apache/hadoop · error · IllegalArgumentException

length != %d(unixSymbolicPermission=%s)

Error message

length != %d(unixSymbolicPermission=%s)

What it means

Error "length != %d(unixSymbolicPermission=%s)" thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/permission/FsPermission.java:457

   * Get the default permission for cache pools.
   *
   * @return CachePoolDefault FsPermission.
   */
  public static FsPermission getCachePoolDefault() {
    return new FsPermission((short)00755);
  }

  /**
   * Create a FsPermission from a Unix symbolic permission string
   * @param unixSymbolicPermission e.g. "-rw-rw-rw-"
   * @return FsPermission.
   */
  public static FsPermission valueOf(String unixSymbolicPermission) {
    if (unixSymbolicPermission == null) {
      return null;
    }
    else if (unixSymbolicPermission.length() != MAX_PERMISSION_LENGTH) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
        "length != %d(unixSymbolicPermission=%s)", MAX_PERMISSION_LENGTH,
        unixSymbolicPermission));
    }

    int n = 0;
    for(int i = 1; i < unixSymbolicPermission.length(); i++) {
      n = n << 1;
      char c = unixSymbolicPermission.charAt(i);
      n += (c == '-' || c == 'T' || c == 'S') ? 0: 1;
    }

    // Add sticky bit value if set
    if(unixSymbolicPermission.charAt(9) == 't' ||
        unixSymbolicPermission.charAt(9) == 'T')
      n += 01000;

    return new FsPermission((short)n);
  }

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Pass a 9-character symbolic permission string (three rwx triplets, e.g. 'rwxr-xr-x').
2. Do not include extra characters; the sticky/setuid bits are handled separately.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown by FsPermission when a Unix symbolic permission string does not have exactly the expected length (9 characters) for the rwxrwxrwx format.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/94c5ab9ddb1cce21. Report an issue: GitHub.