apache/hadoop · error · HadoopIllegalArgumentException

Must specify '-n name' or '-d' option.

Error message

Must specify '-n name' or '-d' option.

What it means

Error "Must specify '-n name' or '-d' option." thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/XAttrCommands.java:90

      name = StringUtils.popOptionWithArgument("-n", args);
      String en = StringUtils.popOptionWithArgument("-e", args);
      if (en != null) {
        try {
          encoding = XAttrCodec.valueOf(StringUtils.toUpperCase(en));
        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
          throw new IllegalArgumentException(
              "Invalid/unsupported encoding option specified: " + en);
        }
        Preconditions.checkArgument(encoding != null,
            "Invalid/unsupported encoding option specified: " + en);
      }

      boolean r = StringUtils.popOption("-R", args);
      setRecursive(r);
      dump = StringUtils.popOption("-d", args);

      if (!dump && name == null) {
        throw new HadoopIllegalArgumentException(
            "Must specify '-n name' or '-d' option.");
      }

      if (args.isEmpty()) {
        throw new HadoopIllegalArgumentException("<path> is missing.");
      }
      if (args.size() > 1) {
        throw new HadoopIllegalArgumentException("Too many arguments.");
      }
    }

    @Override
    protected void processPath(PathData item) throws IOException {
      out.println("# file: " + item);
      if (dump) {
        Map<String, byte[]> xattrs = item.fs.getXAttrs(item.path);
        if (xattrs != null) {
          Iterator<Entry<String, byte[]>> iter = xattrs.entrySet().iterator();

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Pass either '-n name' to read one xattr or '-d' to dump all xattrs.
2. Check the getfattr command usage and add the required option.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown by getfattr when neither the -n name nor the -d (dump all) option is supplied.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/00f247e236754b8c. Report an issue: GitHub.