAfter " + startAfterString);
        }
      }
    }

    if (fsd.isPermissionEnabled()) {
      if (iip.getLastINode() != null && iip.getLastINode().isDirectory()) {
        fsd.checkPathAccess(pc, iip, FsAction.READ_EXECUTE);
      }
    }
    return getListing(fsd, iip, startAfter, needLocation);
  }

  /**
   * Get the file info for a specific file.
   * @param fsd The FS directory
   * @param pc The permission checker
   * @param srcArg The string representation of the path to the file

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Ensure the startAfter entry exists in the directory listing; list the directory without startAfter first to find a valid entry name.

When it happens

Trigger: Listing a directory with a startAfter entry name that cannot be found in that directory.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1001d2591daba83d. Report an issue: GitHub.