apache/hadoop · error · IOException

copying multiple files, but last argument `" + dst + "' is n

Error message

copying multiple files, but last argument `" + dst + "' is not a directory

What it means

Error "copying multiple files, but last argument `" + dst + "' is not a directory" thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileUtil.java:389

  }

  public static boolean copy(FileSystem srcFS, Path[] srcs,
                             FileSystem dstFS, Path dst,
                             boolean deleteSource,
                             boolean overwrite, Configuration conf)
                             throws IOException {
    boolean gotException = false;
    boolean returnVal = true;
    StringBuilder exceptions = new StringBuilder();

    if (srcs.length == 1)
      return copy(srcFS, srcs[0], dstFS, dst, deleteSource, overwrite, conf);

    // Check if dest is directory
    try {
      FileStatus sdst = dstFS.getFileStatus(dst);
      if (!sdst.isDirectory())
        throw new IOException("copying multiple files, but last argument `" +
                              dst + "' is not a directory");
    } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
      throw new IOException(
          "`" + dst + "': specified destination directory " +
              "does not exist", e);
    }

    for (Path src : srcs) {
      try {
        if (!copy(srcFS, src, dstFS, dst, deleteSource, overwrite, conf))
          returnVal = false;
      } catch (IOException e) {
        gotException = true;
        exceptions.append(e.getMessage())
            .append("\n");
      }
    }
    if (gotException) {

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. When copying multiple sources, pass an existing directory as the last argument.
2. Create the destination directory before the copy.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileUtil.java:389 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/bec7f81fcdbcc00d. Report an issue: GitHub.