apache/hadoop · error · IllegalArgumentException

'" + ownerStr + "' does not match expected pattern for [owne

Error message

'" + ownerStr + "' does not match expected pattern for [owner][:group].

What it means

Error "'" + ownerStr + "' does not match expected pattern for [owner][:group]." thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FsShellPermissions.java:159

    protected String owner = null;
    protected String group = null;

    @Override
    protected void processOptions(LinkedList<String> args) throws IOException {
      CommandFormat cf = new CommandFormat(2, Integer.MAX_VALUE, "R");
      cf.parse(args);
      setRecursive(cf.getOpt("R"));
      parseOwnerGroup(args.removeFirst());
    }
    
    /**
     * Parse the first argument into an owner and group
     * @param ownerStr string describing new ownership
     */
    protected void parseOwnerGroup(String ownerStr) {
      Matcher matcher = chownPattern.matcher(ownerStr);
      if (!matcher.matches()) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException(
            "'" + ownerStr + "' does not match expected pattern for [owner][:group].");
      }
      owner = matcher.group(1);
      group = matcher.group(3);
      if (group != null && group.length() == 0) {
        group = null;
      }
      if (owner == null && group == null) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException(
            "'" + ownerStr + "' does not specify owner or group.");
      }    
    }
    
    @Override
    protected void processPath(PathData item) throws IOException {
      //Should we do case insensitive match?
      String newOwner = (owner == null || owner.equals(item.stat.getOwner())) ?
                        null : owner;

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Use the form 'owner', 'owner:', ':group', or 'owner:group' with valid user/group names.
2. Remove invalid characters from the owner/group specification.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FsShellPermissions.java:159 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/8e65a3c558f99e2f. Report an issue: GitHub.