apache/hadoop · error · IOException

Unexpected argument:

Error message

Unexpected argument: 

What it means

Error "Unexpected argument: " thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/shell/find/Find.java:335

        } else {
          if (!prevExpr.isOperator()) {
            Expression and = getExpression(And.class);
            while (!operators.isEmpty()) {
              if (operators.peek().getPrecedence() >= and.getPrecedence()) {
                Expression op = operators.pop();
                op.addChildren(primaries);
                primaries.push(op);
              } else {
                break;
              }
            }
            operators.push(and);
          }
          primaries.push(expr);
        }
        prevExpr = expr;
      } else {
        throw new IOException("Unexpected argument: " + arg);
      }
    }

    while (!operators.isEmpty()) {
      Expression operator = operators.pop();
      operator.addChildren(primaries);
      primaries.push(operator);
    }

    return primaries.isEmpty() ? getExpression(Print.class) : primaries.pop();
  }

  /** Returns true if the target is an ancestor of the source. */
  private boolean isAncestor(PathData source, PathData target) {
    for (Path parent = source.path; (parent != null) && !parent.isRoot();
        parent = parent.getParent()) {
      if (parent.equals(target.path)) {
        return true;

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Remove or correct the unexpected argument; check the find command syntax.
2. Quote arguments so the shell does not split them unexpectedly.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown by the find shell command when it encounters a command-line token that does not correspond to any known find expression or option.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5e6ec738d0686fe8. Report an issue: GitHub.